Lace curtains fluttered on the breeze of a warm summer’s night.
News arrived and the window was quickly closed. A mausoleum stillness then descended, captured in the mirror’s surface.
Out of view, a lone figure knelt by a bed, fingers flying over a string of beads. Soft entreaties drifted skyward, searching for love and comfort as each bead touched fingertips.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us…
Nearby, a body lay in a morgue.
She’d told him easy money was a lie.
She continued fingering the beads, once shiny and new, now worn dull from a mother’s troubled prayers.
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Word Count: 99
Author’s Note: This piece was written in response to two challenges.
The first challenge was to write a 100-word story based on the above photo prompt. The challenge was issued on Rochelle Wisoff-Fields’ blog, Addicted to Purple. This is part of Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers challenge – found here. Photo credit: Janet Webb.
The story was also written in response to ‘My Weekly Writing Challenge’ hosted on the Esther Newton Blog (found here). Her challenge was to write a story based on the words or the theme of money, new and operation. I couldn’t fit ‘operation’ into my 100 words, but I was able to craft a story around the words ‘money’ and ‘new.’
Kate, Very sad. I agree that it takes a lot of praying to wear down beads. Poor woman. Well written. —Susan
Thank you for reading – and for the comment. 🙂
Nice job. My rosary is around somewhere. That mother had to be praying an awful lot to wear down those beads, poor thing. For her they were akin to worry beads. I could see her worrying the beads. Very nice job. Lucy
Thanks, Lucy. That’s exactly so: she must have been worried for many years about her son. A lot of unanswered prayers for his redemption.
The foreshadowing is subtle, but I didn’t expect what followed. 😛 😛 A wonderful sketch with lots of hidden story. ❤
Thanks, Tess. I love what you do with your fiction… perhaps you’ve influenced me a bit! ❤
Or, it has occurred to me, you might have influence ME. ❤
Doesn't matter. If it feeds the imagination, I'm open to whatever comes. ❤
Nice work!
Thank you!
Great story-telling. Love how you lead us on to the punchline. Sad.
Hi Margirene! Thank you for the kind comment!
Dear Kate, If you are new, welcome! I really enjoyed your story and she is right, Easy Money is a lie. Such a good story!
Nan 🙂
Hi Nan! Thanks very much for the welcome and your kind comment about the story. I’m glad you enjoyed it, and I appreciate your letting me know. 🙂
Well architected, Kate.
Thank you, Diana. I’m always impressed with the way you put words together – your comment means a lot to me.
100 words leaving my imagination taking this short story into a thousand different directions. That, my dear, is the very definition of a master storyteller….
Excellent stuff! ❤
Thanks, Heather – such lovely comments! ❤
You’re very welcome ❤
A sad story, Kate, told in subtle and indirect ways–very well done!
Thank you, dear Willow. 🙂
Imagination rampant, as usual. Your shorts, and short-shorts are amazing. When do we see the book, Kate?
Noelle, if I could write like you, there would already be a book. 🙂 Thanks for your kind comments!
She told him easy money was a lie. Great plot twist, there. 🙂
Thanks, Cindy!
Subtly told. Well done.
Claire
Thank you, Claire – what a lovely comment!
Well done, Kate
Thank you. 🙂
Dear Kate,
A sad tale sweetly told.
As for your question about posting. It’s not too late until Tuesday when the link list closes. I’ve taken the liberty of adding you to the list so other FF’rs will read your story. Putting a link on the Friday Fictioneers page is a little like putting the slipping it under the doormat. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
Rochelle, thanks very much for linking my story. I confess, I did try to find the link but couldn’t locate it. I’ll have to try harder next time!
I loved this prompt. As soon as I saw the photo, I knew what I wanted to write about.
I’m glad you liked the story.
I love the way you can cram so much into so few words, Kate. Superb.
Thanks, Keith, for the encouragement!