Category: Short Stories

Fiction · Short Stories

Haunted!…

jacquelineobyikocha18 Comments

His wife’s cool hands on his shoulders halted Sanders from further destruction as he took another swing at the sculpture with his club.

He couldn’t count the number of times the sculpture taunted him, taking on fiendish proportions in a nightmare until he smashed it to pieces and then made a new one from scratch, once again resembling his tomboyish, young sister with her sweet looking face.

No matter what everyone said, no matter that his mother never openly expressed her blame, he held himself responsible.

What if he always wondered?

What if he had accompanied her to the cinema that fateful night many years ago as their mother had suggested?

Would she be alive now? Would that have deterred the monster who kidnapped her, that by the time her body was found, she was desecrated in ways beyond words?

Sanders was perpetually haunted by these thoughts and it was worse that the monster was still out there.

Unknown and roaming free.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

InLinkz

Thank you, Phylor,  for the photo and Priceless Joy for hosting this charming platform where we unleash our stories:-)

Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.

When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.

 

She is amazing at describing love and life in her poems. She creates such beautiful images with her words. Truly, she is a talented writer and I’m so excited to have her poetry book and to continue reading through it.

Out of the silent breath

Fiction · Friday Fiction in Five Sentences · Short Stories

A little too late…Friday fiction in five sentences.

jacquelineobyikocha23 Comments

He was so mad he couldn’t wait to teach both of them a lesson or twenty.

Furiously he swerved round the bend and simultaneously picked up his phone and took a second look at the incriminating picture.

In split seconds, he failed to see the puppy, the boy, and the mother…

Slammed brakes, screeching tires, a dogs yelp, the mixed cries of boy and mother as they watch their beloved Sandy struggle…

…The angry haze lifted from Tony’s eyes.

Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.

When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.

 

She is amazing at describing love and life in her poems. She creates such beautiful images with her words. Truly, she is a talented writer and I’m so excited to have her poetry book and to continue reading through it.

Out of the silent breath

Fiction · Short Stories

Across the bridge….

jacquelineobyikocha28 Comments

Maria stared intently across the wide expanse of water she was completely lost in thoughts.

This is the fourteenth anniversary and though everyone thinks that she should move on, her heart was too restless to do so and it was difficult to find any form of closure.

Fourteen years since Theodore took their boy Sam to go fishing and they never came back. Their boat was later found upside down at the other side of the bridge.

The search team and private detective never found anything. No bodies were recovered and she believes that they were still alive.

She believes that Theo had escaped their rural living into the shiny brightness of the big city. He had suddenly acquired a taste for city life and had gone completely off their rural lifestyle which she loved.

Maria could still recall their last heated exchange over selling their home, the day before he left the house with their little boy.

She stared at those highrises twinkling from afar. It’s time to go back and search again.

They have to be there, somewhere.

InLinkz

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Thank you, Barbara,  for the photo and Priceless Joy for hosting this charming platform where we unleash our stories:-)

Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.

When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.

 

From the very first poem, “Dreams,” this book captivates with passionate and perceptive words. Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha captures a broad expanse of the human experience in this book of richly layered poems.

Out of the silent breath

Fiction · Friday Fiction in Five Sentences · Short Stories

The hamper of goodies…Friday fiction in five sentences.

jacquelineobyikocha12 Comments

The ding-dong of the doorbell sounded loud in the silent, dim house.

Ginger and her owner opened the door, met no one but a wicker hamper with goodies; a bottle of red, a thick slab of ham, some fruitcake, pecan pie and a card that simply said ‘thank you.’

Ms. Penelope always thought highly of herself and felt gratified that someone had finally come to their good sense to appreciate her neighbourly attitude. She forgot that five minutes ago she sat in the dark in her house stewing over the din coming from the neighbours who were obviously having a swell party without inviting her. She had been contemplating calling the police before the bell rang.

She forgot that she was the neighbourhood’s reliable gossip, all seeing eye busy-body who had observed the licentious shenanigans going on in the home of the Stottgard’s now ex’s.

A generous portion of red poured into her chipped mug and a good helping of pie, she wondered again what the O’hilley’s were up to with the plumber visiting Mrs O’hilley ever so often. That’s a riddle that no one has an answer to, because, since the night of the party, Ms Penelope hasn’t been seen puttering around other people’s business, but her poor Tabby has been heard crying late into the nights.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.

When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.

Out of the silent breath

 

Featured Blogs · Short Stories

The sad saga of the Beak-less, Tailless, Gizzard-bobbing, one-leg hopping Chicken.

jacquelineobyikocha

Beth never fails to send me into stitches with her stories. I totally enjoy reading Nutsrok for my good dose of chuckles and her descriptions sends my imagination running haywire.

I hope you enjoy the farm tale and visit her for more.

Being a farm kid is not for sissies and cowards. The dark side of the chicken experience is slaughtering, plucking, cleaning, and preparing chickens for the pot. I watched as Mother transformed into a slobbering beast as she towered over the caged chickens, snagging her victim by the leg with a twisted coat-hanger, ringing its neck and releasing it for its last run. We crowded by, horribly thrilled by what we knew was coming. It was scarier than ”The Night of the Living Dead”, as the chicken, flapping its wings, running with its head hanging crazily to one side, chased us in ever larger circles until it finally greeted Saint Peter at the Pearly Gates. It looked horribly cruel, but done properly, a quick snap of the wrist breaks the chicken’s neck instantly, giving a quick death. Of course, this is my assessment, not the unfortunate chicken. The chickens always looked extremely disturbed.

The story continues here.

Short Stories

The Golden Chalice…

jacquelineobyikocha12 Comments

It was a foolproof plan. Drake had it neatly figured out.

He knew the Cathedral like the back of his hand, after all, the years working in the Chaplaincy are not going to waste even though he left his coveted job in a bit of a huff.

Dipping his fingers in the offering coffers for a little helping didn’t seem to agree with the Bishop but no matter, this plan would surely set him up for life.

As he lowered Bob through the ceiling’s vault an unholy gust of air set off the Cathedral chimes and a surprising shrill alarm startled both men so much that the rope slipped from Drake’s hands and they went crashing down into the gallery.

Dodgy Drake and his accomplice were apprehended by the police in short order. Bob was unconscious, while petrified Drake was trying to crawl and hide behind one of the statues of the Saints. His broken limbs made his escape attempt difficult.

Their ambition to rob the Cathedral of the golden Chalice, shiny Madonna and other prized artifacts was nipped in the bud.

InLinkz

Thank you, TJ  for the photo and Priceless Joy for hosting this charming platform where we unleash our stories:-)

Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.

When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.

Out of the silent breath

Friday Fiction in Five Sentences · Short Stories

Blood work…Friday fiction in five sentences.

jacquelineobyikocha13 Comments

Blood, Vial, Analysis, Laboratory, Test, Medical

Felicia’s grip on the phone was so tight that anyone could see the outlined streak of the veins on her hand.

She stuttered in disbelief as she slowly sat down. Her legs had gone all weak at the knees.

“Maybe you should come to the hospital Mrs. Vienna and talk to Dr. Patul. Would you like me to book a date?” The nurses droning voice continued at the other end.

Her mind whirred in tumult. How could the results come back negative? She felt so sure that Pete’s bloodwork was a mere formality. He would be a perfect match and donor for his twin brother Paul.

Now the result says the brothers are not twins, as a matter of fact, technically they are not brothers. What went wrong? She just couldn’t make sense of it all. This is all confusing…

*******

P.S. You are invited to our monthly blog party this weekend. It’s fun and you get to meet fantastic folks:-)

Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.

When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.

Out of the silent breath

Fiction · Short Stories

The Hatching Van…

jacquelineobyikocha17 Comments

For weeks, the boys kept disappearing into the backyard to the old truck, surreptitiously sneaking stuff out of the kitchen with them.

Julie didn’t pay them much mind. She believed they were livening up the disused truck that they called ‘their boy cave’ and she was happy to have them out of her hair.

Being a mother to three energetic boys and a toddler daughter underfoot could exhaust a Saint.

Her curiosity only got aroused when Kelly took to mumbling ‘porous, porous‘ and pointing insistently at the door, wanting to follow her brothers.

Kelly’s demands turned to shrill cries that drove her mother to go and find out what was going on.

Loud, shuffling noises came from the closed van and on her persistent knocking, Toby opened it a bit.

Pushing it open, Jill stepped inside, to find a big green monster lying on her soft cushions and peering at her, with several giant eggs under the glow of a bulb, about to hatch.

For several moments she was utterly speechless, then she went berserk.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

InLinkz

Thank you, Yinglan  for the photo and Priceless Joy for hosting this charming platform where we unleash our stories:-)

Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.

When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.

Out of the silent breath

Enchant me with your expressive eyes, that crinkles in laughter as you speak

that I may find myself ever caught between

the reflections of your pupils and there shall I remain.

*an excerpt of my poem*

Creative Writing · Fiction · Short Stories

Money,Lipsticks and Beer…

jacquelineobyikocha31 Comments

Bo tucked the money into his wallet with a sigh.

Now he could give Celia an overdue treat. He wasn’t proud of the fact that he took to the hidden work of strutting and teasing a crowd of hooting women to earn money, but things have been financially rough for so long.

Maybe now he had a little extra, he could finish work on the vintage and put it up for sale.
——
Lipsticks, beer breath, perfumes and powder on cuffs…she saw them all.

Celia’s evidence against Bo reverberated in her mind as she threw her things into her bag.

He never had money to take her out, forgot her birthday two days ago, yet he had enough to booze up with other ladies and to work on the infernal vintage that he inherited from his uncle.

She knew he was up to some monkey affair with another lady, due to his dodgy, morose mood.

She chuckled in mirth at his imagined outrage when he see’s his beloved vintage where she parked it, but she would be far away.

She had painted it in patterns of the things she liked.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Inlinkz

Thank you, S.Writings for the photo and Priceless Joy for hosting this charming platform where we unleash our stories:-)

Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.

When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.

Out of the silent breath

Enchant me with your expressive eyes, that crinkles in laughter as you speak

that I may find myself ever caught between

the reflections of your pupils and there shall I remain.

*an excerpt of my poem*

Creative Writing · Fiction · Short Stories

Al Fonzi’s…

jacquelineobyikocha25 Comments

Sal’s damp hands, pounding heart, and throbbing temple announced an impending migraine. She struggled to maintain elegant poise before polite company whose smiling faces got on her nerves.

Now and again she felt eyes rest on her in sympathy or surreptitious glances that feigned disinterest.

The champagne tasted like chilled piss and the food held no interest for her.

Here. Where it had all happened, her mind whirred back in painful rewind.

Here was their favourite place to celebrate. First date, proposal, engagement party and every milestone worth celebrating.

She wondered fleetingly how insensitive her sister could be. Of all the places to choose for an engagement party, it has to be Al Fonzi’s. She had contemplated not turning up, but felt it would cause more wagging tongues as she became fodder for dinner discussion, not as if she already wasn’t.

Here, held all the good memories until the ugly incident brought her life to a screeching nightmare.

Here, where Stanford chose to blow his brains across the dinner table in a horrific way.

The room got too claustrophobic, the laughter and music rushed at her as she stood to go to the ladies. Sal succumbed to the encroaching blackness in a dead faint.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

 

InLinkz

Thank you, Graham, for the photo and Priceless Joy for hosting this charming platform where we unleash our stories:-)