Money,Lipsticks and Beer…

May 16, 2016 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.

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

A ticket to Athens…

May 9, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha17 Comments

Bertha could hardly stop herself from preening in pride as the Mayor cut the tape for the new boating dock and the marble, torch statue that would be seen for miles and miles. It would blaze at night, welcoming all seafarers back to the safe harbour of their small fishing town of Little-Uptown.

Who would have thought that out of all the submitted landmark sculpture entries, that her O’Deon would be chosen? She was the cynosure of all eyes.

In a small town such as this, female artistry was hardly encouraged much less acknowledged but the new Mayor seemed more progressive.

Even when she was teased by mates for taking up sculpting classes that were male dominated, she hadn’t relented in her pursuit but learnt to ignore the snide comments like ‘Luv shouldn’t you be in the weaving class, you are in over your head,’ and the male guffaws that followed such wise-cracks.

Now the prize money is more than enough to buy her a ticket and tutelage in Athens, which had always been part of her dream.

InLinkz

Thank you, momtheobscure, for the photo and Priceless Joy for hosting this charming platform where we unleash our stories

Fiction · Short Stories

Embittered…

April 25, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha19 Comments

Xavier stood in the shadowy background of the trees and waited for her.

He stared longingly at the house with the windmill. Embittered thoughts raced through his mind. He was surprised that he still seethed in silent rage.

No one would cheat him of his birthright and get away with it, not if he had anything to do about it.

Now it’s time to make good on his promise.

That cattle and land grabbing thief Alistair swindled his father when Pa was inebriated and took over their homestead. Pa killed himself. He died a broken drunk man and his Ma sent them all into servitude.

It took decades to get to this point. Years of working his fingers to the nub from an all errand’s boy on the ship to owning his own boat.

It took strategic planning to get into favour with Alistair’s only daughter Gwen.

He hadn’t planned on liking her but he won’t allow such feelings get in the way of his plans.

Tonight, he’ll coerce her to join him on the boat set sail with her. By the time they get back on dry land, she would be his wife.

InLinkz

Thank you TJ for the photo and Priceless Joy for hosting this charming platform where we unleash our stories 🙂

Fiction · Short Stories

Forty….

April 18, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha33 Comments

Forty! It’s Sheila’s birthday and she’s not particularly enthused. Her thoughts were adrift and disjointed. She had no desire for a big do and wanted to spend the day quietly.

Her introspection made her sad. Her thought was that every line should have fallen into place in her life by now. Babies, her own successful interior decor business, and all the works.

Rather, she’s still stuck in a job that went nowhere. A succession of miscarriages dogged her marriage that it seemed her own baby was not in the books. Ray was distracted; working harder and coming home late.

Queasy stomach emptied of its content, she sat on the toilet lid and stared at the stick. Positive. Her heart jumped in excitement. Could it really be? However, she decided to keep the news to herself in the meantime.

Ray came home later with a gorgeous haute couture gown and silver sandals. He insisted on taking her for a dinner after helping with the zipper of her dress and the buckle of her sandals.

He had organised a surprise party with their close friends in a newly outfitted interior decor store meant for his wife.

Inlinkz

In response to the photo prompt, provided by Barb. Thank you, Barb and thank you, Priceless Joy, for this enchanting story platform.

Fiction · Short Stories

Racy Mistress…

April 11, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha22 Comments

Pictures slipped out of the FedEx package onto the floor as Nicole sank into the armchair to read the letter again.

Her mouth rounded in an o of surprise. She just inherited a house from auntie Suzie, according to the estate lawyer McGulligans’.

She picked up the pictures and studied the charming looking house on the grounds of a large acreage.

A lot of mystery shrouded aunt Suzie. Nicole barely knew her. All she knew was that they shared the same red hair while her parents and brother had jet-black hair.

She recalled hazy little bits of family whispers about her. She was the black sheep of her maternal side.

Nicole remembered her fascination with the exotic looking lady the only time she visited and the ensuing heated argument.

The words ‘No you can’t! Racy mistress,’ had been repeated. Mother had been in tears, gran had been upset and auntie Suze smoked her slim cigarette despite Grandma’s frown at her.

Why would she leave the house to her and not her brother? Nicole’s curiosity was piqued. Travelling to Dublin will probably provide the answers to the puzzle.

Inlinkz

In response to the FFAW photo prompt. Thank you Priceless Joy for this enchanting story platform.

Image credit: pixabay.com

Fiction · Short Stories

The Bag Lady…

April 4, 2016April 4, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha31 Comments

The two young men laughed and made fun of the strange lady in her colourful mismatched clothes. They were the town’s bullies, who preyed on those that they perceived as weak.

They called her mean names, shoved her around and they tried to frighten her into parting with any possible money that she had.

No one knew who she was. She was a drifter to these parts, but she knew people like them. She knew such boys whose idea of fun was to make others miserable and she had dealt with them in times past.

What they failed to understand was that beneath what their eyes could see, the bag ladies oddities ran far deeper than their imagination.

As she wheeled slowly towards the edge of town, Blaze and Basil grew impatient and decided to rough her up.

In a flash, she turned on them, chanting loudly as her eyes flashed vibrant neon colours. She turned them into two colourful, mellow cows with ear tags that read peace and love.

Till today, the citizens of Not-To-Be-Cowed town marvel at the strange appearance of the beautiful cows with the name tags, but they don’t miss the ruffians.

Inlinkz

In response to the FFAW photo prompt above. Thank you, S.Writings for the picture and Priceless Joy for this enchanting story platform.

Creative Writing · Short Stories

The Visa Photo…

March 28, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha26 Comments

‘You have to look relaxed and smile Nkeonyelu. Abi, you don’t want them to give you the visa?’

‘I hear that they look at people’s picture to decide who they will allow to go abroad o.’

‘Aha! That’s a better pose.’

‘Oya, Patrick snap it like that,’ Nkeonyelu’s mother’s insisted.

‘Make sure she looks beautiful o!’

‘Can you believe it? You, my daughter, will be going to Germany.’ Her ceaseless excited chatter attracted the eyes of other customers.

Nkeonyelu was not as enthused as her mother. Patrick’s busy photo studio was the best that the little town had and not far from it, was another shop where her heart lay.

Secretly in her mind, she wished the visa officer would look at her picture and dislike it.

She silently prayed that they would deny her the visa to join her unknown husband.

It was marriage by proxy and the past few month’s following the ties, she has nursed an unhappy heart.

Her secret love for Ekendili only seemed to burgeon more with each passing day, but she knew that her family would never welcome the suit of the poor cobbler when a golden opportunity has been handed to them right on a platter of arranged marriage.

Inlinkz

In response to the FFAW photo prompt above. Thank you, Uday for the picture and Priceless Joy for this enchanting story platform.

Quick glossary:

Abi – Don’t you?

Oya – Quickly

Fiction · Short Stories · Uncategorized

A New Beginning…

March 21, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha16 Comments

A duty done for home and country, though most times Damon wondered if the toll of duty was worth the sacrifice.

He had seen too many dead bodies and his inner mind had grown jaded. Cumulative years of fighting, of living on the edge had it’s way of sucking into a man’s psych.

Though he no longer served, he wore his fatigues and felt a sense of readiness, like he could face anything.

The stark facts of life’s circumstance whirled through his mind in years, up to the moment the explosion led to his blindness.

It still surprised him that Ann had waited all these years for him. Now, as he fights to find a ‘new life‘ without his sight, she stood supportive, her loving voice encouraging his often cranky, frustrated actions. His lips curved in a smile at the thought of her blooming belly.

She has persuaded him to take a guide dog, that would help him foster more sense of independence and they were on their way to see the one she intuitively felt he would love.

He hoped so.

Inlinkz

In response to the FFAW photo prompt above from Pixabay.com. Thank you Priceless Joy for this enchanting story platform

Fiction · Short Stories

The Hired Killer….

March 14, 2016March 14, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha12 Comments

The more he surreptitiously watched Juliana the more his cold killer’s heart grew warmer. He couldn’t bring himself to do it.

This would be one of the easiest job that he has to pull off; just a hard jolt and she goes tumbling into the ravine, but the beautiful unassuming woman’s affectations captivated him.

Mark had painted her to be a spoilt heiress, yet the arresting pair of eye’s, sweet looking freckled face of hers and her demeanour when he had deliberately approached her, depicted none of that.

He liked to observe his targets before choosing the best way to execute his contract and in the past days of trailing Julie, the more he looked at her the more he looked forward to seeing her.

The way she gnawed her lips as she carefully touched statues on display caused his lower muscles to contract in anticipation.
He wanted to be the statues.

Julio wanted Juliana for himself and recognized his desire to protect her.

He decided to call off the job and get to the bottom of the puzzle.

Inlinkz

In response to the FFAW photo prompt above from beautiful Louise. Thank you Priceless Joy for this enchanting story platform

Fiction · Short Stories

The Strings Of Flame…

March 7, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha27 Comments

Eddy’s eyes strayed to the glittering guitar which hung behind the counter of the bar as he dusted.

Since he started working for Mrs. Hilley, he had wondered about it.

His eyes gleamed as he looked at it and the flaming guitar glowed brighter under his gaze.

He noticed that she touched it ever so often, dusted it with reverence and hung it back.

He had no idea what the story behind it was, but he couldn’t ask. There were rumours however, on one really knew the truth.

Since he was alone, he decided to play just a little bit. He hoped to own one some day soon.

Lost in the music the guitar’s flaming strings came alive and he failed to hear the door swing open.

Mrs. Hilley listened, tears ran down her face as he played haunting tunes.

Startled to find her watching him he hurried to hang it back but, she set two glasses of apple cider, sat him down to tell him the story of the flaming guitar.

Inklinz

In response to the FFAW photo prompt above from Pixabay.com and Priceless Joy for this enchanting story platform