Imitating Life (One-off Stories)
By airyfairy
One-off stories, written mainly in response to Inspiration Points
- 1887 reads
All You Need Is...?
![](https://www.abctales.com/sites/abctales.com/files/styles/cover/public/covers/Wounded_Heart_Vinegar_Valentine_1870s%202.jpg?itok=WzPcYlGP)
It’s not that I’ve never known love. I’ve had my share. But when it comes to writing about love, I can’t. I just can’t.
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- 1218 reads
Back When Elvis Came To Town
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Imagine the time before recorded sound. Before wax cylinders and piano rolls and music boxes. When all you had was the singer. Back when Elvis came to town.
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- 11 comments
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- 2876 reads
Song For The Girl With The Corn Coloured Hair
![](https://www.abctales.com/sites/abctales.com/files/styles/cover/public/covers/Artist%27s_Impression_of_a__Guitar_.jpg?itok=SYG0Ev4M)
Originally intended for the 'Result' IP but life intervened and I didn't get it done in time.
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- 8 comments
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- 2448 reads
The Theory of Demons (IP)
![](https://www.abctales.com/sites/abctales.com/files/styles/cover/public/covers/Heyerdahl24.jpg?itok=xfvjRADz)
When the object of your fear is your child.
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- 8 comments
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- 3119 reads
I'll Teach You To Burn (IP)
![](https://www.abctales.com/sites/abctales.com/files/styles/cover/public/covers/104px-FlameV1.png?itok=6eHdcyWa)
Fire was a dominant theme in my childhood. It was for most kids in the fifties and sixties. It was one of our earliest lessons on the contrariness of life.
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- 21 comments
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- 6714 reads
Flowers (Part Two of Two) (IP)
![](https://www.abctales.com/sites/abctales.com/files/styles/cover/public/covers/forget%20me%20not_0.jpg?itok=gXT7cwDO)
Forget me not.
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- 19 comments
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- 8094 reads
Not Quite The Eve Of Destruction (2017 IP)
![](https://www.abctales.com/sites/abctales.com/files/styles/cover/public/covers/Chess.jpg?itok=mfopF4C8)
‘Can’t I have one? Just one little one? I’ve been so good all year…’ ‘No you bloody can’t, and put that Scythe down or I swear to Me I’ll confiscate it for good.'
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- 13 comments
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- 3252 reads
The Game of the Name
![](https://www.abctales.com/sites/abctales.com/files/styles/cover/public/covers/Name.jpg?itok=HIqRXWN_)
Hooray! The most popular baby names list is out! No, I couldn't care less. Yes, I love a bit of a gawp at other people's choices.
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- 31 comments
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- 8527 reads
What Goes Around (IP)
![](https://www.abctales.com/sites/abctales.com/files/styles/cover/public/covers/astronomy-3217141_640.jpg?itok=KM2-ObHJ)
You can't miss what you've never had. Unless you've had it before. Picture: Pixabay Creative Commons
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- 21 comments
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- 4939 reads
Aftermath
![](https://www.abctales.com/sites/abctales.com/files/styles/cover/public/covers/Footprints.jpg?itok=lIeJJ5lg)
I don’t associate cats with beaches. Dogs, yes, flappy ears and flappy paws, chasing balls and sticks, challenging the waves to a duel. But a...
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- 21 comments
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- 6135 reads
Monster
![](https://www.abctales.com/sites/abctales.com/files/styles/cover/public/covers/polaroid-2329456_1920.jpg?itok=AnSvcu0r)
We know a monster when we see one. Picture: Pixabay Creative Commons
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- 9 comments
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- 2611 reads
Round The Corner (Part One)
![](https://www.abctales.com/sites/abctales.com/files/styles/cover/public/covers/york-970229_1920.jpg?itok=489DjbS6)
A sort of fairy story, for sort of grown ups. Picture: Pixabay Creative Commons
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- 10 comments
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- 4050 reads
Round The Corner (Part Two)
![](https://www.abctales.com/sites/abctales.com/files/styles/cover/public/covers/york-970229_1920_0.jpg?itok=6-SgYvMl)
Second Part of a sort of fairy story, for sort of grown ups. Picture: Pixabay Creative Commons
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- 13 comments
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- 3520 reads
Shadow (Part 1 of 3)
![](https://www.abctales.com/sites/abctales.com/files/styles/cover/public/covers/rain-3524806_1920.jpg?itok=rYtsbIhl)
Mr Gray seeks an intelligent lady. But is that what he's cut out for? Supposed to be for last week's 'Storm' Inspiration Point, but ran out of time. Picture: Pixabay Creative Commons
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- 1589 reads
Shadow (Part 2 of 3)
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Is Mr Gray really cut out for an enigmatic lady, however intelligent?
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- 1289 reads
Shadow (Part 3 of 3)
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What will Mr Gray find behind the open door?
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- 16 comments
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- 3996 reads
Christobel and The Monkey (Part 1 of 2)
![](https://www.abctales.com/sites/abctales.com/files/styles/cover/public/covers/ape-145078_1280.png?itok=ugHt25UT)
A shaggy monkey story. Picture: Pixabay Creative Commons
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- 549 reads
Christobel and The Monkey (Part 2 of 2)
![](https://www.abctales.com/sites/abctales.com/files/styles/cover/public/covers/ape-145078_1280_0.png?itok=Zh6cC1fZ)
The monkey gets shaggier.
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- 1784 reads
Walk In The Park With Snow (Part 1 of 2)
![](https://www.abctales.com/sites/abctales.com/files/styles/cover/public/covers/snow-1848346_1280%202.png?itok=vfqfgPO_)
A bit of nonsense, written as an exercise, responding to the image. Picture: Pixabay Creative Commons
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- 2196 reads
Walk In The Park With Snow (Part 2 of 2)
![](https://www.abctales.com/sites/abctales.com/files/styles/cover/public/covers/snow-1848346_1280%202_1.png?itok=gRu3hETo)
Part Two of a bit of snow fantasy. Picture: Pixabay Creative Commons
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- 12 comments
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- 3215 reads
Sun (IP)
![](https://www.abctales.com/sites/abctales.com/files/styles/cover/public/covers/sun-159392_640%202.png?itok=euDSqF87)
Sometimes it seems like the sun ain't gonna shine anymore. Picture: Pixabay Creative Commons
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- 11 comments
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- 2301 reads
Whispers
![](https://www.abctales.com/sites/abctales.com/files/styles/cover/public/covers/york-a-town-in-england-14653869204T0_0.jpg?itok=peRnAnjR)
Silent streets give you dreams. Picture from Needpix, in the public domain.
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- 16 comments
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- 3232 reads
Doll
![](https://www.abctales.com/sites/abctales.com/files/styles/cover/public/covers/beauty-1260975_640.jpg?itok=8Jliq7M6)
Response to this week's IP. Picture: Pixabay Creative Commons
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- 16 comments
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- 3038 reads
Horror In The Smallest Room
![](https://www.abctales.com/sites/abctales.com/files/styles/cover/public/covers/crisis-4974243_640.jpg?itok=ztJzvJUT)
I am a novelist. I do not exorcise bathrooms. Your're offering how much? Picture: Pixabay Creative Commons
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- 18 comments
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- 2949 reads
A Story of May
![](https://www.abctales.com/sites/abctales.com/files/styles/cover/public/covers/tea-time-1035255_640.jpg?itok=n1JuuW-B)
I was born in October, and I always knew my name was chosen as a political statement. My Dad was a member of the International Marxist Group back then. They were big in the seventies.
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- 15 comments
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- 2531 reads
Lock
![](https://www.abctales.com/sites/abctales.com/files/styles/cover/public/covers/docks-gb3663ed38_640.jpg?itok=VGoPAOkh)
Padlocks on a bridge supposedly capture your true love. I thought maybe they could capture something else. Picture copyright free from Pixabay.
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- 30 comments
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- 5649 reads
Sweet Contemplation (Part 1 of 2) (IP)
![](https://www.abctales.com/sites/abctales.com/files/styles/cover/public/covers/Maule%27s_seed_catalogue_-_1895_%281895%29_%2814593948199%29%20%281%29%202.jpg?itok=SKHNLL-F)
We’ll never know why Dad went out to the vegetable garden. Maybe to see how the cabbages were doing, or to plan the next crop. Maybe just to think. He used to say that being out among living things just quietly growing was a good exercise in contemplation.
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- 11 comments
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- 1485 reads
Sweet Contemplation (Part 2 of 2) (IP)
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I knew what Ben had been thinking. He was thinking it was his job now, his inheritance. I hadn’t gone near the vegetable garden after the night I saw Mum.
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- 1951 reads
As You Wish
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If your life is unbearable, what do you wish for? Rewrite of something posted in response to an IP nine years ago. Old IPs never die, they just get much needed edits...
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- 26 comments
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- 1211 reads