When the police and firemen arrived, I lied; ‘I didn’t know how the fire started. I can’t do anything with this broken arm!’
The young constable flipped through his notebook and replied, ‘you called four days ago and report your husband for domestic abuse. You give a statement and he was arrested.’
I nodded, distracted by the firemen damping down the blaze. One of them pulled out bits of charred shirt and inspected it. Another picked up a blacken wedding photograph in a smashed frame.
‘I just wanted some peace,’ I muttered, ‘there’s all I ever wanted.’
(Inspired by; https://rochellewisoff.com/2019/02/06/8-february-2019/ with thanks).
Hmm. two guesses what the husband is. 🙂 Nice one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks. I really hope people were able to tell! I struggle to get anything across in 100 words but the story wanted to be written, so I stuck to it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Before I tried flash fiction I couldn’t see how it was possible to encapsulate a story in so few words. I write in the mega-millions. But I’m discovering I too can cut down to short. But now with the nuances writers like you excel at. 🙂 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was the same. I started with novels and had to learn at university how to write short stories.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I tried the ‘short story’ thing. But I’f always read novels, seldom shorts. So I’d no experience of them. However, thanks to the blogs I follow, I’m now reading short, shorter, mini, micro, and am able to reel out thne same. Which makes a good break from the 650,000 5 book series I’m now prepping prior to self-publishing.
LikeLike
That’s true, it’s been writing from other people’s prompts and having word limits that have got me into short stories but I can see how much my writing has improved because of that. Sounds epic! I’ve not been writing novels for the last few years due to a mixture of things but I’d like to get back into writing one soon.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, I wish I could write ‘shorter’ while still still in novel form. But I’m commited to this … and so we plod on. 🙂
I wish you well with getting back into it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
This happens way too often. Glad you drew attention to it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks. I’m glad it came across well as I didn’t want to go into too much details with the word limit.
LikeLike