Every Wednesday Rochelle Wisoff-Fields posts a picture prompt to challenge writers to create a 100-word story or poem or anything that works for you. Then post your work on your blog. additionally, on friday, you go back to her site and post a link to your blog entry in the comments on her Friday Fictioneers post.
I’m going to try to keep up with this, as should you. Give it a shot. I prefer to stick to 100 words, but she doesn’t mind either way. Not everyone has the time to sit and write, revise, edit, revise, edit, etc. until getting it down to 100 and telling everything you want to tell.
The Glasses
“Sunglasses,” old woman wheezed, “$10. Two for $15.”
“What about those?” Younger woman raising eyebrow.
“Where?”
“That you’re wearing.”
“No for sale,” old woman snapped.
“Why?”
“They’re mine.” A glow behind the dark glasses.
“Give you $50.”
“I closed.”
The younger one noticed the glow, pulsing.
“$100.”
“Go away.” Old woman locked cashbox. Wrinkled hand motioned a frail boy, disassembled the tent, table swiftly.
“$200,” she offered. The partially-hidden glow increased. Boy paused.
“Finish!” she growled. Boy continued nervously.
Husband approached, confused. “$200? You nuts?”
“I’m getting those glasses.”
“How?”
She headed for dark parking lot. Waited near battered truck.
__________________________
100 words
brainsnorts inc. 
Hmmmm, what’s that all about? I think I might prefer not to have those glasses but maybe I’m not adventurous enough. You eked out a long story with those 100 words and leaving out every possible word. 🙂 Leaving out all the articles and other words also gave it a more edgy feel.
thanks miss. yeah, i kinda do that sometimes. leaving out words.
Dear Rich,
Had to laugh at your story because I know that girl. She’ll get them, too.
Crisp and tight dialog. Good story. You got a lot of mileage from carefully chosen words.
Aloha,
Doug
thanks sir. time for me to start reading too. happy almost friday.
I agree with Doug. You got a lot of story for the word count in here. Well done!
thanks. i tend to leave out words that your mind will fill in by itself, leaving me room for a few extra.
Hi Rich,
How can she sell the glasses and reveal what is causing the glow? I relate to the husband who objects to the $200 offer. I’m also not getting the battered truck. It’s been that kind of a day. The link to my story is messed up. My story is here: http://bridgesareforburning. wordpess.com Ron
the battered truck is where the old woman and the frail boy are going. there’s something up with this old woman, and the younger one plans to find out.
Very well done as always…i don’t think i would want those glasses but i am not as adventurous. You always capture your story so well
thanks a bunch.
What’s going on here? What’s with the glasses and the glow?
The bargain would have been fun to watch, but I am confused!
we don’t know. but the younger woman plans to find out.
Very eerie, and a terrific concept. The best horror is always understated. Not fan missing words though. 😉
sometimes necessary because i just have to walk away
Methinks it’s not the glasses alone. The young woman should think twice before doing what she’s contemplating. You left me shouting, “No! Don’t do it!”
Good job,
thanks miss. something is driving her for sure.
Hmmm, there’s more to this tale. Crisp dialogue. Good job.
Here’s mine: http://unexpectedpaths.com/friday-fictioneers/a-ghosts-tale/
thanks miss. very much.
And why did you cause this song to pop into my head.
an underappreciated, big-sounding 3-man band.
FYI: Erin AND Allison are both scheduled for this hour with Soledad. ALERT … Erin is currently at the table and they just went to commercial.
i’m on it, thanks. blue is erin’s best color. not thrilled with soledad’s new glasses. just add brianna keilar and my day is set. do we need CNN rehab yet?
I saw Brianna this morning! … and a big YUK to Soledad’s new glasses. Don’t forget sister station HLN!
still trying to confirm what “color” suzanne malveaux is. i went through the crayola box of 64 and the best i could find is copper.
Did you know that she has a twin?
try as you might, that won’t surpass my alison kosick/briana keilar fantasy. also, ashley banfield needs to get non-reflective glasses. too many times i’m seeing light reflecting in her specs. just saying.
I love the pace of your dialogue and the desperation in the eyes of the older woman…i will like to know what she’s got to hide! Thanks.
thanks to you for reading.
I love your 100 words! I wonder what happens next
me too. thanks for reading. happy friday.
She wanted them. She neeeeeded them….. Hahaha! Good one Rich!
Hey what happened to Madison???
she can’t keep up with it and passed it off to someone else. thanks for reading miss. don’t you look happy today? oh, it’s friday.
It is!
I am continuing to do the flash fiction thing, but use my own photo since I am really getting into the craft! (art?)
either or.
I love the different personalities and have known some characters like that. Interesting that the sunglasses started glowing when she came near them – maybe they were destined for each other after all.
maybe so. or maybe the glow warns the old woman when a troublemaker is near. i have no idea.
As I said before.. You are great at forcing me to fill the gaps. Maybe not in the way you intended, but I certainly have my opinion on what happened here… And even worse, what will happen on the parking lot.
i think – stress “think” – there’s something spookily attractive and obsessive about the glasses that has drawn the younger woman to them. and the older woman understands and knows when a “rival” is near. as for the parking lot – it won’t be pretty. thanks for your comments. i appreciate you reading.
I like the fast pace of this. You really cut to the chase (so to speak), Rich. Very enjoyable piece.
thanks sir. i know it didn’t read easily – but i insist on 100 words only.
Crisp, sharp and mysterious! Nice job, Rich, sir.
thanks miss. hey, those glasses in your gravatar. you take them from an old woman?
Would you give me $200 for them?
sorry. i’m the mild mannered husband. you must have chased the old woman into the parking lot to get them.
Terse, quick, determined, intriguing.
thanks miss. i’m not usually one to say “it means what you want it to mean,” but i went for that time. sorta.
Losing all the extra words makes for a fast paced read. Very nice. The glow of the glasses – rather creepy. I don’t think we want to mess with that. Kind of like you don’t want to mess with Lemarchand’s box. Wonderful craftsmanship.
them’s is big words missy. “wonderful craftsmanship.” thankya kindly ma’am.
I like the dialogue, the edgy urban way the piece is written. I get a sense of the old woman’s accent, too (not the precise type of accent, just that she has one). I think the young woman has an inkling about the “glow” and wants to get the seller’s glasses off her face, not to buy them but to see her catly eyes. I’m not confused at all, just very intrigued….
Oh, she may get those glasses, but she may not like what she gets! Creepy.
Yes. Zzzactly. Thanks
nicely done. I echo the previous accolades.
i echo the previous thanks. with a thanks.
I wondered where this was going… she may wish she hadn’t, that’s for sure. I liked the style of writing you used. Nice, Rich.
Thanks sir.
Hello Rich. I’m new to the Fictioneers. Your flash had choppy pace and urgency. It was a good respite from my day-to-day reading. I am left wondering what is UP with those glasses!?
What’s up is something caught her attention, and she wants them badly. Thanks for reading.
The younger woman has a long wait–Her older holdout with the glowing eyes and magic sunglasses has to be leaving in a chauffeur-driven Rolls that she conjured up with a blink of her flrey pupils.
I’m good with that. Thanks.
I was a little late getting to the prompt this week. Sorry. Something wrong with my following the post.
Anyway, glad I visited yours. Interesting story and good ending.
Scott
Mine: http://kindredspirit23.wordpress.com/2012/11/02/friday-fictioneers-6/
Nothing to apologize for sir. Thanks for reading.
She may get more than the glasses! I feel sorry for the boy. A well written story that left me thinking about the darkness of evil.
Thanks very much for reading.
Rich…I like this clipped format for a change. Reminds me of Elmore Leonard/Mickey Spillane gangster style/dialogue. Wouldn’t this girl be surprised to learn what’s really making the sunglasses glow. It’s not the glasses, but the daily prescription eye drops for her advancing glaucoma. lol. Rich…I have to admit…your comments now and then to others are comical and make me chuckle (it’s a compliment).
Thanks for a great compliment. Funny that you mention Elmore Leonard Because I have heard so much about him and tried to read him once, but just could not get through the book. No I take that back. I did read Mister majestyk all the way through. I wasn’t thrilled but perhaps I should give another 1 of his books a shot. Thanks again.
Not sure what’s going on here, but interesting enough to make me read more. Great hook.
That’s good enough for me to claim success. Thanks for reading.
Hey! I always thought your avatar was a very thoughtful you… I just figured out it’s Bruce Springsteen!!!
Yup. I use that for most everything. My favorite album.
And that leaves us wondering how it’ll all end. Although I suspect those sunglasses will have a new owner pretty soon. Intriguing, Rich.
-Joanna (one half of The Lazuli Portals – *grin*)
thanks miss. i think you’re right. someone else will soon have those glasses.
Intriguing..does she really want to know what’s behind those glasses?
not what’s behind, but she wants the glasses without knowing why. something about them is drawing her to have them.
Oooohhh, GOOD one, Rich! My mind wrote the rest! Excellent!