Whatever Happened to Hyacinth Hippo?

Nancy's hippo

PHOTO PROMPT © Nancy Richy

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Hyacinth Hippo had her rise and fall in 1940. Everyone knew the lead dancer in Disney’s animated film “Fantasia.” She had a few cameos like in “Roger Rabbit,” but there wasn’t much of an audience for a big girl in a tutu.

“So bleeping Ferguson Library in Stamford, Connecticut. This is what it’s come down to, eh?” Private Detective to the Weird, Donny (Sweet and) Sauer whistled at her mournfully.

“Shut up, Donny.” Numerous casual library patrons screamed and ran when the “statue” came to life. “Disney stopped being fun years ago. This was the only gig I could get.”

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Lending Library

library

PHOTO PROMPT ©Dale Rogerson

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Angelique walked with beauty and silence into the alleyway. It was overgrown and filled with lost, neglected, and leftover items. She loved it.

These urban lending libraries were common and had been around so long no one gave them a second thought. Bring a book you want to share, open the door, exchange it for something you want to read, shut the door, and leave. What could be simpler?

Removing a tattered fantasy novel, the witch placed her ages old copy of the Necronomicon inside. Cage had exactly twenty-one minutes to fetch it and start the end of their world.

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Compensation for a Spider

web

PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

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“Please don’t struggle,” She gently crooned. “Don’t you see how we’re honoring you?”

“Honor?” Only his face was exposed in the webbing. “You call being eaten an honor? You’re going to kill me, my children, my grandbabies. How is that an honor?”

“Dearest offering.” She stroked his hair lovingly. “You are an atonement for what your ancestors did to us. You will sacrifice your flesh for their sins.”

“That was ages ago. You control everything now.”

“It doesn’t matter. We will always be the oppressed little fly. Nothing appeases our appetite. Consider you and your family a morsel of compensation.”

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We’re Not As Alone As You Think

resized rooftop garden

PHOTO PROMPT © Lisa Fox

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She was alone in the deserted park two blocks from home when she heard his breathing. It was too late to run. Rough hands grabbed her from behind. Instead of screaming, she whirled around in his grip and exposed her vampire’s fangs.

“What? You too?” Nigel retracted his fangs and stood back looking disappointed.

“Oh darn.” The voice came from their right and a slender, dark-haired vamp in goth black appeared.

One by one, they emerged looking rather sheepish.

Desiree, also known as “shortcut girl,” said, “If a real person comes along, I’ve got dibs.” Naturally they all started arguing.

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Junk

roger

PHOTO PROMPT © Roger Bultot

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“What are you doing with that big stick, Mike?” Then Jessie saw what he was doing. “Wait. Those were Mam’s favorites. She paid a lot for them.”

“Mam is dead and she willed this junk to me. Now get out of the way, Sis.”

“She loved all her little pieces of junk. At least you…” She tried to grab the club out of his hands but he wouldn’t let go.

“You got the house and the car.”

“Sure, I’m older and I’ve got two kids.”

“She made me throw out my vintage silver age comic books when I was fifteen.”

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Revenge of the Geek Show

binks

PHOTO PROMPT © Mr. Binks

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Willard looked up from beneath the discarded canvas at the base of the ride. He heard the squeals of the happy rubes spinning and twisting, hoping they’d vomit.

The sound of tinny calliope music, the sickening smell of cotton candy, or someone gorging another cheap hotdog with mustard filled him with nothing but hate. Big Luther said he still got nostalgic, but his brain rotted long ago.

Will nodded to the others, each one in their hidden positions. Just at ten, when the crowds were wildest and the carny lights blotted out the stars of heaven, they’d begin the slaughter.

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Mime Fabriek

mime kitchen

PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

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He was the only one who didn’t have a name. He was the one who had to choose the other names who were right for the job.

The inside cover of the folder said:

We encounter so many inspiring makers and performers, each one of them so rich in their work, so specific in their approach to a creation, so different from each other.

They were dancers, actors, mimes, each especially gifted. He scanned their photos and read their stories. Tonight, he would select five and then begin to mold them.

Soon, they would be ready to save the world.

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Soshi’s Magic Teleporting Divorce Machine

sukkah

PHOTO PROMPT © Lisa Fox

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“A little early for Sukkot,” Brad chuckled to himself.

“Very funny.” Soshi winced at another of his jokes criticizing her Judaism. “We could use it as a sukkah, but it would make a nice outdoor playhouse for the kids.

“I don’t know.” He gazed upward. “It kind of looks like rain.”

“Just step inside and tell me what you think.”

Brad reluctantly walked into the center of the structure. Soshi quickly took a small remote out of her pocket and pressed the red button. Instantly, Brad was beamed into a different reality.

“Laugh your way out of that one, Brad.”

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The Last Interview of Mister Bill

mister-bill

PHOTO PROMPT © Ted Strutz

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Mister Bill’s plush body sat in a trendy Hollywood restaurant. The interview about his career was finished, but awakened dormant memories of his 1970s glory days at SNL. Sure, the stunts were dangerous, but money and fame didn’t come cheap.

It nearly ended in 1980, but Chevy rescued him from a garbage can. After that he moved to L.A. By the end of the 1990s, it was over. He’d been surprised by the journalist asking to see him. His old nemesis, Mister Hand was so old now.

“Guess it’s time we both retired.” Bill held his dear friend’s wrinkled hand.

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The Tree Where The Elves Live

tree

PHOTO PROMPT © Fleur Lind

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“It’s just a fake door, Jillian. Elves don’t really live in the tree.” Ten-year-old Sam strode towards the trunk.

“Don’t,” the eight-year-old girl cried. “If they get mad, they’ll cast a spell on us.” She ran to her brother and grabbed his arm.

He shook her off. “Watch this.” Sam gripped the knob and pulled away the little door exposing only bark. “See?”

“You’re no fun,” Jill pouted.

“Let’s go get an ice cream,” Sam offered.

After the kids marched off, the knothole popped open. Two elves poked their heads out of the window. Pip asked, “Are they gone yet?”

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