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Lost and Found
For one day, he wished he could hear that familiar voice again.
The voice he knew so well, the deep baritone which aged into higher pitch over the years. By the time he married, his father’s voice had thinned out.
Death robbed him of his father’s voice; fire robbed him a second time as it swallowed everything.
He stood in front of what was left behind, himself and his wife included.
“Oh boy, what happened?” that laughing voice sounded out.
He thought he was seven again; his wife had saved the audio recording of his father’s voice.
He cried.
(99 words)
Sometimes, the simplest things in life are capable of making you cry.
If you are interested, the prompt is linked below.
July 25, 2019, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story that includes the phrase “for one day.” The words single out a special occurrence. What is the emotion and vibe, where does it take place and why? Go where the prompt leads!
Respond by July 30, 2019. Use the comment section below to share, read, and be social. You may leave a link, pingback, or story in the comments. If you want to be published in the weekly collection, please use the form. Rules & Guidelines.
Prompt: July 25: Flash Fiction Challenge
From the Window Seat 
That really touches. Like.
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Thank you! I’m glad to do it in 99 words! 🙂
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Time was, my writing tended to grow till it swamped the world. I’m amazed that I can now clip it down to under 100 words. But it’s no longer detailed. Alas. I like detail
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Me too! I am now learning the art of cutting down the unnecessary details but sometimes, I feel that “I want this here”…
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Yea, I know what you mean. But then I ask, but do I NEED it here?
I’m prepping my long-long-long novel/s (Five books) for e-pub, and more and more I find myself asking that. “Is this needed?” And more and more I’m saying no.
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Yea, I know of some writers who go through extensive re-writes and revisions before they publish their books, electronic or paperback. I guess I am starting to understand what a professor means when he said “You need to kill your babies in this piece of writing”…
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Yea. And it’s heartwrenching. But if it’s not serving your story (more likely serving your ego) then it has to go. I sometimes feel like a forester felling trees. I don’t like to see the trees cut down, but it does let in the light and allow those precious woodland flowers to bloom. Though that may not be the same for where you are; this is an English woodland, a thousand years of management
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Yes, what an apt description! A thousand years of management of the English woodland!
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It means the ecosystem is established and stable. As you might have noticed, I have a deep love of our countryside.
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I liked it too and dove in to learn about the challenge and Carrot Ranch. I’m confused about where I should submit, they have a form on their site…or do I submit on my own blog and link back to theirs or yours?
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Oh, you can always leave a pingback or a comment to The Carrot Ranch. If you are ok with them publishing your story (sort of like round up, except they publish the story in full and link back to your post), you can use the form. For me, I just pingback to the post, then copy and paste my story into the form. Hope to see your story! 🙂
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The power of memories, of a voice. Well done.
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To lose it all and then realize a sliver was saved in that recording is emotionally overwhelming. Well done!
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Thank you for your kind comments 🙂
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Pingback: For One Day « Carrot Ranch Literary Community
Powerful piece of flash. 🙂
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Thank you! I hope you enjoy reading it 😀
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What a touching response to the prompt. Simple things can bring us to tears.
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Thank you! I’m happy you found it touching 🙂
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🙂
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