Update: The results are in!
Flash! Friday Vol 2-22: Winners
Have a gander at a few of the tales at the authors’ blogs. You can thank me later. 😉
– Jess
Dragon Winner!!!
Craig Anderson (Today’s Chapter)
The Hard Way
Second Runner Up:
Tinman
Too Young
An Honorable Mention:
Scott Vanatter
Crisis of 1885
A Special Mention:
A Dark Moon in Orbit
The Turning
See Also:
Nurture
by sjp
This photo prompt comes from Rebekah Postupak’s Flash!Friday competition, along with the dragon’s bidding, Coming of Age. As I’m judging this quarter, and for this week’s competition, my entry is ineligible. After researching Grimm fairy tales earlier today, this prompt struck a chord and I just couldn’t resist.
*** Judges Entry, just for fun!***
Coming of Age
(Ode to The Killing of Old Men)
by Jessica West (@West1Jess)
Ma waited until Brother John left to take Pa to the cliffs, held her grief inside until he couldn’t see her tears or hear her cries. We’d always known this day would come.
“There comes a time in every man’s life when he’s no longer a useful member of society. We’re civilized,” the politicians said. “We won’t watch our elders die a slow, agonizing death. We’ll send them to Heaven on the wings of sweet surrender, with their pride.”
Even at thirteen years old I knew that was a fancy way of sayin’, “Let’s just push the old folks off a cliff.”
Later that night, when John returned, eyes red and puffy, I let go and shed my share of tears. I’d hoped he couldn’t do it. Ma stroked my hair as I wept into her skirts like a child. After that night, though, I was a child no more. I came of age the same time my Pa did.
West1Jess 