The room, out of the wind and weather, was better than sleeping outside. The donkeys and sheep crowded around, adding the warmth of their bodies to the small family. A rich perfume of animal musk hung in the air. Dressed in crude, homespun clothing, the mother wrapped her newborn in her shawl, laying him in … Continue reading Away in a manger
Category: 100 Word Challenge
My words
In looking back over my last few weeks of posts, the majority of them seem, well, kinda dark. Especially over the past several months, I have been focusing more on my fiction writing. I've been active in some writing groups and using those weekly prompts to act as my muse. I don't think it's necessarily … Continue reading My words
My own jailer
Knowing our volatile history it was an understandable question. A simple statement of a few short words. Yet, it was that one word that caught me off guard, instead of “leave,” or “runaway,” which would imply I have power over my fate. That it’s simply a matter of walking out. By its mere definition - … Continue reading My own jailer
Lucky crane
She was a waitress at one of the city’s most popular eateries. A few times a week he would dine there, asking to sit in her section. They’d pretend they weren’t a couple. He’d flirt, she’d flirt back. She would see that he got extra big helpings of food, he would leave her outlandish tips. … Continue reading Lucky crane
Snow globes
My winters mean long-sleeved tees, closed-toe shoes, and long walks across powder of purest white. Here, snow is created from tiny crystals of Appalachian quartz, washed ashore for millennia. There are drifts piled high against fence rows and along roadsides, but my snow never melts. There are no huge flakes sticking to my clothes and … Continue reading Snow globes
Red door
Every day I had a hundred dialogues going on in my head. They quietly spilt from my mouth as I played out scenes in my kitchen over a sink filled with soapy water and dirty dishes. Neighbors whispered about the walker who talked to herself, gesturing with her hands while making a point to her … Continue reading Red door
Thin spiral notebook 