Request participation in W3 Prompt #213, where I have set up a challenge as Poet of the Week https://skepticskaddish.com/2026/05/27/w3-prompt-213-weave-written-weekly/?page_id=59923
Reena’s Xploration Challenge #431
Welcome back! PROMPT #431 This week, we are taking a rather broad look at AGE-ING, and the relationship between generations. Whether you see yourself as young, old or somewhere in between, examine your relationship with those on the other side and base your piece on that. I give below an excerpt from The Marginalian by … Continue reading Reena’s Xploration Challenge #431
Reena’s Xploration Challenge #430
Welcome to a searing, sultry month, at least in my part of the world! We have been asked to avoid international travel, buying gold and preferably work from home, as part of austerity measures during wartime. The stock market crashed in anticipation of a recession. PROMPT #430 This week, let us wrap our heads around … Continue reading Reena’s Xploration Challenge #430
Down, down, down
Down, down, down…Will I stumble upon a dreamscape,an Atlantis imagined by Ayn Rand,or descend into the deepest hellI reserve for my enemies? I land on a portal—SecondLife.com—a world once banned for tearing bonds apart.Here, estates are bought with clicks,avatars parade in haute couture,and strangers weave fragile tiesin pixelated masquerades. But is such an invention neededwhen … Continue reading Down, down, down
Reena’s Xploration Challenge #429
Welcome back! PROMPT #429 The genre chosen for this week is FANTASY. Situation: You are doom-scrolling late in the night, and you reach somewhere you'd never expected to be. There is no restriction on the length of the piece. There is no last date unless you wish to be featured in the Weekly Wrap. We … Continue reading Reena’s Xploration Challenge #429
The Serpent’s Well
In a quiet village lived a man who carried a hidden well within him. This well was not filled with water, but with venom—opinions, resentments, and malice he had stored over the years. Whenever someone dropped a single word into that well, the serpent inside stirred, and venom spilt out with the same force as … Continue reading The Serpent’s Well
Reena’s Xploration Challenge #428
Welcome back! PROMPT #428 We have multiple words with similar meanings to serve as your inspiration this week. Dogmatism — emphasises the rigid, unquestioning adherence to one’s own beliefs. Solipsism — conveys being trapped inside one’s own head, unable to truly engage with others’ perspectives. Monologuing — highlights the one‑sided, self‑absorbed communication style. Cognitive rigidity … Continue reading Reena’s Xploration Challenge #428
The Story – Beginning and End
You are just a character, so you have to follow my instructions. The character does a few somersaults on the page, changes colour like a chameleon, and shows a face that looks AI-generated. This won’t help me carry the story forward. He waves his hand like a magical wand and changes the shape of a … Continue reading The Story – Beginning and End
Clocking Life – Snippets
He was an avid collector of clocks and watches. He bought the pieces from junk shops, online shopping sites, chain stores and luxury outlets he could afford in all the cities he visited. His living room was a kind of museum with many conversation pieces, and the line he repeated often was “Good things happen, … Continue reading Clocking Life – Snippets
Flagged
The quarterly review meeting had the tension of a courtroom, every slide a potential indictment. When you flag a concern, take care to not expose someone's manipulation. Arjun knew this, yet his report on “phantom revenue streams” cast a shadow across the CFO’s polished smile. The room fell silent, executives shifting in their seats as … Continue reading Flagged
Creative Experiments and More 