The Math

September 29, 2024Na'ama Yehuda Anecdotes of Life, Current events, Life and love, Meditations, Muse and Flow, Reflections, Things Kids Say, Trauma and Development, Writing Tags: Adversity, Calculate, Current events, Endurance, Finding a way, Hard times, Math, MicroFiction, One step at a time, Tenacity, Weekend Writing Prompt 11 Comments

(Photo: Crissy Jarvis on Unsplash)

It was all about the math, he knew.

The breaths, the bites and chews and swallows, the number of small steps one takes, the flickers of their eyelids.

The sum of heartbeats.

It all seemed endless, but

He only had to endure one breath at a time.

A step after the other.

A blink. Each flutter against his ribs.

He dared not calculate, but still he knew it added up.

To when the awfulness will pass,

And life came back.

For the Weekend Writing Prompt of Calculate in 80 words

Boxed In

September 25, 2024Na'ama Yehuda Anecdotes of Life, Life and love, Muse and Flow, Reflections, Things Kids Say, Writing Tags: 100WordChallenge, Beach, Finding a way, Friday Fictioneers, Historical fiction, Inequality, Seaside, Stubborn, Things Kids Say, Women's rights 28 Comments

It took all afternoon, but she managed to not be discovered.

Rose had said that it could not be done. It only made Marina more determined.

“It isn’t proper,” Rose had said.

Well, what wasn’t proper was that lads went. Why would the lassies not?

She was supposed to be at the hotel’s library, peering daintily through lace windows at the expanse of sea.

Instead, she hid in the tiny cabin, inching it toward the water, hoping for tide’s help.

At last her bare toes touched a tongue of foam. It was worth the lashing she’d get once back home.

For Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers

Photo prompt: Sandra Cook

Guest Tested

September 18, 2024Na'ama Yehuda Anecdotes of Life, Funnies, Life and love, Muse and Flow, Reflections, Writing Tags: 100WordChallenge, Flash Fiction, Friday Fictioneers, Micro Fiction, Newcomers, Nothing is Impossible, Radiant, Testing, Visitor 34 Comments

“They only glow when Marm’s here,” Eloise pointed.

I tried to not show my confusion. Being a first-time visitor to Castle Trent was a steep learning curve, but I was not going to risk being thrown out as an impostor.

“Best not upset her, though,” Eloise added, reaching for the pitcher and pouring what appeared like air into an empty iridescent glass.

She offered it to me and I tipped the vacant vessel toward my mouth.

Tasted cordial.

“A natural,” a voice boomed and a woman manifested, transparent as gauze.

“Apparently!” Eloise smiled, “I admit I wondered. Tammy, meet Marm.”

For Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers

Photo prompt © Lisa Fox

The Thing To Make All Things

September 15, 2024Na'ama Yehuda Anecdotes of Life, Life and love, Muse and Flow, Poetry, Reflections, Things Kids Say, Trauma and Development Tags: Creativity, imagination, Micro-fiction, parenting, Poetry, Through children's eyes, Weekend Writing Prompt, What Not To Do 11 Comments

(Photo: Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash)

It was going to be the thing

To make all things

Everything that they were meant

To be.

A remedy

For all the wants

And dreams.

“Ah, but you will surely bungle it,”

His mother said.

And crushed his dream

Instead.

For Sammi’s Weekend Writing Prompt of: Bungle in 41 words

Dismissed

September 11, 2024Na'ama Yehuda Anecdotes of Life, Life and love, Muse and Flow, Writing Tags: 100WordChallenge, Flash Fiction, Friday Fictioneers, Leaving, Left behind, Micro Fiction, Moving on, Now what, Photo Fiction 29 Comments

“All done?” Miriam poked her head into the room.

Jeremiah nodded, thumbs digging into the small of his back.

“And right on time, too!” Miriam’s pointed at the window. “Dad’s here with the van.”

“I’m off, then,” Jeremiah stated. He did his part. It was bad enough seeing his whole life folded into boxes. He didn’t need to see it all taken away.

He brushed the hair off his sweaty forehead and turned to leave.

“Forgot your phone!” Miriam exclaimed.

Jeremiah shook his head. “It’s part of this. And …” he breathed, “I won’t need it where I’m going.”

For Rochelle’s Friday Fictoneers

Photo prompt: David Stewart

Field Trip

September 10, 2024Na'ama Yehuda Anecdotes of Life, Life and love, Muse and Flow, Speech Language Pathology, Things Kids Say, Writing Tags: 100WordChallenge, Day trip, Flash Fiction, Friday Fictioneers, Keeping children safe, MicroFiction, Safety, School days, Special Education, teachers 15 Comments

signs DaleR

“There it is!” Gary pointed.

Mrs. Thomas’s arm moved on its own accord to grab him. Experience. Habit. Instinct. Who knows. But by the time her hand touched fabric, the upper part of the boy’s body was protruding out of the window.

“Careful, Gary!” Her voice was soft but her pulling arm meant business.

Gary, now flat onto his seat and the window shut, could only pout.

“We will be stopping,” Mrs. Thomas soothed, “and everyone will be able to see Sign Cabin up close.”

and safely… she exhaled, firm hand on wriggly wrist. Not on my watch!

For Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers

Photo credit: Dale Rogerson