For Adam, it all happened so quickly. A blinding flash of light, a shaking of the earth; and before he knew it, he was in the rubbles of his apartment.
After climbing out of the wreckage of his old home, he saw the ruins of his entire town. It was the end of the world.
For the next few days, he searched for survivors but couldn’t find any. All he found were corpses, if not outright skeletons.
Adam sighed, tears in his eyes. It may be the end of the world, but it was not the end of his world.
Finally, he said it out loud. What he’d always held back. It had been in his heart, on the tip of his tongue once, but never spoken. Until now. It spilled out, moist on his cheeks. Words fighting their way past sobbing tear-stained emotions, pent up for a lifetime. The dam broke, feelings no longer held back, conventions breached, honesty flooding out. Is it too late? Lads don’t say these things to lads, do they? Not where they came from. But now, at his graveside. It’s never too late. The words catch in his tightened chest. I bloody love you.
That is so kind, thank you. Like a lot of my writing it was there before I knew where it was coming from or where it was heading. That's a lovely encouragement to write more.
"I often have an idea of what the outcome may be, but I have never demanded of a set of characters that they do things my way. On the contrary, I want them to do things their way. In some instances, the outcome is what I visualized. In most, however, it’s something I never expected. For a suspense novelist, this is a great thing. I am, after all, not just the novel’s creator but its first reader."
Here is mine for the night crowd - "The Catch" - https://buckw.substack.com/p/the-catch?sd=pf
Title: "The End of the World"
For Adam, it all happened so quickly. A blinding flash of light, a shaking of the earth; and before he knew it, he was in the rubbles of his apartment.
After climbing out of the wreckage of his old home, he saw the ruins of his entire town. It was the end of the world.
For the next few days, he searched for survivors but couldn’t find any. All he found were corpses, if not outright skeletons.
Adam sighed, tears in his eyes. It may be the end of the world, but it was not the end of his world.
Here is mine! I also restacked it....THANKS Erica!
https://arrivalsanddepartures.substack.com/p/mynah-uncaged
Inspired by Erica to write my first 100-word (sadly true) story.
https://diariesofadoc.substack.com/p/no-more-carrots-for-me
A week before med school finals, I sliced off my fingertip
The knife missed the frozen carrot in a split second blip
Kitchen towels did not suffice, nor did medical gauze
Nothing in our student flat could stem the blood loss
Called a plastic surgeon friend, hailed a cab to his house
Waved to his baby with my hand wrapped in a blouse
Compression dressing went on, the bleeding finally ceased
Waited ten days to remove it, celebrated with a feast
At the dining table with my finger stump finally free
I decided - never again, no more carrots for me
Ouch and fabulous ... what a great way to start your 100-word adventures!
Here's my 100-word story for today!
https://moodling.substack.com/p/warmth-within-warmth-without
Gently reflective. Lovely
Finally, he said it out loud. What he’d always held back. It had been in his heart, on the tip of his tongue once, but never spoken. Until now. It spilled out, moist on his cheeks. Words fighting their way past sobbing tear-stained emotions, pent up for a lifetime. The dam broke, feelings no longer held back, conventions breached, honesty flooding out. Is it too late? Lads don’t say these things to lads, do they? Not where they came from. But now, at his graveside. It’s never too late. The words catch in his tightened chest. I bloody love you.
That was beautiful!
That is so kind, thank you. Like a lot of my writing it was there before I knew where it was coming from or where it was heading. That's a lovely encouragement to write more.
Yes most of our stories have their own mind and journey, don’t they. It’s almost like we’re just the conduit.
This Stephen King quote covers it quite well:
"I often have an idea of what the outcome may be, but I have never demanded of a set of characters that they do things my way. On the contrary, I want them to do things their way. In some instances, the outcome is what I visualized. In most, however, it’s something I never expected. For a suspense novelist, this is a great thing. I am, after all, not just the novel’s creator but its first reader."
I think I read it in his book on writing. He’s the master! Thanks for sharing.
That's exactly where it is from. I loaned my copy out and it is not long back. Time for a re-read!
If only he'd said that before! 😢
That's so much what I was hoping to convey, Debs