Rachel Harrie's blog had a challenge to write a short story/flash fiction in 200 words or less, excluding the title. We had to begin with the words "Shadows crept across the wall."
As an additional challenge, we could do one or more of the following:
- end the story with the words "everything faded."
- include the word 'orange' in the story
- write in the same genre I normally write
- make the story 200 words exactly
I tried to do all four, but I don't have a 'usual' genre. I don't even know what genre I used. It just flowed out of me. I didn't know where I was going to go.
If you like it, please go there and see how I'm doing. I'll be in the 150 numbers, I think. That is, if I posted correctly. If not, oh well...it was a challenge.
It Just Happened
Shadows crept across the wall of my back yard this evening as the sun retreated slowly to the west. I had forgotten how much I loved to get my hands in loamy earth.
It had been years since I endeavored to wield a shovel.
I didn’t want the night’s coming darkness to end my gaze on climbing climatis, yellow-orange rudbeckias and crimson roses.
I rediscovered myself here after my unfortunate divorce and realized I actually like myself, I like spending time with my inner child, and, oh, I love my gardens.
I carved out a few in my small plot of land.
My land.
My house.
These things are now of one.
There is no twain; no more vows or sharing.
The more I ventured toward my new horizons, the more I acquired a semblance of place and present.
I discovered my life is new.
What was is past.
I hardly noticed when everything faded.
