writing

Wink! by Bruce Arbuckle

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…

It’s a bold little blighter. And clever too. The supposedly squirrel proof bird feeder had been installed less than ten minutes before the creature had managed to  liberate its hoard of nuts and seeds. She raps on the window attempting to shoo the creature away. It looks at straight at her and winks.

“Will you stop banging on the bloody window!” her husband grumps from behind his newspaper. “You’ll break it.”

“That rodent just winked at me,” she says.

“Hmmmm.”

Helen tries to remember the last time they had a proper conversation. She has a better relationship with the squirrel.


…

A 100 word story written by Bruce Arbuckle, inspired by the random word prompt “bold”

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Find me (as HumpbuckleTales) on Mastodon

My drabbles (100-word stories) are always published first on Hive: https://peakd.com/@drabble.club

Read my daily 50 word stories in Humpbuckle Tales or on Hive or on Facebook

Find my 100 word tales right here

Keep on drabblin’!

Bruce Arbuckle (felt.buzz)

Army, by Bruce Arbuckle

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In order to take over the world Heather needs a secret base to organise her troops. An island in the middle of the ocean, perhaps.

Giles says his dad has a shed at the bottom of the garden. Would that do? They’ll need to clear out the junk and evict the spiders.

Amy suggests they keep them: create an army of arachnids. Heather likes the sound of that but Giles says it won’t work. They don’t work well in teams, he says.

Heather’s mum calls her in for tea. She’s hungry, so world domination will have to wait another day.

…

A 100 word story written by Bruce Arbuckle, inspired by the random word prompt “base”

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Find me (as HumpbuckleTales) on Mastodon

My drabbles (100-word stories) are always published first on Hive: https://peakd.com/@drabble.club

Read my daily 50 word stories in Humpbuckle Tales or on Hive or on Facebook

Find my 100 word tales right here

Keep on drabblin’!

Bruce Arbuckle (felt.buzz)

Helicopter, by Bruce Arbuckle

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We had another big fight last night.

I wasn’t happy because my sister saw him at the playground staring at his phone the whole time, instead of watching the kids.

“Lisa’s a nosy cow!” he said. “And you’re a helicopter mum. Hovering over them, never giving them space to play. Wrapping them in cotton wool. You’re smothering them,” he said. “I’m going out.”

He slammed the door and the vase on the mantelpiece fell off.

“Are you crying, Mummy?” Gemma asked as I picked up pottery shards out of the carpet.

“No,” I said.

I don’t think she believed me.

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A 100 word story written by Bruce Arbuckle, inspired by the random word prompt “helicopter”.

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Find me (as HumpbuckleTales) on Mastodon

My drabbles (100-word stories) are always published first on Hive: https://peakd.com/@drabble.club

Read my daily 50 word stories in Humpbuckle Tales or on Hive or on Facebook

Find my 100 word tales right here

Keep on drabblin’!

Bruce Arbuckle (felt.buzz)

Impact, by Bruce Arbuckle

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Her words continue to  ricochet around my mind.

It’s been days since she ambushed me, machine gunning volleys of spiteful fury at me. Each accusation finding its target, bullets of truth thudding painfully into my body, bloodying further my already damaged conscience.

What came next was worse still.

Her wounded eyes shouting out pain and betrayal in explosive quietness.

I stood there in silence until she turned away.

I deserve it all. The anger. The vitriol. The hate.

Her disgust.

I can’t undo what is done.

I can’t expect forgiveness.

Not from her. Not from anyone.

Certainly not from myself.

…

A 100 word story written by Bruce Arbuckle, inspired by the random word prompt “impact”

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Find me (as HumpbuckleTales) on Mastodon

My drabbles (100-word stories) are always published first on Hive: https://peakd.com/@drabble.club

Read my daily 50 word stories in Humpbuckle Tales or on Hive or on Facebook

Find my 100 word tales right here

Keep on drabblin’!

Bruce Arbuckle (felt.buzz)

The Lights Go Out, by Bruce Arbuckle. A 100-word story.

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…

Marie is sitting on the toilet when the lights go out for the last time.

Finishing what’s necessary she fumbles her way to the kitchen. Cursing as the sharp corner of the table bites her thigh, her fingers find the candles and lighter.

The wind up radio is in the drawer next to the revolver. The hiss of static where the emergency station should be tells her all she needs to know.

Rumours of the imminent fall of the Resistance have been circulating for months.

She’d stopped believing them.

Marie picks up the gun.

Sitting in the dark she waits.

…

My daily drabble was inspired by the random word prompt “feel”. One of the images that came to mind was feeling your way in the dark. The story grew from there.

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Find me (as HumpbuckleTales) on Mastodon

My drabbles (100-word stories) are always published first on Hive: https://peakd.com/@drabble.club

Read my daily 50 word stories in Humpbuckle Tales or on Hive or on Facebook

Find my 100 word tales right here

Keep on drabblin’!

Bruce Arbuckle (felt.buzz)

“snip” : a 100-word story by Bruce Arbuckle

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This 100-word story was inspired by the random word prompt “automatic”

The arrival of the postal drone was greeted with an excited shriek from Mia and a groan from her husband.

“What have you bought now?” Herb worried about his approaching retirement.

In lieu of answering, Mia opened the box and pulled out what looked to Herb like a small robot.

“It’s a small robot,” she said, confirming his fears. Herb had learned to distrust Mia’s newfangled technological purchases. 

Mia flicked a switch. The machine whirred, beeped, flashed and hummed. 

“What’s it do?” Herb asked, alarmed by its multiplying protruding snipping blades. 

“It cuts hair.” 

“Not mine,” Herb said, backing away.

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Find me (as HumpbuckleTales) on Mastodon

My drabbles (100-word stories) are always published first on Hive: https://peakd.com/@drabble.club

Read my daily 50 word stories in Humpbuckle Tales or on Hive or on Facebook

Find my 100 word tales right here

Keep on drabblin’!

Bruce Arbuckle (felt.buzz)

“wardobe”, by Bruce Arbuckle

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A 100-word story written using a random word prompt : “wardrobe”

It stands at the bottom of the orchard, half-covered in fallen apple blossom.

“C.S. Lewis called,” Jip says. “He wants his wardrobe back.”

“Where’d it come from? Wasn’t there yesterday.”

“Fly-tipping,” Jip says. “Been dumped.”

Ange bites her lip.

“It’s too far from the road. Why would someone drag it here?”

Cautiously – “just case it’s home to a nest of angry squirrels” – Jip opens the door.

Empty.

Except for the small purple card, embossed with a golden question mark, that Jip pockets.

“I’ll shift it after lunch.”

But, returning later with the tractor, Jip can’t find it anywhere.

…

Find me (as HumpbuckleTales) on Mastodon

My drabbles (100-word stories) are always published first on Hive: https://peakd.com/@drabble.club

Read my daily 50 word stories in Humpbuckle Tales or on Hive or on Facebook

Find my 100 word tales right here

Keep on drabblin’!

Bruce Arbuckle (felt.buzz)

Two of my 100-word stories published on FridayFlashFiction today

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I had two stories published on FridayFlashFiction today.

One, The Old Woman and the Sea, I wrote last Friday.

Read the rest of the story : https://www.fridayflashfiction.com/100-word-stories/the-old-woman-and-the-sea-by-bruce-arbuckle

The other, One Last Thing, I wrote this afternoon. I hadn’t expected it to be considered until next week

Read the rest of the story: https://www.fridayflashfiction.com/100-word-stories/one-last-thing-by-bruce-arbuckle

I also published two drabbles in response to a picture/words prompt in the MicroFiction group on facebook. One was written last week but was only authorised today The other was written this week (most of it on Thurday, finished today).

A great start to the weekend!

Keep on drabblin’!

Bruce (felt.buzz) Arbuckle

“trip” : a 100-word story by Bruce Arbuckle. Content warning : emotional abuse

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It was supposed to be the trip of a lifetime.

She sniffs down tears, determined not to let him see her cry again. He feeds off misery: gaining strength as she feels weaker.

He has her money, phone and her passport. But through blurry eyes, she saw where he secreted them.

“I’m going out,” he says, grinning. “Can’t listen to your snivelling any longer.”

She waits – hears the key click in the lock, then his footsteps echoing down the hall – before ripping at the lining of his rucksack. 

Taking her things she climbs out the window and jumps to freedom.

…

Find me (as HumpbuckleTales) on Mastodon

My drabbles (100-word stories) are always published first on Hive: https://peakd.com/@drabble.club

Read my daily 50 word stories in Humpbuckle Tales or on Hive or on Facebook

Find my 100 word tales right here

“bark” : a 100-word story

BruceLeave a comment

Grandma had to be locked in the coal shed last night.

The vicar was over for tea and we – dressed in our Sunday best  even though it was Tuesday – were under strict instructions not to embarrass Mum.

Just after the cream cakes were served Grandma started growling.

I thought it was a joke, at first – even though Grandma never makes jokes – but then she started barking and baring her teeth.

The vicar pretended not to notice, until Grandma bit him on the arm.

Mum had to drag her off the poor man.

He needed ten stitches and a rabies shot.

…

Find me (as HumpbuckleTales) on Mastodon

My drabbles (100-word stories) are always published first on Hive: https://peakd.com/@drabble.club

Read my daily 50 word stories in Humpbuckle Tales or on Hive or on Facebook

Find my 100 word tales right here