Long time blogger Al Forbes hosts Sunday Photo Fiction.
Each week a new photo donated by one of the participants in the challenge is used as a prompt for a story of 200 words. This week’s image is one of his and inspired me to join the happy fray of contributors.
Fresh Start
Desperate, she had gone to his old headquarters and pulled out all the stops. She begged, pleaded, and lauded her husband’s successes, his experience. She numbered the benefits of re-hiring him, appealed to a decade of friendship, cajoled, and prodded.
They needed a fresh start.
The CEO had a slot to fill where no one wanted to go.
Providential, he thought, and drafted the contract waiting for signatures.
The family was going back to Vietnam.
She believed her humiliation was saving the children, herself… and even him, the collapsed bastard in the back seat, a dishrag mumbling a broken record of ‘I can’t leave’, in weeping fits.
‘I love her! Don’t you understand?’ he screamed again.
She said nothing for over 700 km, full of fury, shame, and misery.
She had already spoken all she could say.
She drove through the unforgiving night, treacherous roads, sporadic downpours, and brutal gales to arrive by morning.
He would sign the damn contract.
She parked in the No Parking zone. Sullen skies watched him step in dog shit.
Smiling, she broke her silence:
‘It brings good luck’ she said with a shrug.
He stared at her with clenched teeth and walked the stench into his war zone.
unbuttoned or undone 
Wow, Em, action-packed, emotion-filled, blockbuster!
Just enough left unsaid to keep us wondering.
You should do this more often, it is terrific.
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Thanks CE. You know me, it’s a challenge to say anything in 200 words. Pffewwy!
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Dear Emmy,
Wow. You took my breath away. Evocative and emotional.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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That’s quite a compliment!
I am honored.
Thank you so much
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Wrenching take here. Visceral.
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Visceral is a good word.
I tried to express the virulence of inner war zone.
Thank you for reading and commenting. It’s much appreciated
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All that action in just a few words! Brilliant.
Click to visit Keith’s Ramblings!
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Thank you Keith.
I discovered some heavy duty pruning, believe me!
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Gutsy, stark and full of emotion. Wow 8)
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Wow is very nice.
Thank you for your kind words my friend.
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There was a lot packed into those 200 words. Well done.
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Thank you James. I’m glad the story still made sense after all the pruning 🙂
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That was fantastic! I love her. She has some serious power.
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Thanks Dale.
You know, I didn’t think of her power when I wrote that. As I pictured the scene in my mind, I imagined the anger and desperation of her actions.
Of course, you are right. The actions were those of a fighter, not a victim.
Hugs
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Even pruning it down you made a story that captured the reader and felt her anger all through the journey. Excellent.
Welcome to the fray Em. Hope to see you here again.
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Thank you for such a warm welcome, I appreciate it.
And for your kind comment.
I will come to your playground as often as I can.
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I look forward to seeing you here 🙂
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So he has this affair, ends up losing his job and disgracing his family, is what I’m getting. But she goes to her connections and finds him a job, to save their family honor, despite that he loves this other woman. She doesn’t care. I think that’s what happened? It’s an interesting story. The wife is very strong but also manipulative as well. Nice write!
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Thank you for taking the time to read the story, give it some thought, and comment on it. I really appreciate it.
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I like that you stated the children were her priority – tiger mother and all that fury. The anger and single minded determination very evident in your writing. totally loved the story, had me grinding my teeth you know!
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Belated thanks for your comment and input. I’m pleased that the story moved you.
Sometimes the options for women are few. They were for our mothers’ and grandmothers’ generations. This lady had guts and achieved her aim.
Thank you again for your kindness.
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The last 4 lines (with about 45 words) would also be good as 50-word story!
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Ha ha! My be I’ll flag it for a next FF with an extension! Thank you Oglach!
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Sometimes I wish I was Oglach, but I’m not. Guessing that he would have liked this post if he had seen it, I looked at the full list of liker thumbnails and did see his thumbnail. Accidentally turned off my [Like] when I clicked with the mouse too high, but that is OK now.
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I apologize for the mistake Mellow. I have enjoyed your biting humor and will continue to do so. Only humor can conquer the incipient madness of the orange dude.
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No apology needed. Being likened to Oglach is a compliment anyway.
I wish I could believe that humor alone would suffice, but I do think it can help.
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