Summer Vacation

clouds

PHOTO PROMPT © C. E. Ayr

The hiking trail had been a refreshing interlude but he always came back to the same place. Facing the dehumanizing blocks of motel rooms, Richard sagged wishing he could stay among the trees with a roof of clouds and sky.

But she didn’t like to camp, said sleeping bags made her itch, and motels served a free breakfast.

“I can’t face it all again and especially her.” He stopped to glare at the suite of prison cells. “Hell with it.”

He turned around. The sun would set soon and he would be alone. Richard wondered who would find his bones.

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Duel in Freak Alley

freak alley

PHOTO PROMPT © James Pyles

They called it “Freak Alley” for a good reason. It was summer when they faced each other. Zephyr realized he didn’t quite remember the argument’s source. Then he saw Jaison at the other end and his blood virtually boiled recalling something about a matter of honor.

“You ready for it?” Jaison yelled with scorn.

“Who needs to be ready for you?” Zephyr spat back.

“Then let’s do it!” Jaison relaxed his hand and let the bag he was holding fall open.

Zephyr did the same and pulled out his first can of spray paint.

The graffiti duel ran for hours.

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She Can’t Hear Me Anymore

two chairs

PHOTO PROMPT © Lily

He watched her sitting in the same chair she always occupied. This was the resting spot on her daily walks where she watched the island. It and the empty chair beside her held terrible memories that would forever possess her.

“Lily.” He called her name but of course she couldn’t hear him. In a few moments she would go back to her walk eventually returning to the home they once shared.

All the while, he was trapped here, maybe forever. She could never forget the day she murdered him and he would always haunt these two chairs and the island.

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Not All Is Well Over The Rainbow

eureka springs

PHOTO PROMPT © Lori Wilson

Charles and Leon’s white and black fingers intertwined while exploring Eureka Springs.

“Glad we got here a few days early for their Pride event,” said Charles.

“Uh huh,” muttered Leon.

They started walking down a set of rainbow steps. Charles was fairly trotting while Leon let go of his hand and slowed to a stop.

“What’s wrong?” Charles looked back at him craning his neck
.
“This town used to have a lot of blacks in it,” lamented Leon. “I got old family photos. First the whites segregated us, then kicked us out.”

“That’s the real reason you came,” said Charles.

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Hank And Bob Are Available To Accept Your Sacrifices

hank and bob

PHOTO PROMPT © Lisa Fox

“I really hate these damn toys, Bob,” said Hank the propane barbecue on the left.

“Me too,” replied Bob, the one on the right. “They make too much damn noise and that motorized one is especially irritating. Kids should not be disturbing the sanctity of the backyard.

“Shall we consume them?” Hank asked eagerly.

“Won’t they melt and gum us up?” observed Bob.

“Hadn’t thought of that,” said Hank. “How about flamethrower action?”

“Yeah!” They opened their mouths and threw out white-hot flames of destruction.

Hours later, the firefighters had put out the blaze much to Hank and Bob’s chagrin.

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Junk Food Dragon

wall

PHOTO PROMPT © Fleur Lind

Twelve-year-old Warren finally stumbled into the clearing. He was tired of Jean and Bobby complaining that the treasure map he took from the trunk in Grandpa’s basement was bogus.

“I told you we’d find it,” he said.

“Find what?” asked Jean panting. “It’s just a wall and a bunch of junk.”

“Wait,” cried Bobby. “A giant keyhole with dragons on either side.”

“Fake dragons,” Jean smirked.

The brick wall flexed like plastic and they heard a gigantic burp. Out popped an old bird fountain.

“Excuse me,” said the dragon’s voice from inside. “I ate too much junk food last night.”

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Aftermath in the Shadows

Roger's window

PHOTO PROMPT © Roger Bultot

Anthony put on his robe as he left the bedroom. Vague lights from the Brooklyn Bridge outside his window passed through the shades casting macabre shadows across the living room.

He sat heavily onto his grandfather’s old upholstered chair and let himself enjoy the fatigue that came over him after making love to Dolingren. She was not an easy woman to be with but the joys most often outweighed the anguish.

Even at this late hour, the sound of traffic came into his apartment unabated. It was life. The vampire in his bed was death but she was also ecstasy.

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The Food and Selfie Wars

PHOTO PROMPT © David Stewart

“I told you I’d only come to dinner with if you wouldn’t take pictures of your food like the paparazzi chasing a movie star!” Ed was on his feet fuming at the four other people sitting around the table.

“Look,” started Martin, “I’m sorry. I just forgot.” He tried disarming Ed’s temper with a shy smile. “Just let me get in this quick shot and post it to Bluesky.”

“That’s it!” Ed reached behind him and under his jacket producing a really nasty looking .45 semi-automatic pistol. He aimed it right at Martin’s smartphone starting the Food and Selfie Wars.

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Pre-order “Ruins: A Space Opera Anthology” Today

ruins

Promotional image for the anthology “Ruins.”

Ruins: A Space Opera Anthology is on pre-order now through the end of May. The anthology was created by Matt Herron and along with twelve other tales, includes my 12,000 word story “Sunrise.”

A large sleeper ship on a mission to colonize a far-distant planet is pulled off course awakening the command crew. The vessel is in the gravitational field of a highly unusual solar system, one where the star has been modified to be a thruster pulling the entire system with it toward the edge of the galaxy. What’s worse, for months, the ship’s AI has been in contact with an alien intelligence from that system which is surrounded by thousands of asteroids, shepherd objects guiding the system’s course.

Captain Art Cuevas and his crew use a shuttle to travel to one of the shepherd objects trying to get some answers, especially now that they’re too far away from their original destination to get to it before the ship’s fuel supply is exhausted.

What they find is startling and will either spell their doom or perhaps a new and unanticipated life.

Here’s a sample:

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Beneath Pale Stars

whatever

PHOTO PROMPT © Lily

John finally crested the alabaster rim of the crater after hours of climbing under the cold sun. He was sweating and couldn’t catch his breath in the thin atmosphere. He sat down on the edge looking downward, his chest heaving.

He said at last, “All wrecked.”

He’d been hoping that the Crater Base had at least one working spacecraft left, but they were crumbled and lying across each other as if they were toys mangled by an angry child.

“I’ll never get home,” he lamented looking upward at pale stars.

Then a voice came from one of the derelicts. “Welcome.”

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