I’m delighted to see that many of you STILL seem to be having fun rising to the 79 Word Challenge set by Author Andrew Joyce.

For anyone who still doesn’t know what this is all about and catch up with the previous 35 entrants, click HERE to check out Andrew’s story and challenge, then:

HERE to see the first seven great entries

HERE to see the second post with ten more stories

HERE to see the third post with twelve stories

HERE to see the fourth post with six stories

😀

NOW READ TEN GREAT NEW ENTRIES BELOW:

(To visit the writers blogs, click on their names or photos)

The Train by Jane Dougherty

The train raced along the disused track.

Rocking from side to side it clattered along the rusted rails, catching in the faint beam of its headlamps the brighter eyes of rodents and the wary fox, and blood ran red upon the rust red of the rails.

The mad train entered the tunnel’s maw, and the blackness swallowed up the rocking and clattering.

Deep into the mountain, the train sped, following the tracks in the tunnel that had no end.

〜〜〜〜〜

The Halloween Brooch by Marjorie Mallon

Inside the shop I heard raised voices.

I lunged in.

The mysterious voices began to whisper.

It was cramped, hardly room to move or breathe.

Antiques jostled for my attention on over stacked shelves.

I picked up a tiny painted brooch of a young girl crying.

I heard a high pitched scream echoing, then riotous laughter.

When I saw my reflection in an antique mirror, I wailed.

A wrinkled granny stared back at me wearing the brooch, she cackled.

〜〜〜〜〜

Going by Gigi Sedimayer

Go away, I thought and wiped my nose with one finger.

I felt a fly was crawling there.

But it was gone already.

Lying still, I then smelled the salty air.

Sea?

Water?

We are moving?

And it’s rumbling?

Smiling, I slowly opened my eyes and turned to look out of the small, round window.

‘We are on the cruise-ship’, I screamed. ‘To Australia. Yippee. Kangaroos, Koalas, Cockatoos. 

I sprang out of bed and ran out of my cabin.

〜〜〜〜〜

The Child and The Prophet by Patricia Anne Pierce-garcia Schaack

Sixteen times, she stood at the base of the y-shaped path covered with autumn leaves stretching in two different directions.

Sixteen times, she closed her eyes; sixteen times she opened them.

The path remained.

She knew if she closed and opened her eyes again, it would still be there.

“Scared?” said The Prophet.

“Yes, I am.”

“Why?”

“Which one should I take?”

“Which one do you want to take?”

“Can I take both?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“The other disappears.”

〜〜〜〜〜

Wishes by Jane Peskara – Audrey Valentine

A girl saw a shooting star, so she closed her eyes and wished.

The same thing happened on the next 2 days.

On the fourth day, she opened her eyes, her mother, her father and her little brother stood there.

Her mother and her father held hands, her little brother held a teddy bear in his arms and together they sang her favorite song.

The girl smiled, her wishes had come true.

She closed her eyes and peacefully died.

〜〜〜〜〜

The following two stories are by Melody J Fisher

Half As Good

She stroked the purring cats long, luxurious silky fur, gazing at him affectionately.

“Who’s a pretty boy?” she cooed as if she actually expected an answer.

“Am I interrupting?” he quipped sarcastically before sitting down in his old worn recliner. He watched them for a moment, shaking his head, before growling, “If you treated me HALF as good as you treat that cat, I’d be happy.”

“But Dear!” She exclaimed,”I DO treat you half as good as the cat!”

Alzheimer’s

“I’m being robbed ” she screamed frantically.

He ran down the stairs and threw open her door, prepared to battle an intruder, only to find  her sitting up in bed, pointing excitedly at the dresser across the room.

“See? That long haired hippie is stealing my jewelry! Stop him!”

It took a moment to figure it out.

“Mother,” he said gently, “that’s a reflection in your mirror! It’s your picture of Jesus”

She squinted.”No! Why would Jesus rob ME?”

〜〜〜〜〜

Busted by Teresa (Tess) Karlinski

Jennifer hoisted her short eight-year-old frame to full height.

Cheeks blazing and freckles deepening, she glared at her reedy teenaged brother.

“Mom said I could have some.”

Small clenched fists at her sides, she stamped a naked heel.

“Nothing to do with me.”

“You don’t think of anyone but yourself.”

Her pimple-faced brother hee-hawed like a donkey.

“Whatever. Bye”

Fingers snapping, he twirled Michael Jacksonesque. “Billy Jean, that’s my girl…”

“Busted. What are those chocolate crumbs on your T-shirt?”

〜〜〜〜〜

The Presence by D.G. Kaye

As bedtime drew near, she feared going to sleep; no matter how much her curiosity stirred.

Another fitful night of slumber, and once again, she woke with a drilling chill down her spine.

The temperature in her room plummeted as a faint shadow hovered over her body.

It was as though the shadow had yet again taken on a life of its own.

Tugging the covers over her head, she vowed to burn that Ouija board come morning’s light.

〜〜〜〜〜

Willow The Wisp by Carol Taylor

My thoughts turned to him.

The only person who had the power to make my bones turn to jelly.

A tear, unbidden trickled down my face.

I suppose the unexpected encounter…Just a picture … My guard had dropped or just perhaps my need for someone.

If I allowed my thoughts and myself to turn to him, then I had to attempt to find some modicum of com­mon ground in the relationship aside from raw, physical sex.

Was that possible?

〜〜〜〜〜

Authors and Bloggers

If you think this challenge should continue as a weekly posting and would still like to join in the fun, or continue submitting further entries and have YOUR 79 word story posted, along with your photo and blog/website link, I’d be delighted to receive them; just email your entry to me and I’ll post them periodically:

tsraauthorarticles (AT) gmail (DOT) com,

Subject: 79 WORDS