I’m actually going to give it a try! Thanks first to my wonderful friend nightlake at call2read who suggested I give it a try. Next a big thank you to Rochelle Wisoff for her excellent idea bringing impetus and motivation to those who wish to explore their writing creativity with her most clever Friday Fictioneers. A weekly prompt from a single photo. The idea is to write a very short story “flash fiction” as the result of first viewing the photo and then writing what comes to mind. This weeks photo and her unfinished sculpture compliments of Claire Fuller.
So this being my very first attempt – wish me luck here. I have one more person to thank, anelephantcant who as a result of one of his posts Halcyon Days Zeusian Ways where he retold (in a clever poetic way) a very classic story from the Greek legends of the Gods of Olympus, which in turn gave me the idea for my story, so here goes:
It’s not nice to fool with the Gods of Mythology!
~
“Could you please stop pacing?” Dryope sighed. “That is getting us nowhere!”
“Sorry”, I can’t help it.” Hermes replied. He stopped their walking and then stretched his head at a very unnatural angle in a futile attempt to look at her. “There must be something we can do?”
Dryope nodded her head, which at that particular moment meant she was nodding his head also. “I would agree. This is intolerable.”
He nodded back, silently thinking about their current situation. It was one of those prolonged and guilty silences. Hermes gulped, breathing in at the same time.
“So what did you say to him?” Dryope finally asked.
“Who?” Hermes responded, looking more than a little nervous.
“You know perfectly well who I mean!” She replied, stamping her (their) foot.
“Oh you mean dad … I mean Zeus, amazing God of all the Gods.” He said loudly, head raised up to the sky in the hopes of being heard.
“Yes, Zeus! What did you say to him?” Dryope asked one more time now dreading the answer to the question she posed.
“Um, well” you know I’ve been hanging out with Dionysus and he does like his drink, well we were sitting there drinking and he suggested I should be a little more forceful when I speak to dad. I mean Zeus, the all-powerful and forgiving…”
She interrupted him. Her words were quite forceful now. “What-exactly-did-you-say-to-him?”
“Um, well I think I called him a two-faced liar”!
~
For those of you familiar with Greek Mythology you are aware that Dryope was married to Hermes, and that Hermes actually was good pals with Dionysus (Both of whom were sons of Zeus, his two youngest.) Dionysus was the God of wine, celebrations and ecstasy also patron God of the art of theater. Hermes was the Messenger of the Gods; God of commerce and thieves. So it is easy to picture this scene actually happening!
I do apologize here I went waaayyyy over the 100 words, so need to do much better with the next prompt! Having said that thanks for the read, I hope you enjoyed my first venture into the wonder friday fictioneers.
~ Penny
The Why About This 
Welcome to the gang! It seems that this prompt has a lot of mythic interpretations of many different kinds. Nice start to #FridayFictioneers.
Just came from reading yours Nick. Your good, I’m referring of course to talent!
Hi Penny,
Wecome to the party. Hope to see you here next week. Fun story. At least they didn’t get the thunderbolt! Ron
Thanks Ron, I’ll give it another try! Yes, good point re: the God of Gods!
Dear Penny,
Welcome to the party, pal. Nice first story. There is a certain rush you will come to know from paring your stories down to 100 words and often you will find that the result is far more powerful than your first draft ‘creativity’.
One thing you might want to do is let it be known whether you desire input as many well meaning souls on the FF bus have been burned while offering constructive criticism. Many will help and at all times remember that it is just data. You are the artist. Only you can decide what is right and how best to manifest your vision.
I hope to see more of your work.
Aloha,
Doug
Thank you Doug for your kind and welcoming words. Very much appreciated. I ran a marketing/promo firm for years so am pretty comfortable with criticism. I am guilty of not trying very hard to pare my first story down, but do look forward to the opinions and advice people will offer. I also look forward to reading more of your work as well (I did enjoy your story), again sincere thanks, Penny
Well welcome to the hundred word Friday addiction..The first one is free so I will let you go with using more than a hundred words…this time! Just kidding plenty of people go over the limit. I get upset if I go one word over but then again half the time I don’t even write a story. I just write a hundred words…Good job and last line was perfect. Glad you are with us!
Tom
Thank you Tom, first for coming and reading my story, second for making me laugh and thirdly (yes I know, but I love to slaughter words as I can) for making me feel so very welcome. I do appreciate that most of all!
Any writer who is willing to throw in an old “ly” word like thirdly is cool in my book…I go for more of a hack approach to writing…but slaughtering words is just as good and has nice ceremonial feel to it..
Tom
Thanks, good to know. I like to think of myself as a kinda’ “go with the flow” sort of writer. So the slaughter/hack approach just seems to work really swell sometimes! Penny
That was just too cute.
Thank you Shirley and thank you for coming to my blog to read my story, much appreciated!
Excellent story. Very Laurel & Hardy (Another fine mess you got me into). I did a take on couple of Ancient Almost Greeks too. It’s my third story with FF. Made the 100 for the first time. Ann
Thank you Ann, very much appreciated, Yeah I’ll get closer next week I’m sure! 🙂
The dialog in their argument is divine! (Sorry. 😉 ) I like the clever way you’ve created a whole new Greek myth!
Thank you so very much. well I figured, between the two youngest brothers inherent natures that this kind of thing might happen 🙂
😀
I’m just surprised the ancient Greeks never thought of it!
🙂
Very funny piece, though my knowledge of the lesser gods is slightly limited. The end is very good.
Thank you.
Penny – You joined and added to the community, so 100 words can come as you continue. Thanks for the explanation as it has been three decades since i studied mythology, but I always enjoyed it.
Thank you Joe and thank you for your lovely welcome, very much appreciated!
That was a great start to a new beginning for you with this type of challenge. I appreciate the background reminder you provided a the end. Thanks!!!
Happy Friday!
xx 🙂 🙂 xx
Thank you RoSy, very much appreciate my friend, happy almost weekend to you also, have a good one! 🙂 xo
Very well written story. It is a feat to pack everything into 100 words but you’ll get the hang of it in time 😉
Thanks! 🙂
I really enjoyed this story. welcome to FF – no going back now!
Thank you very much and also a special thanks for the warm welcome, very much appreciated by me! 🙂
Welcome, Penny. Your story is very clever and amusing!
Have a great weekend:-)
Thanks Jan, a little long though, but thank you for the warm welcome, you also have a great weekend! 🙂
That’s great. I like how you used the prompt for the last line. It’d be pretty scary to say that to Zeus. 🙂 This is your first time here, right? Welcome!
Thank you David! It is and I appreciate your warm welcome. I am not a novice writer and in the marketing world every word had to count. I find it now difficult to cut back on my own creative juices. Once again I very much appreciate your friendly words! 🙂
Penny, nice to have you hear. You’ll find that the challenge of getting down to 100-words is very useful and addictive, but that isn’t meant to take anything away from your story. I loved your closing line. 🙂
janet
Thanks Janet, It should be fun. With my marketing company everything we did for our clients was word counted and so on, so I think when I go creative I instinctively resist wanting to cut back on the creative process, but it shouldn’t be too hard if I put my efforts to it, thanks for your friendly welcome and feedback, very much appreciated 🙂
great last line.
Thank you. I think if my dad was Zeus, I’d definitely be a little more circumspect.
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A briiliant first Penny. Welcome aboard 🙂
Thanks my friend, A little scary as I mentioned to boomie you guys are really good, but am glad I did. Which reminds me I’m way overdue for a visit there so will do so right now! 🙂
Good one, Penny!
Thank you, I’m so glad you enjoyed the read my friend! 🙂
Hehe.. That was a wonderful last line. Still chuckling..:-) Very unique take on the pic and nicely done.
Thank you very much! I saw the photo and the story came in to my head within minutes, no doubt because of just reading about Greek mythology lol!
Hi Penny, Welcome to Friday Fictioneers. A great first story. A fantastic build up and then you got me with the last line. Claire
Thank you Claire, and a special thanks for your welcoming words. Nice feeling! 🙂
Brilliant Penny. You wouldn’t believe it was a first attempt. I was thinking about doing this, but I think I need to concentrate on other stuff at the moment. LOL
Love the last line, made me laugh ;-D
wow, Penny..the finish was really good..just got to know something about Greek mythology. Thank you for sharing and for the mention. Hope you enjoyed writing as well:)
Dear Penny,
Welcome to Friday Fictioneers. I’ll admit I’m not intimate with Greek mythology so no doubt a lot of this went over my head. We all start somewhere I hope you’ll keep coming back.
I can’t claim originality for this blog challenge. I inherited it from Madison Woods who originated the group. It’s a lot of fun and more habit forming than pistachios.
shalom,
Rochele
Thank you Rochelle. And I’m so glad your doing it now. It is great fun and I will continue on, Again most sincere thanks, Penny
Hahahaha! Nice ending. Nice work, too. If you’d like some help, Rochelle and I and others will give you all you need and then some. Just let us know.
Welcome!
Thank you. It was hard to not go there from the moment I saw the sculpture, and I will definitely keep your help in mind! A special “thanks” for your welcome, much appreciated by me!
AnElephantCant hide his confusion
The picture looks much more like Janus
Because he was two-faced
But this couple is disgraced
And she must be wondering where her man is
I agree, but it would be an interesting situation to be caught up in! 🙂
Nice :). Welcome to Friday fictioneer
thanks Boomie, I’ve watched you Celestine and others and well you guys are so very good, I admit to feeling a little intimidated, still am glad I did! 🙂