On Guard!…

December 2, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha12 Comments

Out of the blues,
They appeared.
Whence they came,
No one knew.
They stood stock still,
In proud array.
Like timeless rocks of Gibraltar,
That you could see from afar.
Some simply marveled at their mysterious presence,
Some used them for their resting and leaning essence,
Some vowed they heard their curious whispers,
Which simply gave them the shivers.
But the wise among them knew,
That these were the ancient ones,
Formed over timeless ages,
Hewn from endless stages.
They are the centurions of the fort,
Who stood in firm support,
In silence they watched the port,
As each person hurried back and forth.

DAY 2

Jennifer at INK and QUILL has invited me to participate in 5 day photo story challenge.

Challenge Guidelines:

Post a picture each day, for five consecutive days. Attach a story to your image.

*can be fiction / non-fiction
*poem / short paragraph
*each day nominates another blogger

I invite Lucid Gypsy, who has a wealth of pictures that fascinate me, to join the photo story challenge. I look forward to reading from you if you choose to participate. Enjoy 🙂

A link to my neighbours/Community · Creative Writing · Fiction · Humor - Bellyful of laughter · Love · Photographs · Short Stories

No Shoe Chromosone!..He Said, She Said…

December 1, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha26 Comments

Jennifer at INK and QUILL has invited me to participate in 5 day photo story challenge.

Thank you my fair lady Jennifer. I appreciate the nomination and I am excited to jump into this challenge!

Challenge Guidelines:

Post a picture each day, for five consecutive days. Attach a story to your image.

*can be fiction / non-fiction
*poem / short paragraph
*each day nominates another blogger

“Oh look! Isn’t that just gorgeous!” she said.

“Not another shoe!” He whined.

“It’s not just another shoe.” She emphasized.

“Can’t you see it’s lovely red and those cute buckles and bows.”

“They go quite well with my other bag.” She affirmed.

“Which other bag?” He asked in a half-hearted attempt to sound like he even noticed the bags.

”The red one with the purple and white trimming and the feathered straps” She responded offhandedly.

He looked utterly lost.

”Oh never mind! You just never bother to notice.” She chastised.

”How can I keep up with the 100 pairs of shoes in 20 shades of red, 50 shades of black and blue, plus a dozen other shades of colours not described in the colour palette along with so many bags?” He countered.

“How many shoes and bags does a girl really need?” He muttered under his breath.

She: Pursed her lips in pouting thought, he had lost her to shoe chromosome which he seemed to lack.

“Oh Come on! Be a darling and just hold on to these bags while I try it out.” She cajoled.

In a sigh of deflated defeat, he sank into the shop chair and prepared his mind for a round of appropriate admiring oohs and aahs!

I nominate Deb to join the photo story challenge. I look forward to reading from you if you choose to participate. Enjoy 🙂

Creative Writing · Fiction · Humor - Bellyful of laughter · Short Stories

Fiona’s Friends

November 30, 2015November 30, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha12 Comments

Which friends? Bob asked Fiona. He peered at her through his reading glasses with more concentration than normal.

Out in the country, their nearest neighbour was miles away.

Since her feverish bout, she has picked up queer habits, muttering to herself, getting into arguments with his mother, wandering off to the woods with a picnic basket and spouting nonsense thereafter.

The past few days were worse. She rambled in a silly fashion.

He shook his head sadly. Mother was right. Fiona was losing her mind.

Such dampening thoughts made him decide to go for a walk.

He wandered deep into the woods, enjoying the quiet and peaceful sounds of nature, but today he felt as if eyes were watching him!

Ever so often, he turned sharply when he heard the crinkle of twigs.

Just when he chalked it down to his disturbed feelings, the crinkles grew louder and a smiling, odd looking alien tugged at his trouser leg.

Have you come to play with us Mr. Ford? It asked.

He yelped in fright and raced back home. He was utterly speechless.

Inlinkz code

In response to the FFfAW photo prompt above. Thank you Etol bagam for the photo and Priceless Joy for this challenge platform.

Creative Writing · Fiction · Short Stories · Short Stories Series

The First Date…Bridegroom Wanted Urgently!

November 29, 2015November 29, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha43 Comments

Tess took another quick peek at the mirror of her compact powder.

No, there’s no dodgy piece of green stuff stuck on any dentition.

Yes, her lip gloss still shimmered.

Her hair still looked healthy and soft; every strand was in the right place.

A bit of powdering to stop any shiny nose, a second look at the slender wrist watch and it was time to go into the restaurant.

It hadn’t been easy sitting out the past fifteen minutes in her car waiting for the appropriate time to step in. She had tortured herself with all manners of imagined dating debacles.

Any respectable young lady shouldn’t turn up for a first date ahead of the time agreed with the guy, she remembered Kate’s advise. It would make her appear too desperate.

Striking a balance is just the right thing. Ten or Fifteen minutes after the scheduled time, then you stroll in leisurely, in controlled steps with just the right amount of swagger to the hips.

Thistle Bar, just the right kind of place for a first time online hook-up. It was her first time in there and it was quite decent.

It was a high street casual bar which was not too high end pricey and not too drive thru junk-food kind of place. Just a balance of both.

He had said he would be wearing a coffee coloured shirt and she told him that she would be wearing fushia. He hadn’t known what fushia looked like precisely, so she had sent a picture of the dress.

It was one of her best colours and lovely dress hugged her curves in the right places.

That must be him, as a pair of eager eyes lit up in her direction. The face looked recognizable and the shirt was dark coffee coloured.

She picked her way past a few rows of seated customers, a tentative smile plastered on her face.

As she approached him, he stood up like a gentleman and Tess’s heart sank to the bottom of her peep toe heeled sandals.

He was not tall by any standard whatsoever! As a matter of fact, in her opinion, he was hugely short.

She quickly ran through her mind, checking to determine if she had seen an indication of height on his bio.

Was height not important? Was it mentioned or not mentioned? She couldn’t remember but her hopes had just received it’s first dashing.

She liked her men tall and had never dated a guy shorter than herself before.

Patrick was fairly an okay character. He even made her smile a couple of times, but there was absolutely no spark – at least on her own side.

The meet-up was not a bad one at all, though she could not afford to eat out often, but hey, if you want to eat omelet, you have to crack some eggs.

She doubted very much if there would be a repeat date. He didn’t ask and she didn’t suggest.

To be continued. Part 1 Part 2

As you know, I like to excavate other neighbours treasures and I offer some to you today 🙂

Would you be interested by Karuna

1 deadly sin for writers by Thomas M. Watt

When random acts find you by izzyasabee

Grammar time from Meg Sorick gave a chuckle or two.

What are we afraid of? From Jennifer Calvert

These 71 tips to awesome blogging that I found in Danny’s patch is awesome.

4 things to avoid doing in your relationships by Wellnessworx

Help from my friends by anonymous outsider.

Feeling confident as a woman from Femininematerz

This visit by Kelly made me smile 🙂 dancers1

Have a beautiful day today my peeps.

Now, lets take a moment and dance.

Creative Writing · Fiction · Humor - Bellyful of laughter · Short Stories · Writing

It’s Mating Season…

November 23, 2015November 23, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha16 Comments

”Don’t look! Just don’t even give that proud, shameless peacock a chance to flutter his feathers and show off some more.” Rita cautioned herself.

”He is just making an ass of himself, prancing around for all the younger hair-brained peahens that go cooing all over him.” She grumbled.

Marcel was a true debonair of a peacock.

He knew how to strut and display his stuff.

The dating and mating season was fast approaching and he just has to attract the best of the peafowls as much as he could.

”What’s with Rita and her forbidding looks?” He clucked to himself.

”She is just being a goose and giving me the bad eye.” He muttered as he admired his brilliant feathers.

”I better get away from her sight to more appreciating admirers”, he trots off in the direction of the clucking, cackling and sighing impressionable peahens.

…and still Rita followed from a distant pace, her disdain dripping from every not so bright feather.

Inlinkz

In response to the FFfAW photo prompt above. Thank you Sonya for the photo and Priceless Joy for this challenge platform.

A link to my neighbours/Community · Blogging · Creative Writing · Fiction · Humor - Bellyful of laughter · Love · Short Stories Series

On The Prowl! Husband Wanted Urgently!…

November 21, 2015November 21, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha45 Comments

Tess sifted through dozens of photographs of possible date matches. It was a surprise to discover an entire World of supposed eligible bachelors out there.

Putting up her own profile was a task she hadn’t expected to be that demanding. Her attempt to make a headline grabber, the right smile, the right amount of information was not as simple as she had thought.

The increased pings of her messenger for her new dating account, increased her excited nerves even though she still had trepidation about the whole thing, especially with the list of do’s and don’ts Kate had mentioned to her.

It was almost beginning to sound like an espionage escapade.

”Make sure you have a pepper spray handy!”

”Set up a separate email account.”

”Don’t give out your address or house number.”

”If need be, invest in a stun gun!” ”What? I don’t want to go shooting anyone!” She had shrieked.

”Only meet them at a public place.”

”Use spiked drink detector nail polish, so you don’t find yourself suddenly floating along with all his requests.”

”Don’t allow kisses on the first date.”

”No going to apartments for a night cafe etc, etc.”

”Make eye contacts as you talk to him.” ”If they are shifty, don’t trust him!”

Blah, yadda, blah, blah..

Whats a girl’s to do when she needs to do to find her prince in these tough times, she thought to herself?

These days, the competition was stiffer.

The good guys were all grabbed and even a lot of very delicious looking ones were into other dudes.

She still recalled her utmost disappointment when she had moved in and met the very polite handsome Latino hunk of a male specimen living downstairs, Steve; he was equally taken by another interesting looking bloke!

This one doesn’t look so bad, she mused to herself as she stared at the face on her laptop. He had such a sincere, earnest, open look and not too bad looking as well. His bio also read well.

”Nothing ventured, nothing gained”, she muttered to herself as she clicked the button to initiate a chat.

”I cannot afford to live through the debacle of another uncoupled birthday with my folks.”

”I’d rather buy a ticket to Mexico than go through that embarrassing episode again.”

How could Mama invite Deaconess Elfrida’s son, Humphrey to pair up with me?

He is such a sanctimonious and pompous ass!

Auntie Virginia had kept rattling on and on in her persnickety high-pitched voice on ”Tips of how to catch a guy.” A most mortifying moment.

”Time for hair touch-up girl”, She thought, as she idly fingered her locks.

To be continued. Husband wanted urgently Part 1

This was meant to go out last week Saturday, but I couldn’t bring myself to send it out in the light of recent activities and in that time, I have found more gems in my neighbours garden. Do take a peek with me.

10 ways to be grateful even on bad days, found in the yadadarcyyada’s front lawn.

Vital security information for the holidays, by Tasha.

Shrimp Po Boys, from What’s for Dinner Moms?

Some sweet and Delicious chocolate cookies, from Lynz Real Cooking.

A beautiful read, the boy who dared to be great, from MLou.

A poignant civil war letter- found, in a corner of Elusive Tropes troves.

The simple truth handed by The adventures and musings of an Arch Druidess through the auspices of Sepultura’s blog

This quote shared by Meg Sorick reminds me of someone I know 😉

10 easy ways you can make the world a better place, by Danny of Dream Big, Dream Often.

Good budgeting tips here at how to stuff your pig, especially during holiday seasons when overspending tends to happen more.

It’s a wrap my good people. Let’s have a calm weekend shall we. God Bless and take care.

Image credit: Pinterest.

Creative Writing · Fiction · Love · Short Stories

The Red Head and Her clunker….

November 16, 2015November 16, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha16 Comments

What! Pierre held from cursing himself blue in the face.

His bicycle was bent out of shape by the colourful clunker belonging to his new neighbour.

It was time to have a word with her.

He was intrigued more than he admitted. For reasons unidentified, her humming as she carried pots and bouquets of flowers back and forth got under his skin.

Endless aroma of baked goods which wafted constantly through her open french windows did not help matters.

In the evenings, her tinkering with pots and pans and sound of music floated up to his apartment. He deliberately left his window open to hear her, telling himself that it was for the fresh air.

She opened her door at the very first rap.

Her sunny smile showed perfectly capped teeth, unruly red locks tumbled over freckled shoulders and shiny hazel eyes that crinkled with mischief gazed up at him.

As he calibrated his thoughts to reprimand mode…

“Would you like some freshly baked brownies and coffee?” Offered her fruity voice.

An argument, he has just lost.

Inlinkz code

In response to the FFfAW photo prompt above. Thank you Priceless Joy for this challenge platform.

Creative Writing · Fiction · Short Stories · The Daily Post

Boomerang!…

November 12, 2015November 12, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha31 Comments

The loud bang of the gun shot startled and sent Habiba racing in the direction of the sound, her Ferragamo slippers clattered as she rushed along.

In disbelief, her bulging eyes stared at Hamid’s body scattered at an odd angle. His gold plated hand gun on the floor beside his slackened hand.

Dead! Hamid died from a single well aimed shot to the temple; blowing parts of his crown to pieces.

In horror she screamed endlessly. The catastrophe before her eyes horrified her senses.

The ruckus alerted the maid’s and the children; who all came rushing to the scene.

Why? Why? Habiba sobbed and mumbled incoherently in Arabic.

She had noticed his withdrawn and restless attitude for days on end but his heated discussions over the telephone had not appeared any different from other days when he was brokering a deal.

She had paid no mind to it at all. Her days were consumed with the usual shopping sprees, yacht meet ups with friends, an occasional private party trip to the casinos in Monaco and the high-life of a pampered wife of a stupendously wealthy industrial giant.

“No! Y’Allah!” she yelled at the Philippina nanny’s. ”Take them away from here.”

She didn’t want them to see the mind numbing horrifying sight. It would scar their psyche for the rest of their lives.

The note simply said: “I am sorry. It’s all gone. I lost it all.”

She frantically called her brother Majid on her gem-studded Vertu phone; he would know what to do.

Nothing made any sense to her befuddled mind.

This story is total fiction conjured from an article in The National: online United Arab Emirates news about a major jewellery line owner who has been jailed for fraud.

The Daily Post prompt Ripped from the headlines.

Head to your favorite online news source. Pick an article with a headline that grabs you. Now, write a short story based on the article.

Creative Writing · Fiction · Short Stories Series · The Daily Post

The Mysterious Sender continued….

November 11, 2015November 11, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha42 Comments

“No I don’t think it is a jilted lover!”

“I don’t have any lover!” Sally declared with an embarrassed look flooding her cheeks.

Sheesh! I came here to make a report, not to have an autopsy of my celibacy, she thinks.

“No it’s not a mad, jealous wife out to scare the Bejesus out of me.” “I just said that I don’t have a lover.” She reiterated.

“Family? They are hundreds of miles away.”

“I doubt if my brother will leave his wife and kids and drive up hundreds of miles everyday to leave flowers at my door and disappear.”

“My mum doesn’t get around that much due to her hip problem.” She wasn’t even sure that the officer was paying attention.

After the thousand and one questions and answers the officer said:

“Well Ma’am, we don’t have enough information to go out on.”

He tried to keep a straight face and not show his boredom. There were serious attacks all over the city and the little Miss here complains about an over zealous admirer sending her too many flowers and expecting a patrol to go out on a limb to catch the flower stalker and to hold her hands.

“Just keep your eyes open and your doors safely locked, he advised.” His tone bearing a dismissal note.

Irritated at the condescending attitude of the police officer, Sally left and decided to take some precautions.

She purchased a can of mace, a bowl, some milk, tuna and a can of soup for dinner.

Her new stray cat would require a bowl.

Deep in thought she made her way home.

There he was yet again, the neighbour across the street. In his little shorts, bare chest and the beach towel slung around his neck, puffing away on the patio.

She pointedly kept a straight face and tried to ignore his low whistle of admiration.

Does he do something else with his life? She pondered to herself.

Up the apartments quiet flight of stairs and as sure as gold, there it was. Yet another bouquet, but no longer did the message sound like the previous ones.

This time around it’s cut out alphabets read:

Now I have got you! Now am gonna eat you!

The link for the first part of this post is here

The Daily Post prompt An odd trio .

Today, you can write about whatever you what — but your post must include, in whatever role you see fit, a cat, a bowl of soup, and a beach towel.