Our Mantra
The next photo is the PROMPT. Remember, all photos are property of the photographer, donated for use in Friday Fictioneers only. They shouldn’t be used for any other purpose without express permission. It is proper etiquette to give the contributor credit.
PHOTO PROMPT © Sandra Crook
Please be considerate and keep your stories to 100 words. Thank you.
This is a scene from AS ONE MUST, ONE CAN, the third in my Havah Cohen Gitterman trilogy. By the third book, the characters have survived the hardships of Eastern European persecution. Many of them are dealing with what we know today as PTSD. This scene takes place in 1907 when little was known, much less addressed.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Word Count: 100
AMNESIA
“All these years the only thing I remembered was her suicide. I’ve hated her for it,” Shayndel shuddered. “How could I forget why?”
“You were only five,” whispered Fruma Ya’el. “It’s understandable—”
Shayndel buried her head in her hands. “‘Jew bitch,’ they called her. ‘Get help!’ she begged me. But I couldn’t move. I—I watched as they—”
Protracted memories riddled Shayndel. “Bayla never spoke again—until the morning she…she climbed the tree in the yard to the highest branch. Naked. Great with child. She spread her arms, smiled at me and said,” Shayndel choked, “‘Goodbye, little sister.’”
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple 
Dear Rochelle
This scene is choked with emotion. I feel fear and grief, hatred and guilt, and an overriding sense of loss, and yet, Fruma Ya’el’s compassion is so evident, as evident as the hope she breaths.
Shalom
Kelvin
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Kelvin,
As you probably have already figured out, as Havah is the backbone, Fruma Ya’el is the heart of the family. Thank you for such a lovely comment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
And Havah is the spiritual side of the family. A real spiritual light. But no moe spoilers on my imminent review…
Shalom, Rochelle, shalom.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like that word imminent. 😉 And yes, she is the spiritual side as well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sorry it’s taking and taken so long, Rochelle, but things here have been so hectic. 🙄
LikeLike
And as if by magic, a magical wave of the fairy blog mother’s wand…
LikeLiked by 1 person
This was certainly worth the wait, Kelvin. No complaints. I’ve reblogged it as well. Thank you so very much.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
A powerful and emotion-filled scene, Rochelle. Good writing as always. —- Suzanne
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Suzanne. I”m glad you enjoyed and took the time to say so. 🙂
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
O Rochelle – this is heart breaking.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Sheena,
Those buried memories that come back to haunt us often are heartbreaking. Thank you for reading and taking the time to leave a comment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Heartbreaking, Rochelle.
I admire how you wrote it.
Regards,
Moon
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Moon,
Thank you for such a sweet comment/compliment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
This is a really powerful piece of writing,
LikeLiked by 1 person
Many thanks, Michael. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
The story will be burned into my memory. The art work is amazing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Linda,
Your comment is affirming. I wasn’t quite sure how this snippet of a much larger scene would work as a flash fiction. Thank you. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
How poignant. Such a resonating take. Well done.
xx Rowena
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Rowena. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Heartbreakingly vivid scene, Rochelle. The characters are fully realized even in this brief encounter. Well done.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Josh,
I did worry about boiling this scene down to a flash. I’m happy to know the characters were believable. Thank you for taking the time to read and comment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Such a intense and sad scene. Heartbreaking.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Many thanks, Trent. 🙂
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Gertrude Vanderbilt W(T)F
A chilling scene here. I read it three times. What horrible events to witness, to experience. Outstanding writing as usual. It makes the reader want to give the characters a big hug.
Gomer Pyle, PFC
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Gomer Pyle, PFC,
What a sweet comment. I’ve no smart alec comebacks. I’ll simply say, thank you.
Shalom,
Gertrude Vanderbilt W(T)F
LikeLiked by 1 person
Heart-rending and stomach-churning description of the physical and emotional destruction we inflict on each other.
Chapeau!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear C,E.
Amazing how a person’s existence can be altered in one horrible moment. Thank you for your kind comment.
Curtsy!
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
You have drawn some very raw, disturbing and evocative images that will stay with me for a very long time. Kudos!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Dahlia,
Your comment leaves me speechless. It’s the kind I think every author hopes for. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
As always, dense with meaning and emotion, Rochelle. Well done.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Many thanks for a wonderful comment, James.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
This was a touching scene from your novel, and gives us a glimpse of the pain man’s atrocities to man can cause. Great imagery here, but then so are all the scenes from your trilogy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Senseless acts of violence are being committed every day, aren’t they? I suspect the boys who raped Bayla because she was a Jew would’ve found another ‘reason’ if she hadn’t been. Thanks, m’luv.
LikeLike
You packed so much in those few words Rochelle. A sorry tale indeed.
Click to read my FriFic!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Keith,
It was a difficult story to write, but a necessary one. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Packed with content and the emotional kick of a mule. Well done, Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Neil,
Thanks for such a kickingly good comment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
What a tragic event… and how much it will affect you later in life if you are there… I almost feel that PTSD can become hereditary
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Björn,
I don’t know about PTSD being hereditary. Hm. I’m sure there’s more of it than we know and back in 1907 when this story takes place, there was no term for it. I’ve no doubt it happened, though. Thanks for commenting.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
A traumatic, intense story. Sadly, a hundred years later, the news is filled with modern day monsters committing similar crimes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Iain,
I fear that as long as there are people, there will be monsters committing similar crimes. 😦 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh that’s a powerful and tragic story. Beautifully written.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Many thanks, Claire. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is perhaps one of the most powerfully graphic scenes in all three of the books. So well done.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Sandra,
The irony of this scene is that it almost didn’t make it into the books at all. Originally I’d put it in PSKFM but it didn’t do anything to pulse the story forward. Lo and behold, it fit like the proverbial glove in AOMOC. The lesson learned is that one never throws anything away. Keep it filed and it might just resurface. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
this is heartbreaking Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mission accomplished. Thank you, Akshata.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great imagery here, Rochelle, but not of the good kind. This was disturbing and hits the mark perfectly. A powerful piece of writing. Cheers, Varad
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Varad,
This was meant to be disturbing. Glad it hit the mark. Thank you for your generous comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
How horrific! An unexpected/unwanted pregnancy I’m guessing? Too often, social stigmas have pressed women into such a reaction. The story is very powerful and heartwrenching, Rochelle.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Eric,
Of course the 100 word limit is restricting, Not only is the pregnancy unwanted, Bayla was only fourteen. But more than conception, the trauma of the violent rape, sent the poor girl over the edge. 😦 Thank you for your comments and compliments in any event.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
I see it now. How awful! One can only hope her attackers met a grisly ending.
LikeLike
You paint a very vivid scene of violation and its consequences. You’ve written that very well, Rochelle.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Many thanks for a wonderful compliment, Penny.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
It shouldn’t be possible to describe such ugliness in so beautiful a way, but you’ve done it Rochelle.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for such a wonderful comment, JS. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
You’re very, very welcome Rochelle.
LikeLike
Oh how I remember that scene!
LikeLiked by 1 person
😀 Glad you do, Dawn. Thank you for reading and reviewing my trilogy.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
A horrific graphic scene that brings to fore our worst character traits. An outstandingly wonderful writing, but then that’s something that we have come to expect of you, dear Rochelle.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Neel,
Terrible things have been done in the name of race and religion, haven’t there? Some scenes are tougher to write than others. Thank you for your wonderful comment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
So sad, full of emotion.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Ali.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well weaved as always!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you very much, Peter. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Sad, a woman who commits suicide while pregnant is in a very dark place.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Liz,
This poor ‘woman’ is a fourteen year old child. She never recovered from the trauma. A dark place indeed. Thank you for reading and commenting.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
I can’t imagine what was going through your character’s mind as she climbed up to that tree. I see it as a statement, surely – pregnant, naked, she was sending a message to the world, of course about the pain she was going through, the desperation that drives a person to put aside the love of their own life, the life of their unborn child and do such a thing. That’s an image that will haunt me, Rochelle. So movingly written
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Lynn,
I can only imagine what is going through her head. But being only a child herself, I believe her only thought is to make the pain of what’s been done to her stop. Not only that, she wants to kill this ‘thing’ that is a product of her perpetrators. Thank you for your wonderful comment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
My pleasure, but what a horrific – and all too real – scene. Haunting, Rochelle
LikeLike
A highly emotional read this week. I can surely see Bayla’s pain turned inward in this. My heart goes out to Shayndel, too. Witnessing a suicide is such a – a- It is difficult and something you never forget.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Jelli,
It still amazes me what the traumatized mind can block out, having done so myself. Being only five, Shayndel was able to block out more than she bargained for. Thank you for your wonderful comment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is amazing what the mind can block… and oh, the pain, when it decides you can remember it. Really feel for Shayndel. Hubby is presently cobbling me together some kind of computer so I can do NANO. I forgot and used my laptop to register and dwnld Scrivener and within the hour my laptop started tanking. Now, it’s dead to the point of not even powering up.
Shalom~Jelli.
LikeLike
Before I read your fiction, I wrote mine. And I’m finding the similarities eerie! I posted a scene from my novel WIP, too. Two characters who are also sisters.
Your scene is so heart wrenching. Shayndel seems to have witnessed possibly her older sister’s rape and subsequent suicide. While with child.
And they didn’t know how to deal with PTSD let alone diagnose it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Fatima,
Alas, our subjects and stories are universal. They’re learning more and more about childhood PTSD, but during the time my story takes place they didn’t. 😦 Thank you for your affirming comment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Your excellently written story really touches my heart. I once watched my dad, in a fury, beat a dog mercilessly. You block it, but you never forget —and them memory always comes with pain and tears. I think it’s harder to watch suffering than it is to experience it yourself.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Christine,
I base a bit of Shayndel on some of my own experience. In my thirties I started having flashbacks and thought I was losing my mind. Those things couldn’t have happened, right? Thank you for your affirming comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
I hope you were able to get a handle on the past experiences. As I mentioned in one post, I needed some specific revelations to help me understand and come to terms with some memories.
Looking back a person thinks, “That was horrible! How could people be that way?” But they so much lacked a better example. Society’s attitude toward family violence has changed so much over the years. Our parents saw and experienced a so much rougher world than we. And no one ever said, “This is wrong. You shouldn’t be doing this.”
(No one but their conscience — and guilt is never an easy companion. My Dad was often up in the night, couldn’t sleep.)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Christine,
For the most part, I’ve worked through the flashbacks, buried memories and depression. I was blessed with a wonderful support system, people who had the wisdom to pray for me and cry with me. There were those, however, who judged. Accused me of vying for attention or those who told me to “snap out of it.”
In retrospect, I think my father might have suffered from PTSD. What did we know then?
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Wow! What a wrencher…anyone with a slow heart just didn’t read it properly.
Scott
Mine: https://kindredspirit23.wordpress.com/2017/10/19/from-tree-to-shining-tree-friday-fictioneers/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Scott,
Wow is always an acceptable comment.;) Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLike
Oh so well written. Thanks for this snippet of your novel. Lovely as always.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Lish,
This is actually a snippet I’d written for the first novel, but it didn’t quite work there. Funny how it fit the third. You never know. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
What a gut-punch of a story! So horrible, what people can do to each other, and how difficult it can be to live past that sometimes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Joy,
The fact is that, according to Halakhah, Jewish law, if the mother is Jewish the child is Jewish. This was instituted because of the number of rapes. It is horrible what people are capable of. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh wow, I had never heard that that was the origin of the maternal descent custom. That’s so awful!
LikeLike
i liked the way you built this story. it flowed very smoothly from beginning to end. well done.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Many thanks for a lovely compliment, Plaridel. Enjoy Bucharest!
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
How horrid! And sad. It is a shame what we do to each other.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Connie,
There’s so much ugliness out there. 😦 At any rate, thank you for reading and commenting.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Oh Rochelle
This scene and the following memory is so awful. Thar poor woman. And for a child to witness. And yet to gentleness between the two discussing it. A feeling of love.
Well told.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for such a wonderfully affirming comment, Laurie.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
That’s one way to create a haunted tree. I feel for the big sister.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Alice,
The sister was indeed haunted. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
wrenching story!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Sascha,
I’m not sure thank you is the right response…but thank you. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a traumatic thing for a child to witness. This was a very powerful story that leaves you with a kick to the guts.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Subroto,
Some things can’t be unseen, can they? Blocked out for a time perhaps… 😦 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Heart wrenching. Such powerful writing Rochelle, as always.
Cheerio!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Many thanks, Natasha.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Horrific, very disturbing tale.You write so beautifully goes straight to the heart. Shalom.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Indira,
Thank you for such a lovely comment on my admittedly horrific story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
So dark, but as usual, very well told in so few words.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Many thanks, TRG. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
In this short scene, you’ve endeared us to both of these characters. A poignant portrayal of the resurfacing of traumatic memories.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Magarisa,
An author can’t ask for a better review. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is horrible! But so is life, sometimes. That’s why we have to write, and you’ve done that beautifully. ☺
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Thom,
Although my story is a work of fiction, the fact remains that these kinds of things happen in reality too often. Indeed. It is why we write. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike