Flash Fiction: Lullaby

This flash piece was written for the 10 October2014 Flash! Friday competition and received third runner up.  The photo and “a surgery” was the prompt. 

The story “Shells”also received third runner up.

Lullaby

I crept from beneath the bed when the clowns left. Some of the children laughed at their antics, but Anton refused. He said they looked like painted nightmares, but I envied them. I couldn’t hide my disfigured face.

“Will you go with me into surgery?” His eyes were huge in his pale face.

I nodded and sat down on the edge of the bed I took his hand and sang him his lullaby. I wanted to tell him I was sorry that the doctors were going to change his mind.

We cried in the theatre. The doctors thought he was scared of needles. But we both knew what the surgery meant.

I held his hand and sang his lullaby as he fell asleep on the table. And I held it through the whole surgery. He was my human and I his bogeyman. He was my best friend. And he would never be able to see me again.

Circus clowns visit sick boy. CC photo Boston Public Library.

Flash Fiction: Broken Thread

This was written for Flash! Friday (a weekly competition for 150 word fiction). The photo of St. Kelda was the photo prompt and you had to include a baby and the name Stella.

Broken thread

I met the man beside the stone house. He came at sunset, the baby in his arms. He didn’t have to explain; I knew exactly what happened. She was chosen. That was all there was to it.

“Her name is Stella,” he said and looked up at the swirling stars. As he did so I wrapped my cloak around me, hiding me from his sight. It was better this way. In the morning no one would ask after the missing child. It was the same with me.

I stepped into the stone house; our halls. Some called us faeries. If only we were. But someone had to do the work.

The other women looked up from their looms for a moment. Only mine was empty, the last thread broken at the moment Stella’s mother gave her last breath.

One day I’ll have to tell her how we are chosen. I’ll have to tell her that it was my fault.

St Kilda, Scotland. CC photo by Neil Wilkie

“A Fair Trade” Published!

“A Fair Trade” – some flash fiction I wrote – is now available to read* on Every Day Fiction.

Courtesy of The Graphics Fairy

*And vote for if you enjoy it, hint hint.