PHOTO PROMPT © Jennifer Pendergast
If you like my work, buy me a virtual cup of coffee at Ko-Fi.
I stoked the fireplace while contemplating the unusual coloring book I bought at the Flea Market last Sunday. I was referred to the vendor rather mysteriously. She suggested that I would find this particular book especially interesting.
I thought I’d reserved my “coloring between the lines” behavior for playing with my grandchildren, but this wasn’t a child’s plaything.
I had retired from my career in astronomy years back, but my childhood fascination with the universe never left me. If I colored the lines according to instructions, Earth’s gateway to a people and their far distant star would finally become known.
Time once again to participate in Rochelle Wisoff-Fields’ 12 May 2023 edition of Friday Fictioneers. The idea is to use the image above as the prompt for crafting a poem or short story of no more than 100 words. My word count is exactly 100.
To read other stories based on the prompt, visit inlinkz.
Just to let you know, these wee stories can lead to something more besides our usual interactions. I used one of them called Hunter as the basis for crafting a related but different drabble. It was accepted for publication by The Martian Magazine a few days ago as I write this. It hasn’t been published yet (Shhh), but I’ll certainly let you all know when it is and how to access it.
Keep writing.
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Congrats on the publication. Enjoyed this – I wonder if the answer to other mysteries of the universe could be found in colouring books!
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Depends on where the aliens want to hide such secrets. Thanks.
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I like the mysteriousness of how he acquired the book. I’m a little ambivalent about opening any such portal though!
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He’s a retired astronomer and has been fascinated with the mysteries of the universe since childhood. It’s a pretty natural leap for him. Thanks.
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You’re welcome, James!
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The things you buy in Flea Markets all have a mysterious history to them. fun read.
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Thanks, James.
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Nice idea, James
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Thanks.
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Congratulations.
I liked the story. Wisps of “Contact” (at least the movie – I never read the book). What seems to be simple (a video in the movie, a coloring book here) really hides instructions to create that gateway to the stars.
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Thanks, Trent.
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Like a secret language.
Intriguing!
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Thanks.
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He is led rather mysteriously. Well done.
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Thank you.
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Yes – it’s the only way to travel! 😊
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Could be. Thanks.
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I like the realistic fantasy here. And congrats on the acceptance 🙂
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Thank you, Linda.
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amazing what you can find in the flea market. nice story.
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Indeed. Thank you.
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