2 Humpbuckle Tales, today: “drinking and talking” and “elephant”

February 27, 2023February 27, 2023 Bruce humpbuckletales fiction, fiftywordfiction, fiftywordstory, humpbuckletales, microfiction, zapfic, zapfic50

Both these 50-word stories were inspired by the Freewriters writing prompt on Hive “drinking and talking”

Drinking and Talking

Like old times, they spent the night drinking and talking.

So much had changed.

They drank tea, now, not whisky.

And the desire that had almost destroyed both their lives had waned.

They promised they wouldn’t leave it so long, but they both knew they’d never see each other again.

…

Elephant

They spent the rest of the night drinking and talking.

As the light of day filled the room, however, it became increasingly difficult to ignore the elephant in the room.

Especially after it took a dump on the sofa.

“We should probably take it back to the zoo,” she said.

…

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“drum solo”

February 26, 2023February 26, 2023 Bruce humpbuckletales fiction, fiftywordfiction, fiftywordstory, microfiction, zapfic, zapfic50

A demonic monkey playing a drum solo on the tin roof dragged him from sleep.

Rain!

He leapt out of bed, checking for leaks in the places he’d already repaired, placing pans and pots beneath new ones.

The children, undisturbed by the cacophony, and his water containment dance, slept on.

First published on Hive https://peakd.com/hive-161155/@felt.buzz/drum-solo–a-humpbuckle-tale

“escape”

February 25, 2023February 25, 2023 Bruce humpbuckletales fiction, fiftywordfiction, fiftywordstory, Humpbuckle-on-Sea, humpbuckletales, microfiction, zapfic, zapfic50

There it was!

The old man hadn’t lied after all. The portal pulsated and hummed at the back of the cave.

The sound of thudding boots echoed through the caverns behind her.

Time to go.

She ran through the doorway to other dimensions, her world exploding in colour and sound.

…

First published on Hive https://peakd.com/hive-161155/@felt.buzz/color–a-humpbuckle-tale

“the other woman”

February 24, 2023 Bruce humpbuckletales fiction, fiftywordfiction, fiftywordstory, Humpbuckle-on-Sea, humpbuckletales, microfiction, zapfic, zapfic50

She stares at me.

I hold her gaze, unblinking.

I don’t like her.

And, sure as hell, she hates my guts.

Her mean ugly acidic words burn me.

I blink first.

I always do.

I turn off the bathroom light and the other woman fades ghost-like into the darkness.

…

First published on Hive https://peakd.com/hive-161155/@felt.buzz/ghost-of-the-other-woman-a-humpbuckle-tale-written-using-the-freewrite-prompt

“Chain linked fence”

February 23, 2023 Bruce humpbuckletales fiction, fiftywordfiction, fiftywordstory, Humpbuckle-on-Sea, humpbuckletales, microfiction, zapfic, zapfic50

On our way to school a large house sulks behind a chain linked fence.

A smartly-dressed lady sits in the garden, surrounded by weeds.

I often raise my hand in greeting.

She never waves back.

Bill says she’s a witch.

Or maybe a ghost.

I think she’s just sad.

…

First published on Hive https://peakd.com/hive-161155/@felt.buzz/chain-linked-fence–a-humpbuckle-tale

“animal tracks”

February 22, 2023 Bruce humpbuckletales fiction, fiftywordfiction, fiftywordstory, humpbuckletales, microfiction, zapfic, zapfic50

“I’m an apha male.”

He’s serious, she realises.

Keeping a straight face she asks what that means.

“You know,” he says. “A hunter gatherer type.”

She imagines him stumbling through a forest following animal tracks and laughter escapes her.

“You can’t even find what you’re looking for in the fridge!”

Published first on Hive https://peakd.com/hive-161155/@felt.buzz/animal-tracks–a-humpbuckle-tale

“cool runnings” : a 50-word story. Humpbuckle Tales 254

April 15, 2022April 8, 2022 Bruce John, Park Cafe fiction, fiftywordfiction, fiftywordstory, flash fiction, flashfiction, humpbuckletales, microfiction, short story, story, zapfic50

Every Sunday morning Cool Runnings Jogging Club meet at the park on the other side of town.

It’s a ragtag collection of odd shapes, sizes and ages.

John – his injured knee happily excluding him from joining in – often watches them from the safety of a table at the Park Cafe.

…

This is the two-hundred-and-fifty-fourth story in the series of Humpbuckle Tales. Each story is precisely 50 words long. They are meant to be independent stories, but if you read them all you will find each one adds another piece to the puzzle – there is a bigger story that is being told.

This story was first published on my Hive blog (@felt.buzz) and you can find all the stories on the @humbuckletales Hive account.

Hive is a blogging platform that rewards posts in a cryptocurrency (Hive).

You will find over 70 more Humpbuckle Tales on the @humbuckletales Hive blog (so this blog is about 6 weeks behind)

On Hive I publish 12 stories per week (Monday to Saturday one story per day and then six 50-word stories in one post on a Sunday).

On HumpbuckleTales.com I also publish 12 tales a week but at a different schedule (and about 6 weeks behind): 2 Tales every day, Monday-Friday and 1 Tale on Saturday and 1 Tale on Sunday.

…

Written by Bruce Arbuckle (@felt.buzz on Hive). Find the latest in the Humpbuckle Tales series on Hive

“yeast”: a 50-word story. Humpbuckle Tales 253

April 14, 2022April 8, 2022 Bruce humpbuckletales fiction, fiftywordfiction, fiftywordstory, flash fiction, flashfiction, humpbuckletales, microfiction, short story, story, zapfic, zapfic50

She enjoys making bread.

The smell of the yeast invokes summers spent with her grandmother.

Nanna loved to share her passion for baking with her granddaughter.

There was laughter and singing as they kneaded together before drinking homemade lemonade on the step, the dough growing behind them, a living being.

…

This is the two-hundred-and-fifty-third story in the series of Humpbuckle Tales. Each story is precisely 50 words long. They are meant to be independent stories, but if you read them all you will find each one adds another piece to the puzzle – there is a bigger story that is being told.

This story was first published on my Hive blog (@felt.buzz) and you can find all the stories on the @humbuckletales Hive account.

Hive is a blogging platform that rewards posts in a cryptocurrency (Hive).

You will find over 70 more Humpbuckle Tales on the @humbuckletales Hive blog (so this blog is about 6 weeks behind)

On Hive I publish 12 stories per week (Monday to Saturday one story per day and then six 50-word stories in one post on a Sunday).

On HumpbuckleTales.com I also publish 12 tales a week but at a different schedule (and about 6 weeks behind): 2 Tales every day, Monday-Friday and 1 Tale on Saturday and 1 Tale on Sunday.

…

“best start”: a 50-word story. Humpbuckle Tales 252

April 14, 2022April 8, 2022 Bruce Amanda, Jay fiction, fiftywordfiction, fiftywordstory, flash fiction, flashfiction, humpbuckletales, microfiction, short story, story, zapfic50

The week following the opening of Powerful Cymbols music shop, was better than Jay hoped.

“Who knew there were so many wannabe musicians in Humpbuckle-on-sea!”

Amanda has popped in to see her friend.

“I never doubted that,” Jay says. “But it’s difficult to compete with the online stores.”

…

This is the two-hundred-and-fifty-second story in the series of Humpbuckle Tales. Each story is precisely 50 words long. They are meant to be independent stories, but if you read them all you will find each one adds another piece to the puzzle – there is a bigger story that is being told.

This story was first published on my Hive blog (@felt.buzz) and you can find all the stories on the @humbuckletales Hive account.

Hive is a blogging platform that rewards posts in a cryptocurrency (Hive).

You will find over 70 more Humpbuckle Tales on the @humbuckletales Hive blog (so this blog is about 6 weeks behind)

On Hive I publish 12 stories per week (Monday to Saturday one story per day and then six 50-word stories in one post on a Sunday).

On HumpbuckleTales.com I also publish 12 tales a week but at a different schedule (and about 6 weeks behind): 2 Tales every day, Monday-Friday and 1 Tale on Saturday and 1 Tale on Sunday.

…

“luxury coffin” : a 50-word story. Humpbuckle Tales 251

April 13, 2022April 8, 2022 Bruce humpbuckletales fiction, fiftywordfiction, fiftywordstory, flash fiction, flashfiction, humpbuckletales, microfiction, story, zapfic50

“I want to go in style!” he says.

Despite his illness, and the subject matter, he smiles.

“I want a luxury coffin.”

“Okay.”

“It needs to be comfortable.”

She nods.

“I need a television. And WiFi.”

“WiFi?”

“How else can I keep in contact with you when I’m dead, Mummy?”

…

This is the two-hundred-and-fifty-first story in the series of Humpbuckle Tales. Each story is precisely 50 words long. They are meant to be independent stories, but if you read them all you will find each one adds another piece to the puzzle – there is a bigger story that is being told.

This story was first published on my Hive blog (@felt.buzz) and you can find all the stories on the @humbuckletales Hive account.

Hive is a blogging platform that rewards posts in a cryptocurrency (Hive).

You will find over 70 more Humpbuckle Tales on the @humbuckletales Hive blog (so this blog is about 6 weeks behind)

On Hive I publish 12 stories per week (Monday to Saturday one story per day and then six 50-word stories in one post on a Sunday).

On HumpbuckleTales.com I also publish 12 tales a week but at a different schedule (and about 6 weeks behind): 2 Tales every day, Monday-Friday and 1 Tale on Saturday and 1 Tale on Sunday.

…