There is no better anniversary than the celebration of a birth and this week Lillie McFerrin is celebrating a year since the birth of her five sentence fiction prompts.
In honour of this special milestone our gift is to choose a writing prompt from all the words previously used.
There are so many good words to choose from but I decided I wanted to write something celebratory so I went for the word JUBILANT, originally the second prompt Lillie posted.
What I find interesting is how much the idea of FSF has grown over the year. The first words only inspired a few stories and now there are over 30 stories posted each week. All offering a unique take on the subject in a variety of genres.
Mine today is autobiographical...
Jubilant
Going to the theatre always sounds like such a delightful
way to spend an afternoon but this was no matinee for my entertainment and pleasure.
It was suggested I take a behind the scenes tour to allay my
apprehensions; my fear was palpable, I wonder did you sense it, deep within?
Retreating to my thoughts, still sick with worry, I prayed fervently
for a natural resolution, this was not the way it was meant to be.
Nearly thirteen years on and I know you so well, you will
never be pushed around, manipulated to turn in the opposite direction; given
space and time you always find your own unique way.
You will always be my miracle, turning as you did in the
eleventh hour, sparing your mother the knife and blessing me with such joy.
I was also inspired today by a text I recieved yesterday from a friend. It's two weeks before her due date and her baby is breech just like my youngest son was. I am hoping and praying for a miracle, that the baby will turn and be able to be delivered naturally and safely.
I had to read this a second time to really understand it. That is not a criticism. It was certainly worth a second read. Your beginning is so enigmatic, and the ending so sharply clear. The middle teases the reader along.
ReplyDeleteDeeply moving, and nicely done.
Cheers!
JzB
Glad it did make sense - I worry when I get all enigmatic! But Five Sentence Fiction is a great place to try out ideas and see what works. Getting those 5 "perfect" sentences to flow and make sense is always fun.
DeleteThanks for your comments!
My daughter presented breech so a C-section was necessary but we both came thru it just fine. I can well imagine the jubilation of having your baby turn just in time for a natural delivery. It would be awesome if your friend experiences the same. Great writing, great story! I had to pay attention to discover the meaning! :)
ReplyDeleteNot only was I spared a C-section but when my youngest son was born naturally it was at the same small hospital when oldest son had been born 3 years earlier and the same midwife delivered both boys! That made it even more special and JUBILANT!
DeleteClever start Sarah, and a moving tribute to your son!
ReplyDeleteThe start wasn't my original 1st sentence but when you end up with 6 or more you have to delete a few! The challenge of 5 sentence fiction!
DeleteGreat development of the story! I, too, was a bit lost at first (I thought it was a school play, with the shift that happened) but I got the true sense of it with a second reading. I like the parallelism you established between the movements of the baby and the willfulness of the teen. Nice job!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure which theater you meant without your follow-up comments, but upon a reread, it was very powerful. Congratulations.
ReplyDeleteWhat a clever story.
ReplyDeleteSo much packed into your five sentences.
The text you mentioned at the end made me read the story a second time and it all made such sense.
I'm glad your son had his 11th hour change of direction and spared you 'the knife'.
I lover a bit of enigma and I have to confess, until I'd read the comments (and re-read the post) I didn't get it but funnily enough that didn't detract in anyway from the enjoyment of reading it.
ReplyDeleteWishing your friend the very best of luck.
I actually didn't understand it until I read the comments but I've never given birth so that's probably why. Your sentences have a beautiful feel to them Sarah, you did a great job with all the emotion tucked in these words. :))
ReplyDeleteIt's great to get so many positive comments when lots of people were unsure what it was about. I feel my writing has improved with all this flash fiction and am grateful to those people who take the time to respond.
DeleteThanks Jo-Anne!