Granny Gray

October 6, 2023Na'ama Yehuda Life and love, Muse and Flow, Reflections, Things Kids Say, Writing Tags: 100WordChallenge, Ancestors, Dreams, Flash Fiction, Flashback, Friday Fictioneers, History, Knitting, Micro Fiction, Witch Hunts 25 Comments

It was the hood that did it.

Toppled time.

She stood and stared. The store around her ebbed into a surf of sounds that no longer carried any meaning. The colors drained. Rainbow into monochrome.

Like the hood.

Devoid of dye. Just like Granny Gray’s.

Someone bumped against her arm, then tugged. A voice called. There must have been words. But they were drowned.

Like Granny Gray. When they had come for her.

Way back when. And in Greta’s dreams ever since she had taken on knitting.

“Like Granny Gray,” they said. “The child has the fingers. And the eyes.”

For Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers

Photo prompt © Ted Strutz

Every Thing

September 22, 2023Na'ama Yehuda Anecdotes of Life, Current events, Muse and Flow, Reflections, Things Kids Say, Trauma and Development, Writing Tags: 100WordChallenge, Adversity, Candy, Childhood trauma, Dreams, Dumpster diving, Friday Fictioneers, Homelessness, Hunger, Making do 42 Comments

“It will have everything in it!”

Molly’s eyes shone in the dark and Gary was reminded of other eyes they’d seen reflecting in their torch beam. He shuddered.

“It couldn’t possibly have every thing,” he tried, just for the sake of argument.

She slapped his leg with her bare foot. “Don’t be daft. You know what I mean.”

“Chocolates?” A peace offering.

“Of course! Every kind of sweet!”

Molly’s stomach grumbled, and his answered. They were both of them hungry. At least the rain stopped so they weren’t quite so cold.

Perhaps tomorrow they’ll beat the garbage trucks to the bins.

For Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers

Photo prompt © Roger Bultot

The New Man

September 9, 2023Na'ama Yehuda Funnies, Life and love, Muse and Flow, Things Kids Say, Writing Tags: competition, Flash Fiction, Funnies, Hallmark, Micro Fiction, Missed opportunities, On a dare, Right of passage, Teens, Weekend Writing Prompt 20 Comments

(Photo: azha-ashiq-kxX4k2El9WA-unsplash)

Nothing for it. It had to be done.

He’d get in trouble, but that was part of becoming a man.

He took notes, fussed, planned.

The time to mark the hall has come.

He hid the satchel by the bed. Set the alarm.

Woke to sunlight and calls over the Intercom:

“Lucas to the office, stat.”

Lucas the archenemy is the new Hall Mark.

For Sammi’s Weekend Writing Prompt of: Hallmark in 64 words

Their Perfect Mess

September 6, 2023Na'ama Yehuda Anecdotes of Life, Life and love, Muse and Flow, Things Kids Say, Writing Tags: 100WordChallenge, Breathing room, Discovery, Flash Fiction, Friday Fictioneers, Garden, Making do, Micro Fiction, orphanage, Siblings 40 Comments

“Come see!” Charlie sprinted, pulling on Claudia’s hand so hard she almost fell.

“Slow down!” She may be older, but her short legs were no match to his flamingo limbs.

“Sorry…”, Charlie curbed his speed a smidge.

He led her around the back of Old Theresa’s abandoned house and through the broken fence. “See?!”

Claudia gawped. It was messy. It was overgrown with weeds and junk. It was perfect!

She hugged herself with excitement. She missed having a backyard. Nature. There was none in the orphanage.

“We’ll retie the net for shade. Bring stuff. Make it our secret breathing space!”

For Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers

Photo prompt: © Fleur Lind

They Say

September 2, 2023Na'ama Yehuda Anecdotes of Life, Current events, Muse and Flow, Reflections, Things Kids Say, Trauma and Development, Writing Tags: Choice, Current events, Gaslighting, Reality, SoCS, Trapped, Trauma, voice, Women's rights, Writing prompt 10 Comments

(Photo: Molly Blackbird on Unsplash)

They say she gets to choose to be obedient, or face the consequences.

They say she gets to choose to accept her fault, or be blamed anyway.

She gets to chew on what she’d done. Even if it was done to her. It is still somehow her doing. Her consequence. Her crime. Her punishment.

She cradles what is left of her. Tucks it away. She will not be allowed to be. Or flee. Or seek a help. Or have a voice. Or make a choice. Not really.

It does not matter what she needs. It never did.

Her body just a vehicle for others’ machinations. An incubator for others’ agendas.

The growing despair is meant to put her in her place. Clip her wings. Keep her there.

She never mattered. No matter what words they pretended to say.

She gets to choose what they say she must do. Any other path is deemed a sin. A wrong she does.

She has no right to choose. They choose for her.

And if she dares seek freedom for herself, dares to try and claim back what is left of her body, she’ll be, to them, a killer.

For Linda’s SoCS prompt of chews/choose

Uncle Ronnie’s Cabin

August 12, 2023Na'ama Yehuda Anecdotes of Life, Life and love, Muse and Flow, Things Kids Say, Trauma and Development, Writing Tags: 100WordChallenge, Abandomnent, Adversity, Flash Fiction, Friday Fictioneers, Log Cabin, Making do, Micro Fiction, Things Kids Say, Uncle 30 Comments

Mama said it would be “an adventure.”

Lizette knew this meant no argument. No whining. Mama needed “Mama Time”.

“Just the weekend,” Mama said.

Lizette knew this meant at least a week. Till Mama grew tired of her new Beau. Or the Beau grew tired of Mama.

Did Uncle Ronnie know Mama’s language? Will he care?

It was dark when they arrived. Light flickered in the cabin’s window.

Mama let her out. Told her to knock. Drove away as the door opened.

Lizette shuddered. Entered. Gasped. Sighed.

The chandelier tree. The moose. Her uncle’s smile.

She could stay a while.

For Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers

Photo prompt © Alicia Jamtaas

A Dress To Impress

July 15, 2023Na'ama Yehuda Anecdotes of Life, Funnies, Life and love, Muse and Flow, Things Kids Say, Writing Tags: 100WordChallenge, Flash Fiction, Friday Fictioneers, Micro Fiction, Party, Photo Fiction, Self sufficiency, Sewing, Siblings, Twins 21 Comments

“I’m not going!”

There it was. Mira’s famous pout.

Dahlia sighed. “Stay home, then.”

“And leave me all alone? You always think only of yourself!”

Get a mirror, Dahlia turned to the door. No use arguing when her twin was in a mood. “Party is next week, and I’m going. You do you. Now, I’m off to Fab Fabrics.”

Mira sniffled. “I don’t need another quilt.”

“I know,” Dahlia smiled. “This one’s for me.”

“You already have a quilt, no fair you’ll have more than I!”

Dahlia smirked. “Actually, it’s for the party. Gonna make me a dress to impress.”

For Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers

Photo credit: © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

Peas In A Pod

July 1, 2023Na'ama Yehuda Anecdotes of Life, Life and love, Muse and Flow, Things Kids Say, Writing Tags: 100WordChallenge, Announcement, FlashFiction, Friday Fictioneers, Home, Just for fun, Micro Fiction, Photo Fiction, Siblings, Things Kids Say 19 Comments

She stormed in and stood, panting, hands on knees.

“What is it, girl!” Penny jumped, spilling some tea. A chain of horrible scenarios tumbled through her brain.

“She’s excited, not scared,” Margo barely lifted her eyes from the book she was destroying.

Clara nodded. Still unable to speak.

“I. Found. It!” she finally managed.

“Found what?” Penny snapped, then bit down her irritation. It was tiring, being the elder. The responsible one. The level-headed, boring, taskmaster sibling.

“Our perfect future homes!” Clara announced. “We can live next to each other, strung along the avenue like peas in a pod.”

For Friday Fictioneers

To The Naga’s Protection

April 22, 2023April 23, 2023Na'ama Yehuda Anecdotes of Life, Life and love, Muse and Flow, Reflections, Things Kids Say, Writing Tags: 100WordChallenge, Difficult decisions, Family, Friday Fictioneers, grandparents, Gratitude, Loss, love, New Beginnings, Thailand 26 Comments

“The Naga will protect you, Laang Chaai.”

“Yes, Yaai,” the boy swallowed tears and nodded to his grandmother. Even at his tender age he knew that his Yaai’s love would not be enough. Her body bent over like a broken bamboo, the shape of rice-paddy work even with no paddy to bend over.

The wrinkled hand touched boy’s head, devastated to give up her laang chaai. His mother had died in childbirth, yet she never thought of her grandson as an orphan. Till today.

The monks will raise him now.

“Khawp khun khrap” the boy bowed, palms together over heart.

For Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers

Glossary:

Naga – semi-divine dragon-serpents in Thai culture which possess supernatural powers and are the patrons of water

Laang Chaai – grandson

Yaai – grandmother

khawp khun khrap – thank you (when said by male)