Summer is the time for vacations, picnics on the beach and reruns on the telly. I’m happy to announce that I made my July deadline for my third novel in my series entitled AS ONE MUST ONE CAN. I’m waiting to hear back from my agent. Many thanks to those of you who responded to my plea for your favorite reruns. Look for new prompts the beginning of September as I’ve received quite a few new ones this summer. 
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Our Mantra:
The following photo is the PROMPT. This week’s retread request is from C.E.Ayr 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.
PHOTO PROMPT © Janet Webb
This story and prompt were originally posted the week of 19 April 2013.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Word Count: 100
SUFFER THE LITTLE CHILDREN
When little more than a babe, I happened upon a nest of hornets in the churchyard. After a sennight of swelling, fever and Mother’s prayers, I was recovered.
“This child’s destiny from Almighty God is fraught with purpose,” cried Elder Martin.
As I grew to womanhood, nothing more was said of my destiny.
A fortnight ago I strolled with Elizabeth Martin and tripped upon another hornet’s nest. She perished from their relentless stings. Only a tiny welt arose upon my hand.
Red-hot flames sear my ankles. I scream and plead for mercy whilst Elder Martin shouts.
“Witch! Behold thy destiny!”
—————-
*Sennight-Old English word for a space of seven nights and days.
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/brief-salem.html
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple 
Ooh, chilling stuff, Rochelle. Tragic that so many (mainly women) were falsely accused of witch craft. In an age where just being different or alone, elderly or eccentric could condemn you, along with people’s own fear and ignorance. Tragic times. A really good story, and sadly believable. Love the word sennight, too 🙂
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Dear Lynn,
Very dark time in history. I actually learned the word senninght from my favorite historical fiction author Geraldine Brooks. She’s a master at ancient speech patterns.
Thank you re my story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Very dark indeed, though I never fail to be fascinated by it. What people believed, the different ways people viewed the world, spirits in every river and tree, the Devil ready to take you at any moment. People lived with terror and the supernatural on a daily basis, much more so than we do now. Great story and I’ll look out for that author too 🙂
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Pow!
Fear of difference, of the uncomprehended, leads us to acts of unimaginable cruelty.
Superbly crafted, m’lady.
And we still use fortnight for two weeks.
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Dear CE,
You’d think after two centuries we’d have moved beyond the fear of difference, wouldn’t you? And nice to know that some words survive. Fortnight is a good word.
Thank you for your encouraging words, kind sir.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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This is a stellar piece of writing, Rochelle. The tragedy of bigotry captured in 100 words!
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Dear Neil,
Thank you for such a rich comment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Alas… such tragedy when we cannot understand that bad things happen without a real reason… finding someone to blame isn’t that the main purpose of leaderships today and in the past… Love the way you used the word destiny.
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Dear Björn,
The need to cast blame seems to be ingrained in human nature, doesn’t it? I had a manager at my last job who probably would’ve burned suspected witches at the stake. He had a propensity for looking for someone to blame if he had to deal with an angry customer. So glad to be out of there. 😉
Thank you for your kind words regarding my story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Chilly with a burn. I’m glad you explained Sennight .. I was about to look it up 🙂
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Dear Graham,
I love the language, ie certain words, can put a person in the location or time frame. Glad you liked.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A sad state when immunity gives way to witchcraft. Good story Rochelle. I remember this image. It was one of my Raynard ones.
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Dear Al,
If you can’t explain it, burn it. Thank you for your kind words.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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So true. You’re welcome 🙂
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Oh, ouch. That was a cruel twist of destiny indeed.
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Dear Jelli,
There’s destiny and then there’s destiny. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I really liked this one. The language is so right, the historical reference so true, and the scientific background so believable. Very well done, Rochelle.
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Dear Sandra,
Your words make me smile. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Great tale Rochelle, and the last two lines are a great twist.
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Many thanks, Iain. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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This was a sad time in our history when lives hung in balance due to someone’s, often a child’s, interpretation of righteousness. So glad that period is over. Oh, wait……..
Well crafted m’luv.
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Enjoyed this one, thanks!
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Thank you for stopping by, Paul. Always great to see you. 😀 I certainly enjoyed your story. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Brilliant stuff Rochelle!
Loved it.
I hate the way he suddenly switched, a clear show of personal bias rather than any divine direction.
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Dear Chioma,
And aren’t there people like that today? 😦 Thank you for your lovely comment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Indeed there are.
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Blame the witch, blame the heretics, blame the Jews, blame the Muslims, blame the EU, blame the Germans, blame Obama, blame… what, myself? Never! Great tale with a bite, Rochelle. I love the word sennight, too.
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Dear Gabriele,
As Buffy Sainte-Marie wrote in Little Wheel Spin and Spin: Blame the angels, blame the Fates, blame the Jews or your sister Kate. Teach your children who to hate…”
Thank you for your comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Chilling – her good fortune at having been somewhat immunised (I suppose) to hornet stings as a child led to her downfall at the hands of suspicious folk.
And yet again here’s me prematurely Googling a word when you had the explanation at the end of the story 🙂
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Dear Ali,
There did seem to be a lot of “we don’t understand it so let’s kill it” going on then. Thank you for your comments. 😀 Always appreciated.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Chillingly good 🙂
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Thank you, Helen. 😀
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Dear Ones, after reading my post for this, I realized my wording was less than clear for what I wanted to convey. Sooo, I did an edit this morning that appears below the original write. Don’t know how to remove linky to amend that with a new linky. So, it is what it is. It’s now about 125 words.
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Dear Jelli,
The second rendition is clearer, mainly because of the last line. As you can see you didn’t have to do anything with the link. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Some people are still killing without due cause, simply because they believe in THEIR cause. Well crafted story.
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Dear Liz,
Alas the disease rages merrily along, doesn’t it? Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Oh no… so creepy and well told. History and women do not go well together. Sadly this occured all too often. And still does, with acid and stones. Here you paint a picture of survival only to be destroyed by a body’s immunity and mistrust of others.
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Dear Laurie,
Not one of history’s finer moments. I don’t understand why women are treated so. It doesn’t make sense to me. But then, I’m a woman. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Agreed, and same… I just don’t get it
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Ah yes, the age of unreason where science could have saved many.
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Dear Audrey,
Age of unreason indeed. Thank you for stopping by.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Greetings, Rochelle!
Glad to hear you made your deadline. My WIP heads off to the editor this week!
A tragic and bewitching story. There are many ages in our history as a species when it was dangerous and terrible to be a woman. It makes me wonder what those hundreds of years from now will say about being a woman in our day and age…
Happy trails!
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Dear Sara,
I’ll think hopeful thoughts for you. It’s always good to have a fresh pair of eyes to scan your work.
Unfortunately there are women all over the world held under the tyrannical thumb of Sharia law. I don’t understand this. Now there are other ways to burn perceived witches at the stake via YouTube etc.
Thank you for running by and leaving nice comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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what a surprising twist of fate. 😦
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Surprising and sad. Thank you, Plaridel.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I Googled sennight before I saw your explanation at the bottom! I love the English language. So sad that people do not accept difference in others. The world would be a far more peaceful place if everyone welcomed others’ idiosyncracies.
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Dear Clare,
I wonder if we’ll ever come to that place. I fear there are those who never will.
Thank you for your comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Flying Wallenda,
Welcome to Elder Martin’s new reality show, “Cooking with Witches.” It just goes to prove that one person’s miracle is another’s disaster.
May all your landings be soft and safe,
Warren
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Dear Warren,
Perhaps that should be Cooking Witches or Witches in a Stew.
Thank you for stopping by. Flying Low.
Shalom,
Flying Wallenda.
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Seems like they needed a scapegoat to vent their anger. As though she didn’t deserve to live. From the frying pan into the fire indeed!
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Dear Sabina,
Elder Martin had to blame someone for his daughter’s death.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Happens all the time. We always want to find someone to blame, someone to pay the price, someone to vent our feelings on!
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I do not like the Elder Martin, Sam-I-am.
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Dear Randy,
If you did like Elder Martin I’d question your sanity. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Sadly these views aren’t completely dead even today…this still happens in parts of Africa and even in USA there are superstitions among some that witches make human sacrifices to Satan and people blame bad things on this.
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Too true, Kevin. In many ways we haven’t made much progress. Thank you for reading and commenting.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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The way you tied this to the wasp allowed me to truly “feel” it. Amazing Rochelle. (Feel free to use that moniker 😉 )
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Thank for the comment and the moniker, Dawn. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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What terrible times women had to go through! Nicely written story Rochelle.
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Dear Ansumani,
i enjoy being a woman, but i certainly don’t understand why we’ve been so minimized by men. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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What a tragic story. That Elder Martin, and others like him, had such power over communities and individuals is horrifying. It still goes on in some corners of the world, sadly. Your story shows the injustice and ignorance powerfully, Rochelle.
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Dear Margaret,
Those were terrible times. And not all parts of the world have progressed. Sometimes I wonder if we have at all…anywhere. Thank you for taking the time to read and comment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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