Grandmother’s Advice

Posted: August 2, 2017 in Friday Fictioneers
Tags: , , ,


Thanks, Dale Rogerson, for these beautiful bouquets (haven’t I seen these beauties before?) And, thanks, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, for posting them for the Friday Fictioneers.

Never sell yourself short, my beauty. Sometimes the world will require you to stay low as savanna grass; watching, waiting. Other times you must walk softly forward camouflaged as a delicate rose or an unremarkable daisy; collecting information, storing it in your heart. But a moment will come when you will be forced to take up the sword, shine like a bird of paradise in your glory and fight.
Machete resting against her fiery red dress, Rusayla strode across the sand. She had gathered and stored information about the men who stole her grandmother’s cattle. There would be no time to run.

 

 

 

 

Comments
  1. neilmacdon says:

    The flowers were blissfully secondary in that story. I loved it

    Liked by 2 people

  2. Jelli says:

    ooouuuuu, I likes it… hidden fury… hidden in plain sight… good story.

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Alice Audrey says:

    Ooooh, someone’s going to pay!

    Great story. Come see mine here.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Iain Kelly says:

    Wow, what a warrior. Definitely a character and story I could read more of.

    Liked by 1 person

  5. michael1148humphris says:

    I very much enjoyed what you did with this story

    Liked by 1 person

  6. Dear Lish,

    She’s certainly was about to spread her bird of paradise wings with lifted sword…well machete. I didn’t see that ending coming. Well done.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Liked by 1 person

  7. Dale says:

    That opening quote feels so familiar!
    I love this!

    Liked by 1 person

  8. tedstrutz says:

    I just knew all those hearts and flowers were leading up to something.

    Like

  9. plaridel says:

    she’s one brave woman. i hope she prevails.

    Liked by 1 person

  10. rgayer55 says:

    I liked the flow of this. She was definitely building her case and biding her time. BTW, I love the name Rusayla. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  11. draliman says:

    Such a great story! I love the descriptions of all the ways she may have to act. It sounds like she’s utilised the first two to reach this point and it’s now time to be a bird of paradise and fight!

    Liked by 1 person

  12. I loved the start, the middle and the end. Flower power at its best. Superbly written, Alicia.

    Liked by 1 person

  13. granonine says:

    Yes, I’m with Neel. Great story. Love strong women.

    Liked by 1 person

  14. I love Grandma’s rather poetic advice. Not sure if I like how she’ll apply it. Or if she’ll come out the winner. Well told.

    Liked by 1 person

  15. wmqcolby says:

    Nice work, Alicia!

    I was struck by the opening of how reminiscent it was of Carl Sandburg’s “The People, Yes” Section 9, where the father tells his son —

    “Life is hard; be steel; be a rock.”
    And this might stand him for the storms
    and serve him for humdrum and monotony
    and guide him amid sudden betrayals
    and tighten him for slack moments

    There’s more, of course, but your intro for the character really got my literary mouth to water. I think a really good literary creation is in the making here.

    Five out of five Sandburg Songbags. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  16. Lynn Love says:

    Grandma and grand daughter are cut from the same cloth I think – fiesty, firy ladies, not to be messed with. Those cattle rustlers better beware. Nicely told as always Alicia

    Liked by 1 person

  17. Love, love, love this. The imagery was terrific and I was transported to a remote African village. Brilliant writing.

    Liked by 1 person

  18. Life Lessons of a Dog Lover says:

    I agree with Tracey the imagery was terrific. I pictured a lioness stalking prey. Loved the line “collecting information, storing it in your heart.”

    Liked by 1 person

  19. I wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of her that’s for sure. Great little yarn.

    Click to read my FriFic

    Like

  20. This is brilliant. I just love the so colourfully illustrated words of wisdom, followed by the call to action later. I think those cattle thieves are about to get cut to pieces.

    Liked by 1 person

  21. Varad says:

    Loved it, Alicia. Absolutely well written.

    Liked by 1 person

  22. I thought this was a piece from the flowers perspective, which was great, unusual, then you supposed with with the real viewpoint at the end. Such revenge, will be bloody, I fear, not beautiful. Nicely told flash fiction story.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thanks for stopping by, Kelvin. As the title says, it’s actually her grandmother’s advice. I will need to go back and see if you’ve joined our merry band. I appreciate your comments.

      Like

  23. Rusayla doesn’t sound like someone to be messed with. I love the first paragraph it’s poetic and beautifully descriptive, a perfect accompaniment for the second paragraph.

    Liked by 1 person

  24. subroto says:

    I like the build up. Words from the past when she is being trained and then to the present she she uses that training. Nice one.

    Liked by 1 person

  25. Sandra says:

    A woman with purpose. Impressive.

    Liked by 1 person

  26. gahlearner says:

    I have yet to see a ‘mamby-pamby’ story from you, but I know about writing something and then throwing it out completely… that said, I love this so very much. It starts so soft, grandma’s wise words, with flowers and slowly it becomes fiercer and fiercer until, wham, pure power. A Wonder Woman of a different kind. 🙂

    Like

  27. A bouquet of metaphors..enchanting!

    Liked by 1 person

  28. Yikes!!
    I didn’t see that coming!

    Liked by 1 person

  29. Very insightful and beautifully put. Also true, true, true.

    Like

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