Every Friday authors from around the world gather around the virtual fireside of fellow WordPress blogger Rochelle Wisoff to share flash fiction stories of 100 words, all inspired – regardless of genre – by a common photograph, and exchange constructive criticism. Readers’ comments are also welcome.
This week’s photo has been provided by Scott Vanatter. Thanks Scott.
Here’s the story the photo inspired:
The Tree
A tree befriended me. It was a few years after World War II. We’d been allocated housing in a new estate. At our final meeting, I’d (at 11) just posted-off my first short story, about a girl befriended by a tree.
At their final meeting, she brought a crumpled letter and heart. She cried, then whirled. Frenzied, she merged with the tree, which explained:
“I’m a being, one of many sent eons ago from another planet. When the end approaches, we are to rescue humanity.”
The magazine didn’t publish science fiction. The world crumpled. I’m writing this under a tree.
(c) Ann Isik 2013
100 words
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So good Ann.
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Thanks Joe. Sorry for the delay in response. Life! Ann
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I love the last line (last three sentences). Also, it reminds me so much of a Doctor Who episode about trees as beings. But I like the “merging” idea here, and how you use the voice. Very enjoyable to read!
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A very late ‘thank you’ for reading and commenting. I feel like I’ve been trapped inside a Doctor Who story for two weeks. My story is almost autobiographical. I did write that story and sent it for publication and rejection at 13. I sent it to a girls’ comic I used to get every week: The Bunty – which published stories about ballerinas, horse riding, etc, definitely NOT sci-fi. Ann
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Must admit I’m glad you wrote this under a tree and not as merged with it! Liked it.
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A very tardy ‘thank you for reading and commenting’. Life has been strange recently! I can’t find your wordpress blog, by the way. I get a pop up message to say you don’t exist! Have you had trouble with that tree?
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No, I didn’t. Someone else also said they had trouble finding my blog. I’d have to look into it.
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I like that, the little girl writing science fiction like that under a tree.
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And a true story. Except I was 13 not 11 when I received my rejection letter! Sorry for the late ‘thanks for reading and commenting’. Ann
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Boo to rejections! Your ending made me laugh – poor 11 year old kid – and what a great story idea! This seems to be a story within a story within a story – the concept has my head spinning a bit!
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A very late ‘thank you’ for reading and commenting. She was a poor 13 year old kid actually (me!) as I did write that story and sent it for publication and rejection! Ann
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I think this is a good idea, I like the idea of merging with a tree that’s come to rescue humanity. I think it’s a concept that might need more than 100 words to fulfil the promise of the idea. Well done.
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A very late ‘thanks’ for reading and commenting. It is a true story! I wrote that story and sent it for publication and rejection at 13. Ann
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Dear Ann,
A rather odd little tale. Is this a case of life mirrors science fiction? Or a story of a child’s disappointment? I found an interesting connection between the crumpled letter and the young author’s crumpled world.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A very late THANK YOU! Ooh, life has been strange recently, stranger than sci-fi! The story was autobiographical, largely. I did write that story and sent it off for publication, or rather, rejection, when I was 13. 1954! So, I am writing this from another planet.
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Lovely interpretation of the photo prompt, Ann.
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Thank you, very belatedly! Ann
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Glad the girl had somewhere to go as the world crumpled
nicely done/
thanks for the visit (sorry my story hit close to home)
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Thanks for reading and ‘getting’ it and commenting. Appreciated. 🙂
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very excellent
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A gentle disappointment. Excellent story.
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I know my response has been a long time coming, but THANK YOU! Ann
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Ann, I enjoyed the way you made this a circular story, ending where it started, although since many place publish science fiction these days, the outcome should be better. Unless she, too, merges with the tree.
janet
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I’ve been flat out in too many directions recently and I’m horribly late with my thanks for your kind comments and though I tried several times, I couldn’t find your interpretation of this prompt to read! Did I fall onto a Mobius Strip? I will try again this week. It’s a true story. I did write that story and it was the first I ever sent for publication. I was 13, not 11. My first rejection! Ann
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