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

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

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

Unmovable

January 18, 2024Na'ama Yehuda Anecdotes of Life, Life and love, Muse and Flow, Things Kids Say, Writing Tags: 100WordChallenge, Fair, Flash Fiction, Friday Fictioneers, hardship, hope, Micro Fiction, Siblings, Things Kids Say, Things Moms Say 33 Comments

“She’ll never,” Howey said.

“Still, she might,” Ron argued.

Howey shook his head. No use arguing. Ron couldn’t see what he chose to ignore.

Much like Mom, Ron was, if less pessimistic. Though Howey did worry that Ron, too, would ossify with hardship and time.

“If we did all the chores, perhaps?” Ron offered.

“She’d see that as us doing our duty,” Howey noted.

Ron’s face fell. He so yearned to see the fair!

“Maybe if we patch that roof she’ll thaw a little,” Howey added, seeing his brother’s disappointment.

“Thaw who?” Mom thundered. “Wash up. We go to town!”

For Friday Fictioneers

Photo prompt: © Jennifer Pendergast

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

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

Photo prompt © Dale Rogerson

For A Good Cause

April 1, 2023Na'ama Yehuda Anecdotes of Life, Funnies, Life and love, Muse and Flow, Poetry, Things Kids Say, Writing Tags: children, Cookies, Creative thinking, Evidence, Flash Fiction, Funnies, Poetry, Things Kids Say, Unrepentant, Weekend Writing Prompt 14 Comments

(Photo: Angiola Harry on Unsplash)

It did not matter that

The evidence was there for all

To see.

The crumbs.

The chocolate stains.

The broken shards of Nana’s cookie

Jar with

That crack from when Pawpaw drank

Too much and thought he was a

Knife thrower

But missed

The block.

It didn’t matter she was

Caught.

The child was

Unrepentant.

“Cookies are for eatin’, Nana.

No good letting them go stale

In that

Pot!”

For Sammi’s Weekend Writing Prompt of: Unrepentant in 69 words

The Waiting Game

October 7, 2022Na'ama Yehuda Anecdotes of Life, Current events, Life and love, Muse and Flow, Reflections, Things Kids Say, Writing Tags: 100WordChallenge, Babysitting, Child's perspective, Flash Fiction, Friday Fictioneers, Making the most of it, Micro-fiction, Nephew, Rainy Days, Things Kids Say 33 Comments

“So I sit here…”

“…and wait,” Misha confirmed.

Clara sighed. When she agreed to babysit her nephew, she thought playgrounds and picnics. Not nonstop rain and hours in a gloomy cafe while her car was being repaired.

She looked around for the boy. Yep. There. His red top. He’s crouched behind the same table. Every. Single. Time.

“I give up!” she announced.

“Ta-da!” Misha popped out like a cork from a bottle.

The four-year-old ran to her and wrapped his arms around her torso. “Best play-date ever, Auntie Clawa! I love this Waiting Game!”

Clara smiled. “Wanna hide again?”

For Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers

The Tallest Tears

May 4, 2022Na'ama Yehuda Anecdotes of Life, Current events, Life and love, Memoriam, Muse and Flow, Photography, Reflections, Writing Tags: 100WordChallenge, Flash Fiction, Friday Fictioneers, Growth, Loss, Memoriam, Messenger, Micro-fiction, Rest, Things Kids Say, Visit 40 Comments

(photo: Na’ama Yehuda)

The tallest flowers caught her eye, but it was the withered daffodils that caught her breath and pressed a fist into her heart.

His favorites.

The stalwart sentinels of spring.

Outnumbered now. Outshone. Outdone.

As was he.

After utterly too short a time.

Her throat constricted. A reflex of holding what she’d learned would be a solitary cry.

“Look, Mama!” a child trilled. “The daffodils are tired!”

“Yes, darling,” a woman’s voice returned. “They did excellent work and are resting now, sleeping till next spring.”

Tears slid. It was something he’d say.

She should have known he’d send a messenger.

For Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers.

Thank you, Rochelle, for using my photo for the prompt this week. And, for all who manage loss, especially of those taken too young in all manners of war – may you know that we remember, and we listen, and we will not forget.