As the clock struck midnight, Sarah's footsteps echoed through the empty hallway of the old mansion. Each step seemed to amble into the darkness, sending shivers down her spine. Suddenly, she heard a faint whisper, barely audible over the groaning floorboards. With trembling hands, she fumbled for her flashlight. But as the light flickered on, she wished she hadn't. There, standing in the corner, was a figure cloaked in shadow.

Its eyes gleaming with malevolent intent.

May all that I am
Disintegrate at long last
Into the cosmos

#Poetry #Haiku

A poem to share, titled 'Deal with the Devil'

#poetry #poem #poems #poetrycommunity #love #lovepoetry #poetryisnotdead #poetrylovers #writer #writingcommunity #writinginspiration #amwriting #musings #poetrysociety #devil #micropoetry #poetryporn

In today's flash fiction titled 'The Professor', we meet a teacher who by day empowers and educates the next generation, but by night inhabits the underbelly of society.

Let the lesson begin!

https://musingsonlife9.wordpress.com/2023/09/03/the-professor/

Got back to writing some dark flash fiction with this latest piece, titled 'In Dreams'. Eddie, a veteran police detective, grapples with the demons of his past as some long held secrets come back to the fore.

https://musingsonlife9.wordpress.com/2023/08/27/in-dreams/

Riddle:

My mate and I, we look the same
And dwell in holes by family name.
Attested in Old Pliny’s words,
I won the title, “King of Birds”
For flying higher than the Eagle.
My methods weren’t exactly legal:
I hid myself, a tiny thing,
Within the plumage of his wing.

What am I?

#riddlepoems #poetry #smallpoems #poetrycommunity #birds #birding #birdwatching #passerines #songbird #ancientgreece #classics #naturalhistory #pliny #fable #legend #mythology

Clandestine
©️ Nona Rose 2023

It was a secret,
A covert assignment
With furtive glances
And surreptitious talk
Of stealthy activities.

It was all very cloak-and-dagger,
The behind-the-scenes planning
And under-the-table passing of plans,
Concealed in brown envelopes
And hidden in codes and crypts.

It was a private affair,
Conducted slyly,
In an underhanded manner,
Spawning an underground movement
Run from dark and dingy back alleys

It was undercover -
A sneaky plot point
In a murky history -
Where things are kept hush-hush,
Our clandestine concern.

🌹

Feedback, comments, boosts and discussions more than welcome.

#MastoPrompt #clandestine #SmallPoems #Poetry #PoetryCommunity #PoetryByNona

In the final episode for season one, 'Taking Control', is the story of Sophia, a writer and a resident of an upmarket apartment building in the inner city. Irreparably damaged from a broken relationship, she lives in fear of being hurt again, until she reaches her tipping point. This is both a story of loss and hope.

Thank you to those who have supported the podcast; loyal listeners, subscribers and well wishers who have reached out through my socials to offer words of encouragement.

Search 'Flash Fiction in Five' wherever you get your podcasts.

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/24WYNnuTuxFAfGodp5ynT7?si=f522cf2bedb94edb

Apple Podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/flash-fiction-in-five-complete-captivating-and/id1669981307.

#podcast #podcastlife #podcastshow #fiction #flashfictioninfive #amateurwriter #story #storytelling #audiofiction #fictionpodcast #tinytales #audiodrama #flashfictioninfive

@tanweerdar Thank you Tan. 🙏

The guards patrol the corridors relentlessly, their eyes watchful and ready to punish even the most minor indiscretion. You'd think I'd resent them, but their constant vigilance was a strange comfort. The walls in the cell are crumbling, struggling to contain me in their unrelenting fortitude. I could break out at any time, but why would I?

The key sat heavily in my pocket. It would just be a matter of unlocking the cell doors and making my way into the world. The solitude of the cell was both liberating and oppressive. With the light of the world, comes the infinite darkness. I was safe here in the cell, but I was hostage to the fears that kept me bound in this place. Maybe one day I'd see the light, but not today.

Not yet.

#hostage #MastoPrompt

It was the last conversation I would ever have with him, but at the time I had no idea that I'd never see my friend again. To be the last person that someone speaks to, before they undertake their journey into the next realm is a heavy burden to carry.

We spoke like we had all of the time in the world, a life spent in each other's company. The walls that I'd built around my heart were crumbling as I struggled to hold back the rising tide of emotion. I've never had to muster as much stoicism as I did that night. I had to be brave, not wanting him to see that I was overwhelmed with a deep grief that to this day I find difficult to contend with.

I hate to think of him alone. Nobody around as he crossed. But it is these words and the final moment we shared that I will forever hold dear. "I'll see you soon" clutching his hand tightly after our final embrace.

Our final words.

The dappled light shone through the dense canopy throwing shards of light around the forest floor and dancing like the pixies in Neverland. There was a tendency to get lost in the surrounding verdure, each plant melding into the next, but this is what I came here for. It was an escape from the ordinary and mundane. Here, I could be one with the world, moving only to the rhythms of the natural world.Vast expanses of green, as far as the eye can see, all teeming with life quite discreetly going about its business. The chorus of birdsong was melodious, filling the forest with its delightfully lyrical tones. I wandered through this lush landscape, alone and content.

#MastoPrompt #Tendency

I dance on the cusp
Waver in the liminal
Illusions linger

#MastoPrompt #Limbo

Everything I've ever done had been carefully planned. Down to the letter. Ever since I was a child, I never acted on impulse. I was quite odd. Very measured and calculated. I wasn't sure why. Maybe it was because I'd moved around so much, shifted from pillar to post with my family. Dad was in the army and we'd lived in every part of the country. He was regimented by nature, never one for surprises.

I never had the time to put down roots and felt like I needed to be in control in the things within my sphere. When she came into my life; her spark and vivacity competely captivated me. She was like a warm summer breeze, refreshing and enlivening. I was never one for love at first sight. That stuff only happened in books and never in real life. But that first touch, her skin as soft as fine spun silk. Her sun dress flapped effortlessly as her svelte figure swayed from side to side. But it was her smile that enveloped me and the kindness in her eyes was alluring.

I loved her, but I didn't even know her name.

#MastoPrompt #impulse

Don't let life confine
Free your mind from its shackles
Strive for the highest

#MastoPrompt #confine

I toss and turn in my bed
Trying to silence the thoughts in my head
I wish I could find a way to sleep
A mechanism to make me calm and deep
The mistakes I made, the words I said
The people I hurt, the dreams I shed
They haunt me at night, they fill me with dread
I wonder if there is a cure for this
A remedy for my restlessness
Or will I always be awake and alone
Searching for peace that I never own

#Poem #Writing #SmallPoems #Poetry #mechanism #MastoPrompt #PoetryPrompt

Shadows inhabit
The world that is unspoken
Our parallel souls

#MastoPrompt #parallel

Twin peaks majestic
Rimmed by delicate white clouds
Ascend to great heights

#mastoprompt #twin

The door creaks open
I pause aghast, eyes transfixed
Unspeakable sights

#Pause #MastoPrompt #haiku

I'm on multiple social media platforms, including Threads. But this will always be the place where I can experiment with my writing, using it as a creative outlet and having really positive interactions with so many eclectic people. I started writing here, which gave me the confidence to blog, podcast and work towards my ultimate goal of becoming a published author.

The fediverse will always be a special place.

#writingcommunity #amwriting #writer #art #creativecommunities #fediverse