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 on your page. Link your story URL. Then the fun starts as you read other peoples’ stories and comment on them!
PHOTO PROMPT © LISA FOX
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As soon as Miles had parked the Harley and removed his helmet he heard the chanting, a thread of sound drawing him to the open door of the church.
The interior was dim, and fragrant with incense. The singing reverberated, thrilling him with reverence, as he drifted towards the glow of a hundred candles illuminating an icon.
The eyes of the icon seized his attention.
“Feed my sheep,” said a deep voice.
Miles blinked. “Pardon?” he said.
A white-bearded priest spoke to him about Jesus. Within two years, Miles had sold the Harley, and enrolled in a seminary.
Autumn Leaves 
Penny,
Wonderfully told. Now that’s a man who’s found his calling! Reminds me of the parables about discovering the treasure in a field and the merchant’s pearl without price.
pax,
dora
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Dear Dora
Thank you for your kind comment. The two parables you mention were at the forefront of my mind as I wrote.
Pax
Penny
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Great sensory details of the church’s interior
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Thank you for commenting, Neil. I’m pleased you liked the sensory detail. I was copying your recent example of making the vocabulary work harder!
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The details, from the beginning and until the end, really drew me in. Good imagining of what someone who gets “the call” would be like. I enjoyed your story very much.
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Thank you for your kind comments. A call from God is unmistakable when you experience it. (It doesn’t usually happen like my story, mind you!)
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Penny, thank you. Hyperbole is one of the best tools we have in our flash fiction 🙂
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😉
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You could get the call of God anywhere, anytime. You just have to be willing to say, “Yes.” 🙂
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Thank you for your thoughtful comment, Lyn. You’re absolutely right about God’s call.
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A life-changing experience. Delightful, Penny.
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Thank you for your thoughtful comment, Keith. I’m glad you enjoyed the story.
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Very atmospheric, it has an almost mystical feeling. Well told!
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Thank you for reading with your emotions as well as your thoughts, Gabi. I’m very pleased with the way you experienced the story.
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That’s some powerful preaching!
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Powerful preaching, and a receptive hearer. Thank you for your thoughtful comment, Ali.
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What a great take, well done.
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Thank you for the appreciative comment, Mason. I’m glad you enjoyed the story.
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You’re welcome, Penny.
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I am still trying to understand the emotional or spiritual turnaround that occurred.
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Thank you very much for your astute comment, James. You’re absolutely right that the story doesn’t prepare us enough for the conversion at the end. Even something as little as, “Miles’ life was empty,” at the beginning would have strengthened the story considerably. Unfortunately, although I knew there was something wrong, I couldn’t identify it precisely before I needed to post the story!
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Dear Penny,
Timing is everything, isn’t it? Lovely story of a man with a definite call on his life. I love the way you tied an unexpected story to the prompt. Brilliant.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle
Thank you for your very kind comment. It’s been a busy month with family visits almost the whole time – absolutely delightful, of course, but I struggled for the time to produce decent stories. This one was quite flawed. I can see where it’s wrong now I’ve had time to reflect, but meeting the deadline was…challenging!
Thank you for running this challenge so well; it must take a great slice of time out of your busy diary.
Shalom
Penny xx
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I really like the subtle steps of he story, it conveys a real sense of immediacy about what is happening, leading to the revelation. Well written Penny.
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Thank you for your careful reading and very kind comment, Francine. I’m delighted the story conveyed a sense of immediacy.
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