A Rare Show

July 30, 2025Na'ama Yehuda Anecdotes of Life, Life and love, Muse and Flow, Reflections, Things Kids Say, Writing Tags: 100WordChallenge, connection, Disappointment, Excitement, Expectations, Flash Fiction, Friday Fictioneers, Micro Fiction, Neurodivergent 26 Comments

“So?”

Ivor fished a tissue out of a pocket, buying time. Though not really a fan, Elena’s excitement had rubbed onto him, and he found himself trying to hide his disappointment. He didn’t think he could face hers.

“Isn’t it amazing?” Elena pulled on his arm, pitch high in delight.

“It sure is something,” he managed, relieved.

“Just like the Iron Throne, but made of crystals,” she rocked on her heels, and wriggled her fingers into his. A rare show of affection reserved for joy edging near to overwhelm.

He smiled and squeezed her hand. “I’m so glad we’ve come.”

For Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers

Photo credit: © Marie Gail Stratford

Melted Bob

July 23, 2025Na'ama Yehuda Life and love, Muse and Flow, Reflections, Things Kids Say Tags: 100WordChallenge, Ancient, Energy, Ents, Fantasy, Flash Fiction, Friday Fictioneers, Micro Fiction, Things Kids Say 43 Comments

“What’s wrong with its eye?” Ellie scowled.

Malcolm squinted. “It melted, I think.”

Ellie considered. There were many stumps with faces, and most were odd-shaped. But he wanted to touch this one, which was unusual enough for someone who did not like touching anything, and he also felt the stump’s warning – if there can be such a thing – to touch it “gently.” Like it’d hurt.

“How old is it?”

“6,000 or so,” Malcolm shrugged.

“So why your Paps still keeping it?” Most oldies have been smelted. Ent energy was the best.

“He tried,” Malcolm pointed out. “Now he calls it Bob.”

For Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers

Photo credit: Dale Rogerson

The Third Drop-Off

July 2, 2025Na'ama Yehuda Anecdotes of Life, Life and love, Muse and Flow, Things Kids Say, Trauma and Development, Writing Tags: 100WordChallenge, Childhood Adversity, Childhood trauma, Finding a home, Flash Fiction, Foster Care, Friday Fictioneers, Micro Fiction, Social worker 57 Comments

“Is that it?”

The girl’s face remained pressed to the window.

“Yes,” the woman nodded. This was the third drop-off today and it better be less dramatic than the previous two. It was late, and she still had reports to write.

She thumbed the folder to remind her of the names, exited the car and walked around to open the child’s door. It could not open from within. For safety. Some kids escape.

“Come,” she said.

The child blinked, swallowed hard. “It looks nice,” she managed.

The woman’s eyes softened. “Yes. It does. I hope this foster placement works out.”

For Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers

Photo prompt © David Stewart

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

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

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

Patience

May 18, 2024Na'ama Yehuda Life and love, Muse and Flow, Things Kids Say, Writing Tags: 100WordChallenge, Family, Flash Fiction, Friday Fictioneers, Historical fiction, light, Micro Fiction, Patience, saying goodbye, Things Kids Say, Waiting 21 Comments

“How long will you be away?”

Pa patted Patience’s head. A rare affection from someone whose love was measured in ensuring there was grain and cloth and warmth enough for the lot of them.

“As long as the Lord deems right,” Pa responded.

“Hopefully the Lord deems it right quickly,” Patience blurted, bracing for reprimand. Children ought not question God’s plan.

“Amen if so,” Pa murmured, surprising her. He shouldered his rucksack, touched her head again. “You are the eldest. Help Ma and tend your siblings. And,” he added, “keep the tower lit, may its light lead me back home.”

For Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers

Photo prompt: Dale Rogerson

Aloft

February 21, 2024February 21, 2024Na'ama Yehuda Anecdotes of Life, Life and love, Muse and Flow, Reflections, Things Kids Say, Writing Tags: 100WordChallenge, Flash Fiction, Friday Fictioneers, Historical fiction, Micro Fiction, Migrant Children, Migration, New Beginnings, Wagon 47 Comments

It was the opposite of everything. No more the steady breath of fire in the hearth. No more the solid oaken walls that Grandpa hewed and Grandma charred. No more the steady view that only seasons marked.

She was aloft atop the bedding, swaying on the ruts, the creaks of wooden wheels squeaking out of step with the team’s heavy clip-clop.

Another place awaits, Ma says, though where or what Faith couldn’t tell. How when all who’d gone before hadn’t returned?

Pa’s steady shoulders hitched with the reins. “Prepare,” he said. “We’ll circle wagons and there’d be chores ‘fore long to tend.”

For Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers