Every week, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields (thank you, Rochelle!) hosts a flash fiction challenge, to write a complete story, based on a photoprompt, with a beginning, middle and end, in 100 words or less. Post it on your blog, and include the Photoprompt and Inlinkz (the blue frog) on your page. Link your story URL. Then the fun starts as you read other peoples’ stories and comment on them!
PHOTO PROMPT © J Hardy Carroll
The magic of being eight years old
Blindfolded, little Fleur approached the crudely drawn donkey to try to pin its paper tail in the right place.
She didn’t like parties. She didn’t like Jessica. And this was Jessica’s birthday party. Fleur wished with all her might that she wasn’t here, playing this stupid game.
She reached up to touch the paper donkey, and instead touched – hair. She stroked it. It was warm, and soft, a living creature. She could smell it, hear its hooves as it fidgeted. It was big, bigger than she could stretch.
Fleur snatched off her blindfold and saw, gleaming silver – a unicorn!
Maybe that could make her feel at least a little bit better
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Larry
Thank you for reading and commenting. I’m sure she would have been very excited!
With best wishes
Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
Magical! Just as well she didn’t try to pin the tail on
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Neil
Thank you for reading and for your kind comment. I’m glad you thought the story was magical!
With very best wishes
Penny
LikeLike
Love it, love it. The power of wishes. Wait and see what she’ll be able to do in ten years time.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Patrick
Thank you for reading and commenting so kindly. I’m not completely certain that one could imagine a unicorn into existence, but there’s no doubt that wishes and belief – when coupled with hard work – can achieve miracles!
With very best wishes
Penny
LikeLike
Wow. Now that’s a birthday party she can enjoy 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Iain
Thank you for reading and commenting. Yes, the unicorn would have made all the difference to the party!
With very best wishes
Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah, lovely unexpected ending! Nicely done.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Susan
Thank you for reading and for your kind comment. I’m glad you found the ending unexpected.
With very best wishes
Penny
LikeLike
Awww! Well, good for her for playing along AND getting her unicorn … 🙂 Jessica can eat cake.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Na’ama
Thank you for reading and for your kind comments. I love “Jessica can eat cake”! When I saw the prompt, all I could think of was unicorns…very odd!
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
Well, Donkeys may be undercover unicorns. …
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good, noe Fleur’s mood will be elevated somewhat. Attention may also shift from the birthday girl to Fleur.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Abhijit
Thank you for reading and commenting. Yes, the unicorn should work magic on Fleur’s mood!
With very best wishes
Penny
LikeLike
Jessica’s party just became worth attending. Did she get into the adult drink?
Loved the character.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Tannille
Thank you for reading and commenting. I’m so glad you liked Jessica’s character. As to whether she sampled some of the adults’ drink – hmm, who knows?!
With very best wishes
Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sweet little Fleur. At least she managed to make the most of it in her magical way.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Fatima
Thank you for reading and commenting. I’m glad you liked Fleur. It’s wonderful what magic we can make with our imagination, isn’t it?
With very best wishes
Penny
LikeLike
Dear Penny,
What an imagination Fleur has. 😉 It seems the party just got better for her. Sweet story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Rochelle
Thank you for reading and your kind comments. It’s wonderful how powerful imagination can be!Shalom
Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
That game suddenly got a whole lot more fun!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Ali
Thank you for reading and commenting. Yes, I imagine there was consternation amongst the adults!
With best wishes
Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
A unicorn of all animals. It’s the most magical of all. Her wish was wonderfully answered. A good story and well written Penny. 🙂 — Suzanne
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Suzanne
Thank you for reading and commenting. I’m glad you enjoyed the story.
With very best wishes
Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
Penny, I LOVE this! A little fantasy is a wonderful gift to any little girl.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Linda
Thank you for reading and commenting so kindly. I’m delighted that you enjoyed my story so much!
With very best wishes
Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fleur found fantasy! Better than having to deal with Jessica (whyever did she accept the invite?)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Dale
Thank you for reading and commenting. Why did she accept the invite? Well, Jessica always got whatever she wanted, so if she invited you to her party, you went. We’ve all known girls like that, I’m sure!
With very best wishes
Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was kind of a rhetorical question. Almost as if she were asking herself…
LikeLike
what a surprise. that should make her day. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Plaridel
Thank you for reading and commenting. Oh yes, that was the best day of the year!
With best wishes
Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
A real life fairy tale!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Minister
Thank you for reading and commenting. I think all little girls secretly believe in fairies and unicorns!
With best wishes
Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow – that was some party! I bet she’s glad she attended 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Liz
Thank you for reading and commenting. Once the unicorn appeared she was delighted to be at the party!
With best wishes
Penny
LikeLike
Ready to carry her away from the unpleasantness. I like the dreamlike quality to your story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Jade
Thank you for reading and commenting. I’m glad you liked the story.
With best wishes
Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are very welcome and I did 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fun. Some wishes do come true.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear James
Thank you for reading and commenting. Sometimes they do, they really do!
With best wishes
Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah lovely. She’s discovered the ultimate, that’ll make her happy
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Michael
Thank you for reading and commenting. I’m sure Fleur is delighted!
With best wishes
Penny
LikeLike
Oh, what a delightful ending! Thanks for the smile.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Lish
Thank you for reading and commenting. I’m glad my story made you smile.
With very best wishes
Penny
LikeLike
I bet she’s glad now she attended Jessica’s party. A magical tale, Penny!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Brenda
Thank you for reading and commenting. Yes. Jessica’s party – that particular cloud – had a literal silver lining!
With best wishes
Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
Looks like her wish came true. A magical story indeed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Subroto
Thank you for reading and commenting. I guess wishes do come true occasionally!
With best wishes
Penny
LikeLike
That’s a nice surprise for Fleur – and everyone else, I imagine. Delightful story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Margaret
Thank you for reading and for your kind comment. I’m glad you enjoyed the story.
With very best wishes
Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh I love the end… what a great thing for a little girl to find.
LikeLiked by 1 person
LOL…what a little girl’s dream!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, who doesn’t LOVE a unicorn. They’re so magical.
A sweet take on the prompt, Penny. Happy Hump Day !!!!
Isadora 😎
LikeLiked by 1 person