Flash Fiction - Inheritance

Inheritance

The ice clinks. Jocelyne Farrow-Montague swallows her gin and looks at us frostily. My mother-in-law will announce her death and our freedom. Finally! We have prepared looks of shock and sadness.

“Another, Richard,” she orders. Oh, she plays the dying old lady well. Richard runs off; I smile sympathetically.

“So, your test Mother?”

“I have the results.” She takes a sip, eyes closed.

But wait. The lines around her mouth are twitching. Her colour has returned! How could we not notice? There’s always a sting in the tail with this woman, she was supposed to –

“I’m in remission, Darlings.”

We sit, shocked and despondent, trying to smile. 

100 words + prompt

You can find the prompt we had to include and other 100-word stories at Julia's Place. Click here.

You don't know what you've got...

... until it's gone. Ah, the power of hindsight. Does it always lead to regret? I hope not.

My husband and I are not living where we would like to be right now. We're waiting - for that chance, a move, a decision that works in our favour, an opportunity to grab and run away with, a new place, a new start. We've been waiting for a while. It's hard. We are impatient to live our own lives, do our own things, make our own choices, and our own mistakes.

We are living in Norfolk, in the town I grew up. It was an idyllic childhood, full of playing on the beach and in fields; long bike rides, lots of sport, camping. I would sit on the cliff top with friends, eating chocolate and gossipping until it was time to go home. No one worried about us. We would always be home.

You only notice these things when you live away, in big, bad cities around the world. But then those bustling places have also shown you theatre, music, food, the buzz and spontaneity of the city. You've learnt to be free and anonymous and go where the night takes you; you've also learnt to keep an eye out.

But wherever I've lived, I've learnt to appreciate what it gives me: The warm people of Liverpool; the sea outside my flat in Hunstanton; the natural beauty of Iguazu Falls in Brazil, the endless incredible sunsets and sunrises on the road; the ' buena onda'* in Buenos Aires; the choice in London. That's not to say that Liverpool, Hunstanton, Brazil, the road, Buenos Aires and London don't all have their disadvantages - they do - but you have to see the positive; see the adventure.

That's why over the last couple of weeks, Martín and I have been capturing moments that we know we wouldn't be able to have were it not for the fact we are currently living here. Knowing that, it's going to make hindsight all the more sweeter. Here are a few I wanted to share:

Having time to play with my camera

Taking a walk on North Norfolk's most stunning beach

Birthday parties with the dog

Late spring walks in the woods 

Old friends, same place

Bike rides along the routes of my youth

Cooking competitions

Making my parents do random things like Eater Egg Hunts

* 'Buena Onda' is a phrase in Argentina that embodies positive energy, good vibes and fun.  

Everest

Reading the prompt at Julia's Place this week, I was taken back to a longer piece of writing I'd done years ago for a weekend writing competition. Then, the prompt was a photo and the word count 1000. But today, I've tried to keep to the same essential story within the much shorter word limit. The words we had to include are ...the points were sharp... I changed 'the' to 'their' for my story to read better. To read other entries, please visit http://jfb57.wordpress.com/

Everest

My last step was my first on a new journey; my body could rest, my eyes took over. The plateau stretched into night’s past and day’s birth. I stepped along my undiscovered throne on the world. The wind whipped up; I tightened my hood, a king surveying his greatest achievement.

            In years at the summits, I’d never seen such heaven. Our mountain’s cousins bathed in the same rosy morning glow. Their points were sharp and jagged all around us, jutting into the blueing sky, their glaciers sparkling like newly-discovered gems.

            They simply reminded us where we were: higher, taller, on top of the world. 

Check out www.project-himalaya.com for more amazing photos. 

Flash Fiction - Summer Heat

This week, the prompt is the photo below.

Summer Heat

I never returned. That’s why the dream is so special. I wake up smiling because we’re together and happy again; if only for moments of my dream.

   The picnic was for Mummy’s birthday and the heavy summer heat followed us to the lake. We were desperate to get in. 

   “After lunch, girls, after lunch,” Mummy said.

   We wolfed down our sandwiches and crisps and stepped in.

   The cool water slipped over our lobster-like skin and made us giggly. We kicked and splashed. We dived and laughed. We paddled too far, too far.

   In my dream, Katie can swim. 

99 words, excluding title. 

Please go to Julia's Place for more 100-word stories on the same photo. 

Working Late

I've gone for a little poem this week, on the prompt from Julia's Place and the 100-word Challenge for Grown-Ups. Click on the image below for more information and to read others' take on the prompt. This week we had to include ...parting is such sweet sorrow...

Working Late

Lights dimmed, hoovers on

It’s now time to go,

But he’s still here and boss has gone

So it’s not for work I know.

I move things around my desk,

The cleaner watches me.

He hears me tidying my mess,

Tries to pack up slowly.

He’s timed it wrong so stays

By the lift tying his shoe.

I grab my bag, sway his way

Finally: it’s us two.

“Out tonight?” he dares.

I smile, shake my head.

“Are you going anywhere?”

“Nah, home and early bed.”

Lift opens, it’s over;

The game waits until tomorrow.

He goes – my not-yet lover;

Parting is such sweet sorrow. 

100 words + prompt