An old cardboard box lay in her lap. Its bright cigar labels faded and torn, the once pungent aroma of tobacco but a faint afterthought.
Nestled inside, among pressed flowers and torn movie stubs, rests two letters bearing stamps from an exotic country she would never visit.
Brushing her fingertips across his child-like script, her hand trembled as she lifted his letter from the box. Beneath, a second addressed in stoic block type. One declaring his love, the other mourning his death.
She had to be satisfied with the first, because she still couldn’t bear to read the second.
The 100 Word Challenge, a writing prompt created by Velvet Verbosity, takes a single theme to tell a story in only 100 words ~ no more, no less. This week’s theme is ‘Satisfied.’
Thin spiral notebook 
Very touching, poignant piece. You really captured the moment with a simple piece. Powerful. Thank you .
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This is a wonderful, poignant piece…and I imagine could well be true.
Consider losing “mourning” …I know letters home validate a soldier’s life (inferring) and do mourn his passing, but it might stretch the contrast between the two letters a little further if it was left out.
As always, the power of the piece is in all the words, not just one. Robin
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With the word ‘mourning,’ I was trying to differentiate between the first, a handwritten love letter from him and the second letter, an official typed notification of his death from his military unit.
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For me, that was really well done with the change in font on the envelope. Mourning reintroduced a personal tone…like I said before, this one word doesn’t make or break this piece, only a thought for you, Robin
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I appreciate the input, I’m just not sure what would work better… ‘announcing’ or maybe ‘detailing?’ I can see how making it more impersonal would be more effective.
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or One declaring his love, the other his death.
I hate writing someone else’s stories, just wanted to show you that “declaring” his death could also work. We make declarations when we want to be very formal or committed. Thank you for continuing this conversation…I didn’t realize how beautiful a “declaration of love” was until I analyzed the word declaring…
Robin
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I’d need to replace ‘mourning’ rather than delete it, or risk failing the 100 Word requirement. ‘Declaring’ would work for both, and could tie them together further.
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Well-penned. There’s an entire story contained in these few lines. Great presentation.
http://writer-in-transit.co.za/substance-dream/
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gorgeous. You say so much in such a little space with these challenges. I LOVE the photo (when don’t I?).
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Ugh…the ending just rips your heart out!
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I really enjoyed this. It left me wanting more.
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I loved this so much- I want to know more about them, about their love story, about what they did together. You left me wanting so much more!
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Lovely story, and so well told. You are a good writer, Tara.
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This makes me want to know more about their relationship and is a touch sad. Very well written.
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Loved how you laid out the last 2 sentences. It magnified the emotional impact. Liked the pacing a lot. Very well written.
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