Summer is the time for vacations, picnics on the beach and reruns on the telly. For me it’s a time to meet a deadline in July for my third novel in my series entitled AS ONE MUST ONE CAN. Many thanks to those of you who responded to my plea for your favorite reruns.
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The following photo is the PROMPT. This week’s retread request comes from the Far Side of Arkansas and was made by Gary Larceny-Gayer If you’re one of those who wrote a story for this prompt feel free to re-post it and enjoy the respite. Remember that all photos are private property and subject to copyright. Use other than Friday Fictioneers by permission only.
Note: Neil MacDonald passed this along to me re last week’s prompt. I found it a worthy read so I’m passing it along to whomsoever will. CLICK HERE
Genre: Literary Fiction
Word Count: 99
The original post is here.
CHILDHOOD’S END
“Tell me about your childhood.” Audrey tapped her pencil against her cheek and pierced me with her eyes.
I squirmed into a fetal position in my chair. “Bicycles, Barbies and circus clowns.”
“Why are you starving yourself to death?”
“I eat.” I counted the knots in the carpet.
“Popcorn and celery. 85 pounds and dropping. What have you buried?”
“Nothing. I remember my childhood in detail.”
“You invented it.”
To make her prying stop, I shut my eyes. In one heart-stopping moment, long dormant memories stirred and shattered my perfect life.
“The first one was my uncle,” I whispered.
Oh my…heartbreaking. 😦 You brought tears to my eyes.
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Dear Loré,
Your tears are a compliment. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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This is so tragic.. so utterly sad, I remember the story and the picture… heartbreaking and maybe just the beginning of a very long process.
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Dear Björn,
Without a lot of explanation, I’ll say it was a the beginning of a long process. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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She’s started speaking – the healing journey begins.
“whomsoever”?? Very Jane Austen.
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Dear Patrick,
A thousand mile journey starts with a single step…and in this case a single word.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I liked “what have you buried”, It evokes treasure and toxic waste dumps
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Dear Neil,
It’s amazing how the human mind can bury and deny only to have things come back at the most inopportune times.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Wow! Your words captured me until that last gut-wrenching line.
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Dear Josslyn,
Thank you for such a marvelous comment/compliment. For a writer they don’t get any better.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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You’re welcome, Rochelle! 🙂
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Oh jings, R, what a slap with a wet fish that is.
I was already squirming, but I was nowhere near the horror of that.
Beautifully constructed, and too powerful for my words,
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Dear CE,
Happy to have slapped…maybe not with a wet fish. Thank you for your very kind words. They are much appreciated.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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And all this time I thought I was the only one you slapped with wet fish.
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It is more fun to slap you, Gary. 😉
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A story that started with a question and ended with a punch. What a powerful twist at the end, Rochelle. She’s finally getting the help she needs. Let’s hope it’s in time. Great writing as always. —- Suzanne
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Dear Suzanne,
Without going into a lot detail, I can tell you she got the help she needed and is alive and doing well. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I’ve known people like this. It’s heartbreaking.
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Dear J Hardy,
I’ve been people like this. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I seem to remember this one. It was pretty devastating then as now.
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Dear Cuzzin Notnek,
Fortunately for her and for me, it’s a rerun. 😉
Shalom,
Cuzzin Shelley
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The pain of re-living those situations ….
But that’s often the only way to healing.
Great story.
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Dear Chioma,
The only way to get past that mountain is to climb it, one step at a time. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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So moving.
Visit Keith’s Ramblings
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Thank you, Keith. 😀
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Hugs to you Rochelle. Beautifully conveyed.
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Dear Louise,
Thank you for the compliment and the hugs. Both appreciated.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Breaks my heart, but it also makes me glad that she’s facing the past and now can get help. It has the emotional punch you’re so great at.
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Dear Gabriele,
She had to face the past to get on with the present and future. She did get the help she needed. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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You have to explore the past to understand the present (and future). Perhaps this is the first step on her journey to understanding. Big story here! Nice.
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Dear Caerlynn,
The baggage hangs on if we don’t face it, acknowledge it and work to lose it. And it is work.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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The powerful visual images projected in the mind in so few words always amazes me. Carry on wordsmith. Awesome.
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Oddly enough, the lines that had the most cadence for me were “Why are you starving yourself to death?” “I eat”. The defensiveness of that two word response took me back years. Very well done, Rochelle, as ever.
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Dear Sandra,
This one took me back years, too. 😉 Happy no longer to be there. I’m glad you picked up on the defensive response. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
Beautifully written and so tragic! My heart broke for the child!
Huge hugs and apologies for being behind with reading and commenting, and I’m trying my best to play catch up.
Heidi 🙂
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Dear Heidi,
It seems to be a busy time for many of us right now. I’m playing catch up myself at present.
Thank you for your kind words re my story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Sounds like the start of a long, painful but hopefully rehabilitating journey. That was an interesting take, Rochelle. Powerful as always.
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Dear Chris,
It is and it was. 😉
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Rochelle, a powerful story that speaks deeply to my heart. Tbh I’ve been reading my feed and saw a bunch of really funny stories. This one is searing. Thx for writing. Peace,
Anne
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Dear Anne,
It’s what I saw at the time. Too many true stories like this one are out there, my own included. 😉 Welcome back to FF and thank you for taking the time to read and comment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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So sad. Great story. Powerful
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Thank you, Graham.
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Oh, my word. A door has opened onto darkness just with that last sentence. Very well done, Rochelle.
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Dear Lynn,
Yes, the door opens to darkness, but at the end of that tunnel is healing. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Sometimes the way, isn’t it? Best wishes Rochelle 🙂
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Awful things happen to children – thank God mine was normal.
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Dear Liz,
I think my kids are normal…whatever that might be. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Oh, yeah, that’s a good one. 🙂
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Many thanks, Jelli. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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The last line shatterred the heart. A sad tale ,expertly told, is a very sad tale 🙂 Well done Rochelle.
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Dear Ansumani,
Thank you for your words of kindness. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Susie Sandtrap,
Those mental health professionals have a way of digging deep, don’t they? Hopefully, they can also find the root cause of your Addiction to Purple and get you started using the other crayons in the box as well.
Excellent post, as always
cartoonically yours,
Gary Larceny Gayer
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Dear Gary Larceny Gayer,
Did we ever think alike on that one? Far Side has always been a favorite of mine.
To recover from an addiction, it takes the addict being willing to taking the first step. I do not wish to recover from my purple addiction…or my coffee addiction for that matter.
Birdies and Bogies to you,
Susie Sandtrap
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Oh hell, Rochelle… This was a doozie… I just want to pick her up and hold her tight…
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Dear Dale,
Maybe one day we’ll get to meet in person and you may hug her all you like. 😉
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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That would be fabulous!
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This is where WP needs a ‘loved’ icon.
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Yes indeed!
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Tragically this illustrates a problem way too common — particularly when the abuse is done by those who should be protecting the child.
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Dear Kevin,
With caretakers like that it’s hard to know the enemy without a scorecard, isn’t it? Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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the end was numbing
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Thank you, Arora. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Tragic and chilling. A childhood lost, the consequences remain.
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Thank you, Ali. This was kind of a hard story to write. But there is (and was) light at the end of the tunnel.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Very tragic. I hope Audrey can help her sort it out…
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Dear Trent,
Audrey could and did. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
I do feel for her. Now it’s time for her to reconquer her life. I really hope the therapist can help her realize that she has the courage to do it.
Best wishes,
Helene
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Dear Helene,
I know you do feel for her and I know why. 😉 The therapist…and her name really was Audrey…was patient, affirming and validating. In fact she was very much into the Wizard of Oz and I told her once she helped this scarecrow find her brain. I think she helped the cowardly lioness find her courage as well. 😀
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Did he really do it? Or did he mean to just shock her? Make her take notice?
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He really did it, Sabina. That was the first memory she suppressed.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Superb story Rochelle, left me scratching my head how you could say so much when I managed so little. I guess that’s why you are writing and publishing books! Brilliant work 😀
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Dear James,
I’ve been at Friday Fictioneers for four years. It’s a great exercise in brevity that has helped tremendously with larger pieces. Thank you for such a lovely comment/compliment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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The most chilling word in this is “first”. It puts all the rest to shame.
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Thank you, Alice.
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with that line of questioning, audrey could work as a prosecutor or psychiatrist someday. 🙂
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Dear Plaridel,
I’ve been trying for years to find her and thank her. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Oh god, horrifying…
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Dear Laurie,
It’s hard to answer a comment like that with ‘thank you.’ I will anyway. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Very powerful and disturbing, brilliantly conveyed Rochelle
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Many thanks. Michael. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Sadly the truth for many. Poignant.
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Dear Irene,
For many and was for me. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle
How easy to hate and near-impossible to forgive, those who rob children of innocence. Such blackness of heart by the perpetrators (especially those who are in positions of trust) is so hard to comprehend. I can’t blame their victims for wanting to bury such memories, or for behaving in a self-destructive way thereafter.
This is such a powerful piece of writing and one that I sense is deeply personal to you.
All best wishes
Sarah
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Dear Sarah,
You’re a very perceptive lady. 😉 I only wish I could find Audrey to tell her how much good she did.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Rochelle, Rochelle,
Your story broke my heart.
I wanted to wrap my arms about that little girl and tell her over and over again that I love her.
And I wanted to KILL that uncle.
Of course, the eating was as minimal as possible. What possible other form of control can one have?
A stunningly told, brutally minimalist, searingly vivid, perfectly constructed piece of writing!
Peace and love,
Vijaya
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Dear Vijaya,
Your comments leave me speechless and without words to type. It was indeed control, which, unfortunately, some professionals don’t get. Stopping there with thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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❤ I loved your ability to transform pain into art.
Much love. And you're welcome.
(I haven't been able to read the book this week – been crazy busy; my daughter's activities just ended this week, and she'll be going to camp next Wednesday. Plan to catch up with everything more measuredly then.)
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I mean I *LOVE* (in the present tense) your ability to transform what was painful into art.
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Amazing how you do that in a 100 words. (99 to be precise)
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Thank you, Dawn. 😀
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Wonderful words. Easy to feel the tension and understand the meaning.
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Many thanks for the read and the comment, Will.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Such an authentic picture of the girl’s turning point – the pivotal moment where she breaks through. An arresting scene – powerful.
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Dear Margaret,
Those flashbacks are tough. But left buried they can be deadly. Thank you for reading and commenting with such nice words.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Great dialogue and a lot of weight to this story! Thanks, Rochelle!
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Dear Emily,
Less is often more.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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