Freedom from the Body

Mohan was lying with tears trickling down his cheeks. 

His body was screeching in pain; the malignant growth had penetrated his bones, thus making it unbearable. 

He wanted to go places and reach new avenues, but destiny had other plans. 

"It's just a matter of time," the docs said.

The family was stroking his legs with the hope of giving him some relief. 

After coming to terms with the present, he tipped the hospital attendants and spoke words of wisdom to his children. 

He finally breathed his last with a smile as he got freedom from the diseased body. 

 In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about what freedom feels like. Whose point of view do you use? Does the idea of freedom cause tension or bring hope? Let the reader feel the freedom. Go where the prompt leads!

The Game of Sitolia

 "Hurry up, and stack it," Pran shouted at his pal, trying to pile the stones in order. Pran's eyes were wide, and his mouth was slurry as he called, "He is aiming the ball at us. Run if you can't stack them." 

Jay raised his hands and shouted, "Done!" 

"Darn it!" shouted Parv at Vishnu, "Couldn't you have been two seconds faster? They won since they could stack the stones on time. They get to hit the pile one more time while we'll have to chase the ball." he lamented. 

"Come on, Parv. It's just a game; lighten up!" 

=========

Sitolia is a game with two teams with a minimum of 2-3 players in each team. They take turns to hit the stack of seven stones, and if they can stack it back before the other team hits them with a ball. They get a point, and a chance to hit the stack once more. 

In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story that features stone-stacking. How does the activity fit into a story? Who is involved? What is the tone? Do the stones have special meaning? Go where the prompt leads!

Energy Medicine

"How can I help you today?" asked the practitioner as she registered her client for her upcoming healing session.

"Oh! I've been having anxiety, lower back pain, and difficulty expressing myself," said Kisna with a long deep sigh!

With a confident nod, Dolly gave a gentle smile and said, "I know exactly which chakra is acting up. Lay on the table, and I'll be back to start your session." 

With dim lights and a piece of gentle background music, Dolly started brushing Kisna's dense aura with a murmur, "Up and away!" 

That was followed by chakra balancing and grounding. 

 In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story using the phrase, “up and away.” You can imagine a story from the photo of hot air balloons, a flying superhero, a natural wonder, or any other direction your inspiration goes. Go where the prompt leads!

A Musical Night

 

"I see a clear sky. The rainy season is behind us!" said Mali with a breath of sigh! 

"We can now sleep in peace." clapped an elated ten-year-old Loli. 

"The pitter-patter and the mosquitoes have gone with it." 

"Yes!" 

The mother-daughter finished their only meal of the day, consisting of broth and bread.  

The duo lay on their cots, and the mom was about to hit the snooze button when the tip-tap noise widened her eyes, and she looked at her leaky roof. 

"Ugh! get the utensils, Loli. Courtesy of the water fall; tonight will be another musical night." 

In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story using the phrase, water falls. Where is the water coming from? How does it shape a story? Who does it involve? Go where the prompt leads!

Sugar = Happiness

 "No, mom. I can't have this. I've given up sugar." Pari said with a stern face alternating between her mom and the Jalebi. 

"You're so skinny that I fear that you might disappear from the face of this planet one day. And now you want to adapt to this new regime," argued her mom with a dirty look.

Pari gave a loud snort, " I'll never disappear physically, but yes, I'm sure my weight will reduce by giving up sugar, and all my health issues might go into remission." 

"Sugar gives happiness, my child?" 

"Aah! that's just a perception." 

: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about disappearance. It can be an event, act, or subtle theme. Who or what disappears? Does it fade or explode? Can it be explained or experienced? Go where the prompt leads!

Mask Up !

 
"Jeez! Why is everybody staring at me?" muttered Alisha as she chewed her gum frantically when she dragged a cart into the store, "Hope, I wore my pants?" and she quickly gave a downward glance at her legs, "Phew! I can't forget the day when I stepped out to water my plants in just my panties."

A tap on her shoulder, "Excuse me, Miss. You need to mask up!" 

Alisha was apologetic, and with a gaped mouth, she quickly pulled it from her purse, "Gosh! This is the new norm, and it's high time I embrace the new change." 

 In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story to reflect the theme, “ready for a change.” Who is ready and why? How does the change unfold? What happened to initiate the change? Go where the prompt leads!

The Common Man

Sometimes, I doubt if being a common man is praiseworthy. This common man has the most challenging life on this planet. He is not guaranteed any comforts from birth and has to work towards it. He faces all the downs when the economy is at the brink. He rarely enjoys the upside when the economy is doing terrific, but he sure gets a coupon here and there to enjoy the perks.

The Commoner is a brutal hit whenever a catastrophic event occurs. When politicians strike countries, this common man suffers. 

When Mother Nature strikes, he faces the brunt of it. When inflation is at its highest, this common man suffers since his pay does not increase; as a result, it restricts his power of purchases.

Amidst all these hassles of everyday life, he also faces dishonest officials who want to churn out the small resources that this common man has saved for emergencies. Corruption makes the common man be strip naked.

This common man suffers a lot throughout his lifetime, but he always meets with a smile and extends a hand when another man is in trouble. 

Although the daily hassles demotivate me, I am proud to be this common man, but the inner conscious speaking to me constantly makes me feel how blessed I am to have a conscious since many people have lost it amidst the hustle-bustle of life.

Being a common man is challenging, but it takes a lot of work and motivation to walk a single step.

Jai Ho! 

In a Rush

 

"Hons, running late. Could you please zip me up?" commanded Tara as she exposed her back to her beau, who was busy on his phone. 

"Hold on. Just sending this message," he said with a frown and squinted eyes. 

"Zzzzippppp!" came the sound, but it stopped midway. 

"Oh-oh!" 

"What happened?" Tara shrieked.

"It's got stuck in the cloth." 

"Gosh! I don't have time to change or mend it. Let me cover it with a jacket." 

"In June?" asked Rahil with raised eyebrows. 

"I'll pretend I'm feverish and may be coming down with something." she winked with a sly smile. 

In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about zippers. What are the zippers for? What challenges do they present to the story? Go where the prompt leads!

A Surprise Test

 

"What! How can that be?" I howled, "How can our teacher give us a surprise test?" I exclaimed as I sat on the bench with a thud staring at the paper while rubbing the back of my neck. 

I chewed my pen while fingering my necklace, trying to find the solution to those questions. 

Just then, the alarm buzzed. 

I woke up with a start with sweat on my forehead. 

When I realized my surroundings, I pressed my palm against my eyes and gave out shaky laughter.

"Oh! God, I promise I'm going to study before this comes true!" 

 In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story that includes anxiety. Who has anxiety or what is the source? Is there conflict? How can you use anxiety to further a story? Go where the prompt leads!

Once Bitten, Twice a Bang!

 

In the Fall of 2010, my dad beat the first round of cancer, and things had started to look up. 

I wished many things then for him and us as a family. 

I had hoped he would visit me, start his business again after taking a hiatus, and success would be all his!!

 After all, even lady luck has a heart and strikes when we are at our lowest point in life. 

Alas! the Universe had some other plans. 

Cancer came back with a bang, and the cosmos took him away from us within a wink of an eye. 

In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about “the wish I made.” Whose wish is it and how does it fit into the story? What kind of wish? Go where the prompt leads!

Water Gun Play

 

I woke up to a loud squeak. 

"What's happening?" I inquired with urgency. 

I saw my children play with water guns in the house. 

"No! we don't play with squirt guns." I disapproved while staring at the wet couch and puddles of water everywhere. 

"But why, mom. It's summertime." they protested in unison.

I took a deep sigh as if I agreed with what they had just said, directed them outdoors.

They both looked confused since the sun was over their head. 

 With a grin, I said, "Carry on! Make a mess; wet all that you want; it'll dry."

 In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story using the phrase “carry on.” It can be an expression of perseverance or behaving in a particular way. It can even be luggage you take when traveling. Go where the prompt leads!

Steady Gallop

Being an empty nester has more pros than cons. The house is cleaner than before, with not much on the to-do list. The driving from one class to another is bygone. The constant chattering and the back n fourth arguments are on silent mode. 

Over the years, we've taught him the values of Life by discriminating right from wrong and emphasized discipline, respect, and hard work. 

Now, it's time to sit back and watch the show. 

Hopefully, it'll be a stable rhythmic ride where the kiddo will learn new things and move forward with steady gallop like a stallion. 

=========

In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about a Big Black Horse. It can be a horse, a metaphor or an interpretation of KT Tunstall’s “Big Black Horse and a Cherry Tree.” Go where the prompt leads!

A Tiny Flaw

To the lightly roasted course semolina, add one cup of lukewarm milk. 

Allow it to cook on a slow flame. 

Once it's semi-solid, add half a cup of granulated sugar.

Give it a vigorous stir before turning off the gas.

Now, I'm going to serve the audience. 

I said with a wide smile as I approached them with serving bowls garnished with sliced almonds. 

With fingers crossed, I watched them take a spoonful of my sweet dish into their mouth. 

They ejected the morsel in unison. 

"Major flaw!" one declared.

"You've put salt instead of sugar." the other screeched. 

In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about the cooking show. It can be any cooking show, real or imagined. Who is there? What happens? Make it fun or follow a disaster. Go where the prompt leads!

Feathers on a Cap

 

"Congratulations!" cheered Soniya's friends as she walked towards them with stretched hands. 

"I did it!" she shouted with glassy eyes and clenched fists. 

Once all the congratulatory messages were through. Her mom slid a handful of feathers under the tassel of her graduation cap.

"What's this for?" Soniya inquired with wide eyes, "Shouldn't I get only one feather since I just graduated." 

"A feather indicates accomplishments, and this is one of them." 

"Huh?" 

"My girl, you are Compassionate, Courageous, Hardworking, Creative, and now you're a graduate proves you've accomplished your goal." 

"Aah! Thank you, Mom, for being my inspiration." 

In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story that features feathers. It can be a single feather or more. Where did the feather come from? Does it hold meaning to the character or story? Go where the prompt leads!

When Distances become Small

Before the Pandemic, I used to see my clients in person for their healing sessions. 

When the Pandemic struck, energy medicine continued to shine; I can still add a personal touch to each session via Zoom, thanks to technology. 

Energy has no boundaries when there is knowledge and the right intention.  

Today Distance healing is the new norm as I continue to channel the universal energy while setting the intention for my client's welfare. 

Today, the office setting has changed, but the end product remains the same: people continue to smile as their ailments fizzle with no side effects. 

-------------

I can be found at: http://explorereikiworld.com/

June 10, 2021, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about a new way to office. Has the office changed? 

Life on a Leash

 

"Where are you going?"

"Umm, I was planning on going to the mall," said Neena in a meek voice.

"Why? In an hour, it'll be time for my tea." said the master authoritatively, "And won't the endless walking in the mall make you tired?" 

There was silence.

"Go and rest till your next chore rather than galavanting." said the 65-year-old lady in a commanding tone. 

Neena gave out a long sigh as she dragged her feet into the 4*4 room, " I wish I had not taken an advance from my master. I'm on a leash until six months." 

In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story being leashed. Is it literal or metaphorical? Who or what is leashed. How does it set the tone? Go where the prompt leads!

Travel Plans

 In November, my family and I decided to trek the redwoods. 

The fog, chirp of birds, and redwoods combined to create a calm, moist environment, like the cloud forests. 

 Just then, a buzzing noise caught our attention, and it started getting louder with each second. 

"What's that noise?" asked my son.    

We looked yonder and saw a grey cloud coming our way.

"Duck" was my instant command.

We gave way to them. The swarm of insects passed by us within seconds as if they were on a mission. 

They didn't bother us since we didn't disturb their travel plans. 

In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story that includes tiny flying insects. Think about how the insects shape the scene or add to the action. Go where the prompt leads!

The D-Day

"So, Monica, when is the D-day?" 

"Soon," she said with a chirp.

I asked anxiously, "Is it that soon that we don't have time to throw you a bachelorette party?" 

"Nah! we always have time for a girl's party," she said with a high five. 

****

Within that week, I arranged a flower theme party and invited all her girlfriends.

That particular evening flowers of all shapes and sizes filled the room. 

We all were clucking around like hens and trodding in floral dresses. 

The to-be bride had a beautiful floral crown, and the bees were having a feast. 

 In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about party hens. Who are these chickens and why do they party? Go where the prompt leads!

The Young Gardener

"Aargh, my hands are dirty." cried a five-year-old Pedro as he raises them in the air and flaps them irritatingly. 

"That's alright," came the mom to his rescue as she dusted them off and kissed those fingertips, "Look at the plant you just put in the soil."

Little Pedro saw the marigold and went his way. 

A week went by; the tiny plant had two new buds. 

Pedro was noticing it all this while. 

Then one fine day, mom saw him bend over and kiss the flower. 

"The flower is so happy," he said as he clapped his hands. 

========

In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about earthing. Put a character’s hands, feet or body and soul into the earth. Who needs recharging? What happens between the interaction? Go where the prompt leads!

A Simple Wish

"Mommy, I love you to the moon and back." 

"Aww! baby! my words are coming back to me." Sheila chuckled as she adjusted her head and wiped the sweat off her forehead.

"Mommy, when can you play with me?" 

"As soon as I feel better, doll." 

Hearing that, Liz closed her eyes and waved her magic-wand in her direction. 

"What did you wish?" Mom inquired when Liz opened her eyes.

Liz placed her tiny hands over her bald head, "My deepest wish is that you get well so we can play together and go out for pizza and burgers." 

========

 In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about deep wishes. Where is the deep — in the sky, the ground, or outer space? What kind of wishes reside there for whom and why? Go where the prompt leads!