Hello everyone and a warm welcome to Parts 1) and 2) of the entries for my weekly: “Fiction in A Flash Challenge 2021. Week #38.
Today I’m featuring contributions from entry 1)By John Howell and Entry 2) My own contribution.
Last week I set the following Challenge:
Hello everyone and welcome to my new “Fiction in A Flash Challenge!” Each week I’ll be featuring an image and inviting you to write a Flash Fiction or Non-Fiction piece inspired by that image in any format and genre of your choosing. Maximum word count: 750 words.
Here is the image prompt.
This one-line contribution by John Howell.
“Big shot TV tuna or no, you can’t do this, Charlie.”
John Howell can be reached here …
Visit at Amazon.https://www.amazon.com/author/johnwhowell
Author Blog Fiction Favorites:
Here is my own contribution.
SYNCHRONICITY.
Jeremy secured the beach canopy, then hurriedly spread out the blanket on the golden sand. Cathy carried four-year-old Matthew across and sat him down, ensuring he was comfortable before seating herself alongside her husband.
Jeremy reached across and patted her hand, “Don’t get your hopes up, honey. We’ve been through so many ways to try and communicate with Matt, and it shreds us to pieces every time we’ve failed. I can’t bear too many more of these disappointments. I mean we’re the only ones here and the dolphins apparently haven’t been sighted for days.”
Cathy squeezed his hand in acknowledgement, “Oh, God, babe, I understand, truly I do. But don’t you see … I can’t bear the thought of missing one single possibility to reach him on some level.” She looked at their child as she spoke. Matthew sat as always with his arms wrapped tightly together in front of him, and he rocked backwards and forwards to a beat of some kind that only he could hear. “Let’s look at the positives, at the very least we get to spend a day by the ocean, and we haven’t done that in such a long time.”
Her husband smiled at her with love. “Ah, there’s my dreamer. Who knows, I may even build a sand-castle after lunch.”
Cathy just nodded in gratitude. Trying hard not to warp herself in her own sadness grew increasingly more difficult as the years passed. She’d never heard her son laugh, nor felt the touch of her child’s loving hand on her face. There was no answering smile in response to her own. The only sound Matthew made was a high-pitched squeal that couldn’t be deciphered by any of the specialists they’d been to. Their precious child lived in a world of total isolation and her heart ached for him. He could hear them, but couldn’t respond to any of their efforts. It must be so terrifying to feel so alone. Her little boy could walk, but, seemed to do so without a destination in mind.
As she watched on Matthew grew agitated, the rocking increased and then sped up. Matthew stood and began pacing in measured steps left to right. His fingers clenched around his upper arms and his focus was directed out over the ocean, toward something only he could see.
Jeremy clutched her arm and pointed, “There. I saw a dolphin, I’m sure of it!”
Matthew’s pacing grew slower, and without turning away from the ocean he took a step forward.
A dolphin surfaced nearby, and Matthew took another step forward, and then stopped. He appeared to be waiting for something.
Jeremy and Cathy stood just behind him, unable to speak. They watched on as he began walking again, with a very clear destination in mind. They followed quietly not daring to make a sound.
Matthew reached the gentle waves lapping at the shore and his parents watched as the dolphin moved slowly towards him in the shallow water. It stopped within arms- length of the child.
They watched as Matthew opened his arms and allowed his left hand to trail in the water, moving it gently like a frond of seaweed caught in the current with his child’s fingers extended downward.
Matthew began to squeal, but this was different. Cathy could barely breathe as she witnessed the dolphin roll over and offer its underbelly to be touched. The little boy responded, and his chubby fingers began to stroke the beautiful mammal.
The dolphin surfaced and Matthew touched its flank softly. Matthew’s parents watched on and witnessed the first smile they had ever seen on their son’s face.
The sound that now came from their boy would live in their memories forever, it was a squeal of pure childish delight that erupted into laughter.
Matthew then stood still and took one step backward, as the dolphin gave a nod towards him and arched itself back into the deeper water. The youngster stood there utterly focused until the mammal disappeared from view.
He turned then, and moved back towards his parents.
Jeremy and Cathy couldn’t speak. They weren’t sure what they had witnessed. Matthew resumed his place under the canopy. He still rocked back and forward, but his arms were no longer wrapped around him and his fingers were unclenched. It was as if he’d finally been helped to understand that nothing here would ever deliberately harm him.
Jeremy built a sandcastle after lunch. His wife smiled her approval, and his son sat rocking peacefully and watching every move his father made.
His mother found him a seashell, she placed it to her ear and smiled at the sound of the ocean. Matthew didn’t flinch as she placed it to his ear, and a joyous smile lit his precious face as he recognized the sound of the ocean.
He slept that night with the seashell held in his hand.
~~~~~~~~~~~
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A lovely take on the prompt, Soooz, and heart-warming. 🙂
John, great one-liner! 🙂
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Thanks so much, Harmony. ❤
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Thanks, Harmony. My goofy one-liner looked out of place with Soooz’s beautiful story.
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I loved your goofy one-liner, John. Your humor always adds to the readers pleasure. 😊
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Thank you, Soooz.
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I love your goofy one-liners, John! 😁
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Thank you, Harmony. 😁
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Love the one-liner, John! Lol! That brought tears to my eyes, Soooz! It’s heartbreaking to know there are parents who live with children trapped in their own minds. Your story honored them well. 🙂
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You are so right, Yvette. Soooz’s story was heartwarming.
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That means so much to me, Yvette. My eight-year-old grandson is a special needs child. Thanks to the unrelentingly fierce love of his mother (my daughter) he is making remarkable progress. I am blessed to share my life with them. ❤
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The story felt personal, like you truly knew the lives of each character. I teach students with disabilities, and I’ve had a few kids on the autism spectrum as well as most other disabilities at some point in my career. Each of them are beautiful souls. It just takes a lot to find the right way to reach them. Kudos to your daughter for her unconditional love for her son. 🙂
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❤
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It’s always a treat to see what you’ll do with the prompt, John. And Soooz, your beautiful story was hopeful and promising. Great start to the week.
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I agree, Linda. Soooz’s story was one of a kind.
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Thanks so much, Linda! I’m glad my story touched you. And John’s one-liners are great fun. Enjoy your weekend, my friend. ❤
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Such a poignant story, Soooz. That was beautiful.
And, John, thanks for the fun memories of Charlie the Tuna. Loved your one-liner!
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Thanks, Mae. Soooz’s story was very touching.
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I’m so glad it touched you, Mae. And John’s one-liner was great fun as always. Thanks for stopping by, my friend. ❤
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What a beautiful story, Soooz. I feel for all those who have such a challenge. Your story of hope was like a light in the darkness and an inspiration.
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That means a great deal to me, John. As you know I live with my daughter (Also my carer) and my darling eight-year-old grandson. My grandson is a special needs child and I’ve seen the remarkable lengths my daughter has gone to to give him the best possible life he can live. He has made such outstanding progress and I’m blessed to have them in my life. This story was very close to the heart.🤗
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I could tell, Soooz. Bless you all.
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🤗 Thank you.
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Reblogged this on Jacquie Biggar-USA Today Best-selling author and commented:
A stunningly beautiful story from Suzanne Burke on Fiction in a Flash.
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How very kind you are, Jacquie! Thanks so much for reblogging my story. I live with my daughter and my darling eight-year-old grandson. He is a special needs child, and I’ve watched on with great pride as my daughter enriches his world every day. He is making such remarkable progress. I am blessed to have them in my life. Thanks again for sharing this. ❤
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What stood out to me, is the almost telepathic connection between animal and child. This story highlights the importance of them in our lives. Beautiful, Soooz ❤
Thanks for the laughs, John. You brighten my day 🙂
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My dear little eight year old grandson is a special needs child, his empathy with animals is truly remarkable, watching him interact so freely with them is a joy to see. I’m so pleased my story touched you, Jacquie. 🤗
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Oh Soooz, your story brought tears to my eyes. So lovely, tender, hope-filled. Thank you for sharing your family’s personal experience as well. 💗 And John, as always, I enjoyed your one-liner. Bravo to each of you.✨🎉✨
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Thanks so much, Gwen. ❤I’m so pleased that you were touched by my story, and John’s one-liners always add to the enjoyment of the challenge.
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I loved the setting which was perfect the unexpected sweet interactions. Nice review! I feel a sort of healing coming and I may be wrong.💓🍂🍂🍂🍮🍮🍮
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Thanks so much for stopping by. I’m so pleased you enjoyed the story. 😊
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Lovely story. dolphins are so intelligent and like many animals, can have a special connection with humans when we treat them well and with the respect they deserve.
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Thanks, Kirsten.
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Another great one-liner, John. 🙂 Soooz, your story carries a bit of realism and truth to it. Many parents of children with autism have witnessed such breath-throughs. What a beautiful scene you painted!
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My grandson is autistic and I’ve watched the joy on my daughter’s face every time he conquers a new obstacle. I’m so pleased you enjoyed the story. ❤
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I loved your one-liner, John:) I always loved those tuna commercials.
Wow, Soooz! Your story took my breath away and awakened all my emotions Such a lovely moment between the boy and the dolphin that understood him.
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Thanks, Denise. I’m always awed in the presence of dolphins in the wild. They are such an intelligent and joyous species. I’ve heard so many accounts now about the empathy between dolphins and special needs children, It uplifts me just thinking about it. ❤
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