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My New Adventure in Flash Fiction: Friday Fictioneers

I am setting myself a new challenge – joining in with as many Friday Fictioneers 100 word flash fiction challenges (thank you Louise Jensen!) as I can. It has been SUCH a long time since I have written any short stories, let alone flash fiction but I’m taking the plunge, hoping it will help me hone my editing skills in the novel I’m currently writing. And wow, I found it hard. But, at the same time, I loved it.

So, here goes. This week, a story is to be written from this photo prompt:

Credit: Jennifer Pendergast

The Ghost of Us

The first picnic day of late spring, finally warm enough to spread a rug out, allow the sun to infiltrate our wintered bones. I approach it now with both dread and longing. For years, it was a tradition: the same spot in the local park, a bottle of wine for us, apple juice for Harry.

When we became just two, Harry wouldn’t leave my side.

But this year, he trots over the gleaming grass. Away from me, away from the ghost of us. He is finally healing I think, and with this knowledge comes both gut-wrenching sorrow and deep gratitude.

This short story was written for Friday Fictioneers. See Rochelle Wisoff’s website for more details.

14 replies
  1. Neil MacDonald
    Neil MacDonald says:

    I have the most extraordinary sense of dehja vu. I remember pausing at “wintered bones” and savouring how much I liked that. I remember the pleasing arc of the boy inwards and then outwards again. If I have said all this before, please forgive me

    Reply
    • Rebecca Stonehill
      Rebecca Stonehill says:

      Hi Neil, thanks so much for your thoughts. No, you haven’t said any of this before, I am really pleased you liked it 🙂

      Reply
  2. Rochelle Wisoff-Fields
    Rochelle Wisoff-Fields says:

    Dear Rebecca,

    Such a touching story. So much said in so few words. Welcome to Friday Fictioneers. I look forward to reading more from you.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Reply
    • Rebecca Stonehill
      Rebecca Stonehill says:

      Thank you Rochelle, I’m really looking forward to writing more stories so thanks for the opportunity. It is such a hard but satisfying thing to do, to write a complete story in so few words.

      Reply
  3. Dale
    Dale says:

    So weird. I was sure I had left a comment on this one…
    Welcome to Friday Fictioneers!
    This one touches home big time as I lost my husband two years ago. My kids were older so they did not have the same reaction as little Harry…
    Lovely story.

    Reply
    • Rebecca Stonehill
      Rebecca Stonehill says:

      Hi Dale! Thanks for the welcome 🙂 I was having problems with the comments box so had to delete the post and Rochelle re-posted which is why you may have already commented!So sorry about your husband. Really pleased the story resonated X

      Reply
  4. Mike
    Mike says:

    A sad story but a lovely piece of writing. I joined FF just over a year back, staying within one hundred words is tough, but can be very rewarding.

    Reply
    • Rebecca Stonehill
      Rebecca Stonehill says:

      Thanks Mike, glad you enjoyed it. Yes I certainly found it rewarding once I had hammered out all the words and sentences I didn’t need. It’s a really interesting exercise.

      Reply
  5. Siobhan McNamara
    Siobhan McNamara says:

    This has a lot of resonance for me. Going from ‘us’ to ‘me’ takes a lot of getting used to, especially when you’re supporting kids through their grief at the same time. Beautiful writing, welcome to FF

    Reply
    • Rebecca Stonehill
      Rebecca Stonehill says:

      Thanks Siobhan for the welcome 🙂 I’m so pleased this resonated for you, I really enjoyed the new flash fiction challenge. Now for the next one….!

      Reply

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