Note
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February 24, 2012, 2:32 PM
Filed under: All Writing Challenges | Tags: Flash Fiction, Friday Fictioneers, Madison Woods
Filed under: All Writing Challenges | Tags: Flash Fiction, Friday Fictioneers, Madison Woods
The writing on the note was plain, a jumble of capitals and lower case. The paper was perforated, a jumble of lines and holes. The ink was smeared. And I read the words of a liar. I tried correlating them to experiences and memories without success. Staring at the truncated crossings of letters t and f, the open loops of letters g and p, I noticed the haste in the letters I, I, I, the fear I would interrupt him in the gaunt y, o, u. In my search for shreds of content, meaning disintegrated into picked bones on stone.
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32 Comments so far
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Robin Hawke 
I love how you took the photo prompt and used it as a metaphor for the shreds of paper/words. Love, love, love “picked bones on stone” phrase. Thanks for sharing!
http://kbnelson.wordpress.com/2012/02/24/friday-flash-pilgrimage/
Comment by kbnelson February 24, 2012 @ 3:39 PMThe obvious always seems like cheating in that we shouldn’t get as much meaning from our first easy impulses but I’m placated by your response. And simple rhymes are so satisfying.
Comment by Robin Hawke February 27, 2012 @ 2:21 PMWow, very nice, lovely writing and a wonderful use of metaphor. Loved it.
Comment by Judee February 24, 2012 @ 4:11 PMThank you!
Comment by Robin Hawke February 27, 2012 @ 2:22 PMI started reading this and thought you hadn’t bothered with the photo prompt this week. How wrong I was – what a wonderfully different take on a prompt so many of us have taken literally.
Comment by elmowrites February 24, 2012 @ 4:28 PMThere is a character named Bones (Charles de Lint’s 1997 book Trader)–I flashed on the small pile of bones he used to tell the future, which reminded me of tea leaves and then, somehow, I jumped to reading Dear John letters over and over again.
Comment by Robin Hawke February 27, 2012 @ 2:29 PMThis was wonderful, especially how you linked it to the photo prompt. Hats off to your creativity.
Comment by Janet February 24, 2012 @ 4:56 PMGlad you enjoyed! Thanks, Robin
Comment by Robin Hawke February 27, 2012 @ 2:30 PMThis is very clever and a unique take on the prompt. Employing graphology to pick over what I interpret to be either a love letter or break-up note? Superb. I don’t fancy the guy’s chances. I love your last line 🙂 (Did you study graphology? This feels very authentic.) Really well done.
Comment by andyfloodwritersblog February 24, 2012 @ 5:20 PMNo. Yes. I’ve not studied handwriting, but I have examined letter forms choosing fonts.
Comment by Robin Hawke February 27, 2012 @ 2:33 PMThis “And I read the words of a liar” is perfect and the whole story was so different from anything else I have read so far this morning. You win.
Comment by Craig Towsley February 24, 2012 @ 5:53 PMThat is the turning point isn’t it? Probably why I resisted deleting the And. Thanks! (I’m not accepting the win, too many good ones written for this prompt.)
Comment by Robin Hawke February 27, 2012 @ 2:35 PMWonderful outside-the-box creativity. I, too thought that you were going off the prompt. Exceptionally creative. I loved it!
Mine: http://vsta.pr/zxAJ1y
Comment by V. L. Gregory-Pohlenz February 24, 2012 @ 7:39 PMI didn’t make a conscious effort to be creative. As usual, I prowled ideas until I found the story I felt like telling. I’m glad it struck you as outside-the-box, but I was right in my comfort zone. Thank you for your kindness!
Comment by Robin Hawke February 27, 2012 @ 2:37 PMThis was WONDERFUL! It took me two readings to really understand what was happening, which I love! Thank you for sharing this. 🙂
here’s mine:
http://sarahthestoryteller.wordpress.com
Comment by Sarah Paige Berling February 24, 2012 @ 11:54 PMShucks! Thank you.
Comment by Robin Hawke February 27, 2012 @ 2:44 PMNicely done, Robin. I loved how the photo inspired the precise deciphering of the words on a page.
Here’s mine:
http://siobhanmuir.blogspot.com/2012/02/cave-100words-for-fridayfictioneers-and.html
Siobhan
Comment by Siobhan Muir February 24, 2012 @ 11:55 PMThank you! Enjoyed yours too, Robin
Comment by Robin Hawke February 27, 2012 @ 2:55 PMHi Robin,
Comment by bridgesareforburning February 25, 2012 @ 12:40 AMReally interesting way to approach this, from the point of view of handwriting analysis. I guess the medium really is the message. Fascinating!
Here’s mine: http://bridgesareforburning.wordpress.com/
No wonder the monks used to illuminate their manuscripts!
Comment by Robin Hawke February 27, 2012 @ 2:46 PMI love the POV of this piece and the jumping point from the prompt. Both very lovely.
The link for mine is: http://quillshiv.wordpress.com/2012/02/24/let-flow-what-is-left/
Comment by Quill Shiv February 25, 2012 @ 12:50 AMThank you. Your visits are always appreciated.
Comment by Robin Hawke February 27, 2012 @ 2:46 PMI really enjoyed your description. I’d imagine that describing handwriting is no easy task, but I feel like you’ve pulled it off with ease.
Comment by Steven E.A. February 25, 2012 @ 1:54 AMI realize, after your comment, that the handwriting was one of the characters in this story…
Comment by Robin Hawke February 27, 2012 @ 2:47 PMDear Robin,
I love how you conjured something different from the prompt, yet connected it at the end, just in case anyone was wondering. Very well done.
Aloha,
Doug
Comment by dmmacilroy February 25, 2012 @ 10:59 AMI was worried that the contemporary take wasn’t in keeping with the timelessness of the image. Then I shrugged my shoulders and wrote and that’s always the best solution to a writing problem.
Comment by Robin Hawke February 27, 2012 @ 2:50 PMThis was by far the most unique take on the prompt. Very well-crafted! What struck me most were the words of a liar and picked bones on stone. Very evocative imagery of a mental state of rage and anguish.
Comment by Madison Woods February 25, 2012 @ 7:15 PMThanks Madison. Great prompt this week.
Comment by Robin Hawke February 27, 2012 @ 2:51 PMThis was a very contemporary take and one of my favorites. I love these lines…”And I read the words of a liar” and “picked bones on stone”. I guess I was struck the same as Madison!:)
Comment by Jeannie February 25, 2012 @ 11:13 PMBut this was good. Very good.
Appreciate your praise. Thank you.
Comment by Robin Hawke February 27, 2012 @ 2:51 PMMm. I like this, Robin. I think you’ve really played with words here in a way that forces us to slow down and pay attention to what’s being said by way of metaphor.
Excellent, as usual!
Comment by The Lime February 26, 2012 @ 7:02 PMI hear metaphors and similes and all those good things are out of favor, but I’m still into them. Happy you noticed the y,o,u.
Comment by Robin Hawke February 27, 2012 @ 2:53 PM