Smoke and Shadow was originally posted on my Instagram account based on a flash fiction prompt by Emily Barnett on Instagram.
This wasn’t what I meant to happen.
The words echoed in my head as I watched smoke rise from the flaming ruin of my home.
I asked for freedom. I didn’t intend to get it like this.
When he told me he would take care of it, I thought he meant that he would save me. That we would run away together.
Not this. Never this.
Somehow he found me in the crowd. I flinched when his fingers brushed my arm.
One of my neighbours took a crowbar to the two-by-fours nailed across the door. There was no time.
In the upper window, I could see my mother’s shadow as she tried to get my sisters to safety. A section of the roof collapsed, and I could see them no longer.
“See?” he said. He was smiling.
“Now you’re free from them.”
Notes
Smoke and Shadow was originally written back in August and was only published on my Instagram. It’s making its debut on my website because the post I had intended for today isn’t ready yet, so I’ll aim to post it on Friday instead. My upcoming post is all about how to write great flawed characters, so keep an eye out for it! It’s growing much longer than I expected, so hopefully you’ll find it full of useful content.
If you’re in the mood for more light reading, I have more flash fictions that you can check out. My Mermaids is most recent, but Crystal and A Tale of Wolves are great as well.
Speaking of which, are you participating in National Novel Writing Month this year? I’ll be turning my longer short story My Home is my Castle into a full-sized novel. At least, that’s the plan. I might include excepts in my newsletter as I work on it, so make sure to sign up for my email list if you’re interested.