These are my 100 words for Friday Fictioneers. I will be gone most of next week, but will do my best to read as many stories as possible. I love the variety of ideas that spring from the picture prompts.
Like a pack rat, Samuel carried a teddy bear, a bag of M&M’s, a can of tuna, his favorite book and his pajamas patterned with Nemo into the small storage space beside his bed.
Outside, wind howled. Rain slammed the windows. Trees swayed like monsters in a Maurice Sendak story.
Samuel heard his ever-hysterical mother scream his name above the racket of his father nailing plywood over the sliding glass doors.
“Come on,” he whispered to his kitten, “we’ll be safe in here.” Samuel gentled his pet into the room and followed.
By morning all was gone but one inside wall.
Up From the Ashes 
That was very sad. I loved the phrase ‘gentled his kitten’ – so evocative.
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Thanks, Sandra. It was inspired by all the nasty tornados blowing around the middle of the US.
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Quite sad. Love the trees swaying like Maurice Sendak’s monsters.
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Sometimes Maurice Sendak’s monsters aren’t very scary, but maybe through the eyes of a frightened child . . . Thanks for reading and commenting.
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Such a devastating, wonderful last line. You tell us all about the boy and his stuff and his cat and his parents, and then in one line you sweep them away. Amazing.
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Claire, you make me blush. Thanks for reading.
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What a devastatingly sad story.. so well written.. I can see Samuel not wanting to leave.
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Thanks, Bjorn, I’m so glad you had time to read my story. Have safe travels. Alicia
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Absolutely terrifying, and I especially liked how you focused on the child’s experience. It created a unique, albeit devastating, feel to such a disaster. Coincidentally, I’m reading this during a severe thunder storm- lights flickering and all that jazz. Did you plan this? 🙂 Very engaging and chilling story, Alicia!
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Adelie – wouldn’t it be grand to be able to add special effects to all our stories? Thanks for reading. Stay safe. Where are you? Alicia
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I’m doing my best to stay safe, over in the U.S. (Michigan). ‘Tis the season for natural disasters!
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Adelie – I seem to live in the Banana Belt of the U.S. on the coast of Washington State. It’s overcast and cool – no tornadoes, no fires in our part of the world, just below the Canadian border.
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Very powerful story! I still hope they got away somehow. Very expressive of the feelings of childhood.
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Thanks, Perry. Glad you liked it. There may still be hope. Maybe Samuel is inside the wall – in his hidey-hole.
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Oops – how quickly nature can change safety into disaster !
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Indeed. Nature does seem to rule!
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Beautifully written, you did a wonderful job here. So sad, especially that last edition of the kitten.
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Thank you for reading and commenting! At least Samuel had a friend during the storm.
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A few of his favorite things. In the sadness of this story there is also such adorable innocence.
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JK – Thanks for reading and noticing Samuel’s innocence in contrast to his parent’s panic.
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Amazing that you can say so much in so few words. Well done!
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Wow! Thanks.
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I loved the Maurice Sendak line. I have to be honest that I’ve never seen ‘gentle’ used as a verb before, and I can’t decide whether I like it or not. I’m going to have to have a little ponder…
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People “gentle” horses. That’s where it came from I think. Thanks for the comment.
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Alicia, Good story, well written. I’m going to be an optimist and say that Samuel is safe behind that one remaining inside wall. Detailed description that placed me at the scene. Well done. 🙂 —Susan
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That’s actuall what I was thinking when I wrote the story, then through comments I realized that wasn’t how it was coming across. Thanks for seeing that side of it.
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Wonderful job of luring us into that space with Samuel, Alicia. So sad and jarring as the reader realizes what has happened. Wonderful!
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Thanks, Dawn!
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Very strong imagery and emotion. I hope it was Samuel’s inside wall that was spared.
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Indeed it was. Thanks for reading and commenting, Jan.
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At least he’s got some M & M s. Very well written. I loved the child’s POV
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M&M s for Samuel, tuna for the cat. Thanks!
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Timing is everything…or is it…The Almighty’s intervention? Great story…
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Someone’s intervention that’s for sure. Thanks for reading!
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That was so well written. And so sad. I have to assume that it was the wall that Samuel and his kitten were in that was spared. Anything else would be so tragic. Well done. Lucy
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Indeed. Samuel and the kitten survived. I couldn’t let such innocent creatures perish.
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And thanks for the lovely comment.
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A very powerful story. I can’t help hoping that little Samuel’s hidey-hole is inside that one remaining wall.
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Yep! his hidey-hole was spared. Thanks for reading and commenting!
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Teddy, tuna, M&Ms, book, pajamas – the cuteness of the little boy’s survival kit makes the devastation that follows all the more poignant. Well told 🙂
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Thanks so very much!
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What a terrifying ordeal to be left with just one wall. Great story!
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Thanks, Amy. So glad you took time to read and comment.
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That’s why I moved out of the Midwest. Tornado Season was more than I wanted to handle.
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Oh, yeah! I grew up in Denver, CO. Never experienced one but saw them on the horilzon. Thanks for stopping by.
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I love the image of Samuel with all his emergency rations in his small safe space as the monstrous storm rages around him. The ending was a shocking contrast and very effective. Cleverly done, Alice.
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You’re making be blush!!! Thanks so much for your kind words.
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This was very poignant. You did an excellent job of making us identify with that little boy.
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Thank you for reading Safe and making such a lovely comment
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Wow, electrifying! What happened to everyone???
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Mom and Dad lost in the tornado. Samuel and the kitten, safe inside the wall. Thanks for wondering.
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Tornados…stuff my dreams (nightmares) are made of! Great interpretation!
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Thank you!!!!
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Good one Alicia. I liked your take on the prompt!
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Thanks!
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Such a great build of atmosphere and a sense of trepidation in this. Samuel comes across as such a cutey. Pity it ends so badly for all of them.
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Sarah Ann, So glad you liked Samuel. Cheers! Alicia
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Dear Alicia, Powerful story and there seems to be an awfully lot going on and you wrote it extremely well. Thanks for great entertainment! Nan 🙂
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Nan, thanks for your lovely comment. Glad I could entertain in 100 words.
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Mine was make believe. But I know how devastating a storm can be.
Nicely done.
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Wow! Thanks.
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This is an awesome story.
Having been through the storms of 2011 here in Alabama I should have channeled something from this prompt last week… Kudos to you for seeing what I could not!
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Thanks! I appreciate your looking at an “old” story!
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