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#OneShotOneStory

One shot, one story

Each day, a random image landed in my journal and inspired a story — my way of sharpening the writing while juggling a book, kids and a homestead. This is every published story, in reading order. (2024-03-24 → 2024-05-01, 42 stories)

  1. 01Day #1: Sincere apologiesDay #1: Sincere apologiesI picked up some tulips for her because she was fond of them. However, as I transported them from the shop, they withered with alarming rapidity. Unnaturally so. Shades of orange and brown took over the petals with each momentary glance, as though my con…Story 1 of the series
  2. 02Day #2: Looking for purposeDay #2: Looking for purposeIt was a fine day, the cicadas were debating as you would expect and the sun was filtering through the tall trees. It was just yesterday that we realised we had lost the little calf, we counted the whole herd three times but none of them brought it bac…Story 2 of the series
  3. 03Day #3: The lighthouseDay #3: The lighthouseI was hired for the job because of my experience; I grew up around a lighthouse. My grandfather lived in one, and I did as much as I could to gravitate around that guiding light. He was a very strong man, not necessarily in physical terms. Though I’m sure h…Story 3 of the series
  4. 04Day #4: Lost in and with AlleysDay #4: Lost in and with AlleysI’m at a loss for my current location. What was meant to be a short stroll has turned into a perplexing loop of the same streets for at least twenty minutes. My cell phone has no signal, and even GPS fails me. Perhaps the towering buildings that he…Story 4 of the series
  5. 05Day #5: AirbnBabyDay #5: AirbnBabyImage credits: Peter Thomas on Unsplash — https://unsplash.com/@lifeof_peter_Mumma and Dadda are not around; I hear them chatting in the other room with a lady they called a baby sitter. Pfft. If they think I’m going to just sit down with her, a perfect stranger…Story 5 of the series
  6. 06Day #6: Ray of lifeDay #6: Ray of lifeImage credits: Mathias Reding on UnsplashI emerged from Sol, brought into existence without the involvement of any organism. It was the essence of pure creation. For the sake of simplicity, you can call me “Photon.” Fundamental, yet infinitely complex, I am de…Story 6 of the series
  7. 07Day #7: American DreamDay #7: American DreamImage credits: Peter Thomas on UnsplashWe are disciples of the exponential; we are incapable of growing anything linearly. Apart, maybe, for regrets, excuses and lies we tell ourselves. Time is limited, and as we consume it, the pressure to make something o…Story 7 of the series
  8. 08Day #8: BoutonniereDay #8: BoutonniereImage credits: Kari Bjorn Photography at UnsplashFor the first time in more years than I could remember, I was attending a party — or rather, a formal celebration that actually held meaning for me. At the entrance, we were given floral arrangements — “boutonni…Story 8 of the series
  9. 09Day #9: Tokyo WhispersDay #9: Tokyo WhispersImage credits: mos design on Unsplash — https://unsplash.com/@mosdesignAs someone fascinated by life, humanity, and the cardinal sins, visiting Japan was an essential stop on my journey. Going from one of the most powerful countries in the world, to the poi…Story 9 of the series
  10. 10Day #10: Playrooms of the SoulDay #10: Playrooms of the SoulImage credits: Peter Thomas on Unsplash — https://unsplash.com/@lifeof_peter_Of all the rooms in our houses, library rooms were my favourites these days. It used to be the playrooms where the kids spent their best time learning, falling, running, pl…Story 10 of the series
  11. 11Day #11: Peak PursuitsDay #11: Peak PursuitsImage credits: Marcus Ganahl on Unsplash — https://unsplash.com/@marcus_ganahlWe kept going up, approaching the highest tops, looking for the hardest pathways, maybe even the unbeaten ones. The spice, adrenaline, must flow together with its cousin: dopamine…Story 11 of the series
  12. 12Day #12: Chasing Northern LightsDay #12: Chasing Northern LightsImage credits: alexey turenkov on on Unsplash — https://unsplash.com/@2renkov“I am sorry you missed this. Please make sure you come to visit this place; don’t hold a grudge against it because of me,” I texted her as a caption for the short video I…Story 12 of the series
  13. 13Day #13: PhilosoflowerDay #13: PhilosoflowerImage credits: Kateryna Hliznitsova on Unsplash — https://unsplash.com/@kate_glizFlowers, with their vivid hues, intricate forms, and fragrances, embody the ephemeral beauty of life, reminding us of nature’s cycles of growth and renewal. They serve a vital…Story 13 of the series
  14. 14Day #14: The gateDay #14: The GateImage credits: Kouji Tsuru on Unsplash — https://unsplash.com/@pafuxuEnergy prices had skyrocketed; heating was a luxury, and eating was about to become one, too. I had bought that property for the solar panels and for the land, thinking I could set up a small a…Story 14 of the series
  15. 15Day #15: Sweat Shop LockoutDay #15: Sweat Shop LockoutImage credits: Yves Cedric Schulze on Unsplash — https://unsplash.com/@yvcedI had built that thing with sweat and tears, sacrificing everything else because I was determined to succeed -for my family to thrive. I had been working too much. My brother,…Story 15 of the series
  16. 16Day #16: Frequent loverShe invited me casually, saying that she had some sort of rewards she had to use and that it would have amounted to a nice British Airways flight in busine…Story 16 of the series
  17. 17Day #17: A wavelength apartI am different, stuff hits me, happens to me and I return stuff back my own way. My own frequency. Most living creatures will evolve to notice the differen…Story 17 of the series
  18. 18Day #18: Dad did it againOf course they were late, of all days they had to choose today, of course. I am both excited and terrified to introduce him to them. Dad is gonna grill him…Story 18 of the series
  19. 19Day #19: Buy low, print high“Two bedroom, two bathrooms, one ensuite. Five acres of land with your very own small pine forest and stunning views of the mountains. Ideal for people see…Story 19 of the series
  20. 23Day #23: Two shots espressoTwo shots espresso “They are onto me, I am telling you, the world is not ready for what I have to reveal. It’s bigger than me, bigger than my company,” he …Story 20 of the series
  21. 24Day #24: Homo Spectatoris'...let me introduce to you the concept of Homo Spectatoris, completely deprived of any spark of its own imagination, evolved to consume information at inc…Story 21 of the series
  22. 25Day #25: OnlyVan“This is how we found it, no traces of her, the dogs can’t smell a thing” the Sheriff reported while I kept looking at that van that I had seen in hundreds…Story 22 of the series
  23. 26Day #26: Peacock logicThere’s no male or female; we invented these words because we have that capacity. We observe nature and we try to understand things because we have that ca…Story 23 of the series
  24. 27Day #27: The early bloomerHello dear stranger, since you are here, for whatever reason, reading my thoughts and peeking inside my soul, I feel like I should at least say hi. I could…Story 24 of the series
  25. 28Day #28: Walk to workI hate commuting so much. There’s just so much that can go wrong. Either you travel with your own vehicle or you share something with others, it’s always t…Story 25 of the series
  26. 29Day #29: High tales“They slaughter people in that building, I’m telling you!” Luke—nicknamed “Druggy”—told the group of less experienced drug users, myself included. “Sure, o…Story 26 of the series
  27. 30Day #30: Camelia's ThornsEvery time I changed social circles, jobs, gyms, or churches, you were there, misnamed yet unmistakable. “Rose,” I called you, seeing you bloom amid invisi…Story 27 of the series
  28. 31Day #31: Blind castingMy leg kept moving up and down repeatedly driven by my anxiety. I haven’t felt like that in a long while. Me, auditioning at fifty years old, who would hav…Story 28 of the series
  29. 32Day #32: Warranty void“I have checked your wearable, who’s Aisha? You received a notification and I overheard the name” she asked me, visibly irritated. “Wait, I can explain, it…Story 29 of the series
  30. 33Day #33: Fratelli d'Italia - Italian BrosWe abandoned our land, feeling as if it had abandoned us first. In truth, it was our policies and attitudes that drove us to seek progress and modernity el…Story 30 of the series
  31. 34Day #34: Concrete art“So this is the piece you were talking about?” I asked the dealer while approaching with my monocle this abstract painting. He nodded calmly, like if he di…Story 31 of the series
  32. 35Day #35: Free range loveMarriage is a tradition that many people find meaningful, but personally, I have reservations about it. The concept of tying oneself legally and ceremonial…Story 32 of the series
  33. 36Day #36: Occam's crayonNumerous sightings had been reported in the area. The clouds presenting weird shapes inside of them, geometrical, it couldn’t have been anything natural. A…Story 33 of the series
  34. 37Day #37: Made from concentrateJax was welcomed in the room, set up for failure but things took a different turn when he started mixing up the drinks from the refreshments cupboard behin…Story 34 of the series
  35. 38Day #38: SkinSkin Folds, layers—similar to the experiences we go through in life, like our skin. Just as skin toughens in areas where there is a lot of friction, such a…Story 35 of the series
  36. 39Day #39: StorkedMy friend Stork asked me to cover his shift and since I have nothing better to do apart from fishing since my messenger skills are not in vogue anymore, li…Story 36 of the series
  37. 40Day #40: nil != nilVoid and matter are intertwined, much like light needs darkness, and gain comes with pain. Even within matter, much remains void. We look up to the sky and…Story 37 of the series
  38. 41Day #41: The sane insanityAnd I walked and walked and hiked and hiked until I forgot why I was pushing forward. Was I walking away or trying to reach something? I lost myself along …Story 38 of the series
  39. 42Day #42: Fifty shades of beigeA picture landed on my journal and I tasked myself to write something about it. The problem: it was just a full frame coloured with a beige tone. Nothing e…Story 39 of the series
  40. 43Day #43: Big decisions are made in kitchens“That’s it, a window in front of the sink, that is having made it” the realtor confidently boasted right before laughing with a very loud voice, an incredi…Story 40 of the series
  41. 44Day #44: Thin skin, thick stemsIt was snowing a week ago. Today it’s like 25°C. The flowers had all died out, some had closed but now they are in full blown beauty contest mode. Like if …Story 41 of the series
  42. 45Day #45: I, Drone“You are a failure!” “You should get a job and a girlfriend!” “You are addicted to these games. Go get some fresh air!” And so on. That what I have been to…Story 42 of the series
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