Bill was completely bamboozled. The ringing in his ears had become so blaringly loud, it sounded like someone was banging inside the donations bin. Yet, that was ludicrous. He had the only key, and guarded his charge like a hawk. There was no way anyone could get in or out without his explicit say so.
However, everywhere else, the tinnitus decrescendoed back to its annoying pianissimo.
Monday, Bill was making his coffee when the banging became an explosion. A flash of light, and the red bin was gone like the Tardis.
Ouch! What was he going to tell Head Office?
….
100 words exactly. PHOTO PROMPT © Rowena Curtin (me)
This is another contribution to Friday Fictioneers hosted by Rochelle Wishoff Fields. We’d love you to join us: https://rochellewisoff.com/
By the way, this week I have an unfair advantage. I supplied the photo prompt. So, I can also let you know that the photo should be rotated left with the beam of sunlight in the top left corner. That was my fault. Well, I’ll blame my dodgy photo editor and trouble rotating images.
This clothing bin is a bit battered and bruised, and I felt it looked a bit like it had crash-landed from outer space and would make great inspiration for Friday Fictioneers. Despite being an avid amateur photographer and responding to other people’s photo prompts for many years, this was my first contribution. I can’t wait to read all of your responses.
BTW in case you’re wondering, Woy Woy is in New South Wales about an hour North of Sydney, Australia. I know this is quite a throw back. However, here’s a link to a 1932 movie of Woy Woy and I particularly loved seeing a steam train crossing the Hawkesbury River Bridge: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ci3_j_1iQpY
Here’s a few local images, and you’ll be excused for thinking Woy Woy is home to the pelican:
Best wishes,
Rowena
Beyond the Flow 
such an interesting place! the menu sounds great!!
And why wouldn’t it be a Tardis? they’re everywhere. Or they were. But all those blue police boxes have disappeared now. Probably into another dimension
Dear Rowena,
Perhaps it is a tardis. 😉 Fun story. BTW, I have rotated the picture to the left so it should be showing up as photographed. Rotating it to the left will put it on its side again.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Bill has some explaining to do. I have some friends who have a replica Tardis that opens up and is a bar inside.
Woy Woy looks a lot like where I grew up on the coast of Northern California, except we had gulls, not pelicans.
Thanks for the pic. I love it when a picture immediately elicits a story.
I’m glad the photo elici ted a story for you. A few have been stumed by it, although being sideways hasn’t helped and it was a bit cryptic to start with. I’ve observed on previous weeks, that prompts that were a bit vague had good responses. Normally, with taking a photo, you’ve avoid that direct sunlight, but I felt it added a great element for a story in this instance.
We have gulls here as well. Pelicans are not widespread in NSW and this region is well-known for them. In Sydney, you may see a stray pelican now and then , but that’s it. At Woy Woy as well as The Entrance which is further North, they have pelican feeding which must enhance their presence.
Thanks for doing that , Rochelle. If you knew me in real life, you wouldn’t be surprised that this would happen to my photo. I have absolutely no sense of direction!
Best wishes
Rowena
I need to eat more seafood. I really love it but my husband isn’t keen. However, he doesn’t have to join me.
He’ll have to come up with a good story that’s for sure! Thanks for the picture – it’s one which will send us all in different directions for a change!
Here’s mine!
I love that picture of the pelican in the shop. It reminds me of the time I was stood behind a pigeon in a sandwich shop 😊
If not a Tardis, then what? My first thought on the prompt was a portal to another dimension, so I was headed that way, but took a grim turn instead. So, more pelicans than people in Woy Woy?
About time the Doctor took a trip to Woy Woy to sort this out I think!
Most definitely!
Great title for a wonderful tale. Cool photos also. Those pelicans look so healthy!
Wow and I thought we had a bird problem here. I went to my local marina for lunch when lockdown eased, the seagulls were really aggressive and threatening to steal food. Not afraid to brush against humans. They suffered during lockdown. They aren’t so bad now. Loved your images. We live in a stunning country.
I liked your take on the prompt! I want to find a box like that.
I’m worried it was the Master – the chameleon circuit in his Tardis still works… 🙂
I’m a great fan of the Tardis idea as a means of transport. I could do with one right now. Interesting photo.
From a photographic rule, this image breaks all the rules with that blaring light coming through. However, for me and I think many of the responders, it created a bit of mystery, awe, beam me up Scotty moment.
I , too, would dearly love and tardis. Wouldn’t it be wonderful!!
My husband works at a university and the birds there really suffered too. He went in and had lunch outside and was surrounded by magpies. They were like…It’s a human!!”
We do live in a beautiful country and it’s not a hardship not leaving our local area very much. The numbers are coming back down well again now, but I’m still a bit wary of Sydney and the big smoke. It seems like it’s lurking everywhere down there, which just isn’t true. The trouble is that you don’t know where it is. People can be asymptomatic. Anyway, I’m getting out more but still being careful. Wish I was in WA.
Wonderful story, and I love your imagination. Good writing.
A cool image and accompanying prose. And the pelicans…gah! I absolutely am enthralled with these birds! Well done.
Can Bill get away with telling his boss that the BBC had requisitioned it for the new Tardis? That’s the question 🙂
Oh no hungry maggies. They are scary when triggered. Sydney is a bit dicey. Not like Melbourne though – what a horror story.
Dicey is a great word to describe the situation in Sydney. So glad we don’t live in Melbourne and I’ve been restricting my movements here not just for my own protection. We each need to do our bit to keep us out of lockdown and you could see that returning to NSW if we weren’t vigilant.
Sounds better than some of the alternatives. Another possibility is that drama students from the high school across the road requisitioned it to make a film.
Thanks so much, Monika. There’s a beautiful Australia book by Colin Thiele called “Storm Boy” which has been made into a movie twice. I haven’t seen the second version. However, Mum took us to see the first version when we were kids and I sobbed. It is a very sad movie. I bought it on DVD to show to our kids, but never had the heart to show it to them. Well, they’re a bit older now so it could well be time to pull it out.
BTW I strongly recommend the book!
Best wishes,
Rowena
Thanks, Linda. I score high on imagination and not so highly on practical skills other than baking.
The bin demands freedom and equality with other similar boxes. Nice touch and thanks for the pic, however it should be.
Tardis of Woy Woy makes sense. The Doctor can’t get to the big cities due to restrictions so smaller towns are a good choice. Central Coast is a pretty nice place to be in.
Yes, I agree.
Thanks, Bill. The colour is also right for me. I love red!
The photo is intriguing! Very creative story, Rowena.
Wonderful fantasy… alien or magic… or maybe Bill has been eating mushrooms.
Thank you very much , Bjorn. Either way he’s in trouble with a lot of difficult explaining to do.
Thanks, Rowena! And … I liked the ambiguity of the photo. Leave a lot more room for imagination! 🙂
That was my thinking as well.