Blizzards Of The Mind

September 16, 2021, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about a Big Black Horse. It can be a horse, a metaphor or an interpretation of KT Tunstall’s “Big Black Horse and a Cherry Tree.” Go where the prompt leads!


Blizzards Of The Mind – by Hugh W. Roberts

“Do you remember the day we first met?”

“Why do you ask?”

“No reason. I’m curious.”

Adrian watched Richard go into deep thought.

“Did it involve a big, black horse?”

“It did, yes!”

You were riding it through a snow-covered field during a blizzard one Christmas. You and that horse stood out so much,” laughed Richard.

Smiling to himself, Adrian closed his eyes and recalled their first meeting. On Brighton beach, he watched Richard riding a big, black horse on the carousel one summer.

The early stages of Alzheimer’s were causing another blizzard in the mind of his husband.

***

Richard and Adrian first appeared in Edge Of Summer – another piece of flash fiction written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge.

Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch. Click here to join in.

***

Enjoyed this piece of flash fiction? Then you’ll love Glimpses

Glimpses

28 short stories and pieces of flash fiction take the reader on a rollercoaster of twists and turns.

Available on Amazon

Paperback – £4.99

Kindle – £0.99

***

Follow Hugh on his social media platforms by clicking the buttons below.

Copyright © 2021 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.

Fediverse reactions


Discover more from Hugh’s Views & News  

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

31 responses to “Blizzards Of The Mind”

  1. Charli Mills avatar

    What a touching story, Hugh. That’s an accurate look at how memories can meld. I love how Adrian can sit with the inaccuracy and still love his husband without causing him distress.

    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

      I learned much of this from my mother, who had dementia, Charli. Sometimes, she was spot on, but other times she was living the memories of somebody else.

  2. Liz H avatar

    The memory fades, but the love and caring remains…<3

    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

      It does. And that’s the most essential point to remember when dementia enters our lives.

  3. D. Avery @shiftnshake avatar

    Sweet and sad. They’ve some tough times ahead.

    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

      They do. But love will get them through it.

  4. willowdot21 avatar

    Beautiful and heart-rending at once 💜💜

    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

      Thanks so much, Willow.

      1. willowdot21 avatar

        You always write a good story Hugh 💕

  5. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

    Thanks, Sam. My mother had dementia. It was horrible watching her condition worsen over time. . One day, I hope they find a cure for it.

  6. petespringerauthor avatar
    petespringerauthor

    Having watched my mom battle with dementia the last five years of her life, I sure hope that we eventually find a way to combat Alzheimer’s.

    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

      Same here, Pete. My mother had the condition, and it was a heartbreaking experience over many years watching her life being taken away.

  7. Terri Webster Schrandt avatar

    Touching indeed, Hugh, and far too common among elders. My mom suffered from dementia but could remember her family and certain things. My MIL definitely had Alzheimer’s and could only barely communicate in German. Did not know most people but recognized her twin sons (my hubby Hans). After their visit on Feb 13, she passed in her sleep on Feb 14, as if she had permission to slip into eternity after seeing them both together. Yours is beautifully told.

    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

      It was heartbreaking the day I walked into my mother’s home, and she had no idea who I was, Terri. Watching her suffer from this terrible condition was awful. However, I’ve used my experiences of dementia in a few of my stories. Those experiences have helped me with some of my writing. As the human race lives longer, Alzheimer’s is something that will touch many of our lives.

  8. apeacefultree avatar

    I’m so sorry to hear. That must have been very difficult.

    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

      They were difficult times, but it’s never made me shy away from writing about it.

  9. apeacefultree avatar

    Someone needs to find a cure for Alzheimer’s ASAP..very well written, and also sad. Thanks for sharing!

    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

      Thank you.

      Sadly, my mother passed away with Alzheimer’s. Such an awful way to leave our world. She struggled so much. It was terrible watching her deteriorate from the day she was diagnosed to the day she left us.

  10. Erika avatar

    You and your twists, Hugh. Very touching this time!

      1. Erika avatar

        You are welcome, Hugh!

Feel free to leave a comment. Engagement helps keep blogs alive and forms community.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

I’m Hugh

A high-angle, overhead portrait of a man standing on a green grass lawn, looking straight up toward the camera with a gentle smile. He is wearing a light blue Gant polo shirt, dark blue jeans with his hands in his pockets, and clean white sneakers.

Welcome to my blog. I’m delighted to have you here. This is the place to discover tips on blogging and WordPress, flash fiction, photography, and more. I enjoy engaging with my readers, so please feel free to explore, join discussions, and contact me. I’m happy to assist! Find out more about me and my blog by clicking the ‘Meet Hugh’ button.

Let’s connect

Subscribe to Hugh’s Views And News

Latest Posts

  • WordPress Comment Login Problems: New Answers, No Fix Yet
    WordPress has confirmed a bug that forces some users to sign in repeatedly before commenting, caused by changes to the new comment form. There’s no fix date yet, but staying logged in may help some people. This post shares WordPress’s latest answers and temporary workarounds.
  • WordPress Comment Login Problems: Latest Update and Fix Hopes
    Hugh shares the latest on WordPress’s comment sign‑in problems: partial improvements, an official response about changed login sessions and cookie rules, new subscription pop‑ups after commenting, and a workaround that involves staying signed in. He invites bloggers to report whether they’re still affected.
  • WordPress Comment Problems? Here’s What’s Still Going On
    Still being asked to log in when you comment on WordPress.com blogs, even though you’re already signed in? I’m sharing WordPress’s latest update on this known bug, which explains when it happens and demonstrates how to use the “Add your name” option and other workarounds. My post also includes information on the action WordPress is taking to resolve the problem.
  • WordPress.com Comment Problems? Here’s What’s Going On
    Are you suddenly unable to leave comments on WordPress.com blogs, or being asked to log in even when you’re already signed in? I’m sharing details of these current WordPress comment glitches, what engineers have confirmed, and a temporary workaround via the Reader.
  • Sunday Stills Photo Challenge: Steps & Stairs
    Explore the playful side of steps and stairs in this week’s Sunday Stills photo challenge. From optical-illusion doorways and autumn-leafed stone steps to a corgi “research assistant” and a mysterious figure at the top of the stairs. Plus simple guidelines to share your own creative images. Everyone is welcome to join in.
  • Sunday Stills Photo Challenge: Capturing Ephemeral Moments
    Explore the beauty of what doesn’t last: double rainbows, coffee-foam creatures, funhouse-style mirror reflections, beach footprints swept away by the tide, and fireworks fading into the dark. As your temporary Sunday Stills host, I explain how to join this week’s “Ephemeral” Sunday Stills photo challenge and share your own creative take.

Looking for your next quick read? Try my books

An image of book covers, book, tablet and mobile phone, for the book Glimpses.
An image for the book More Glimpses - showing a book cover, tablet and mobile phone.

Follow Hugh in the Fediverse

Hugh's Views & News  
Hugh's Views & News  
@hughsviewsandnews.com@hughsviewsandnews.com

WordPress & Blogging tips, flash fiction, photography and lots more!

321 posts
10 followers
A widget with the words 'Team Effort - Story Chat Digest - Where Authors Meet - Author'

Most Viewed Posts & Pages Over The Last 24 Hours

Recommend Blogs To Follow


Roaming About
A Life Less Ordinary

Second Wind Leisure Perspectives
Second Wind Leisure Perspectives
Fun, Photography & Friends

Spo-Reflections
Spo-Reflections
To live is to battle with trolls in the vaults of heart and brain. To write; this is to sit in judgment over one's Self. Henrik Ibsen

Boomer Eco Crusader
Boomer Eco Crusader
Live Green | Declutter | Simplify Life

SONGS AND SCRIPTS AND DUNKING BISCUITS
Every day tales of a winging-it creative

Jacqueline Lambert
Jacqueline Lambert
Award-Winning Travel Humour Writer

Anne R. Allen’s Blog… with Ruth Harris
Writing about writing. Mostly.

Fancying France
The musings of a ‘femme d’un certain âge’ who divides her time between SW France and SE England

Marsha Ingrao         Always Write
Marsha Ingrao Always Write
Having fun blogging with friends

Curiosities, Castles and Coffee Shops
Curiosities, Castles and Coffee Shops
The musings of a curious mind

WrookieSchU
WrookieSchU
Live life 🙌🏼

WPcomMaven
WPcomMaven
Helping you make the most of your free WordPress.com website since 2011

Share Your Light
Share Your Light
You are a miracle – Let it happen

No Facilities
No Facilities
Random thoughts, life lessons, hopes and dreams

Esther Chilton
Writer, Tutor and Editor

Saying nothing in particular
Saying nothing in particular
Jan … JT Twissel

The Chicago Files
The Chicago Files
A Canadian Perspective on Living in the Windy City!

Thank you to all my visitors

497,455 hits

275,067 visitors

Scan the QR code to follow me on Bluesky

Copyright Protected Blog

COPYRIGHT ©2011-2031 Hugh’s Views And News BLOG – All Rights Reserved.

This work by Hugh W. Roberts, and/or Hugh’s Views And News blog, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material (text and images) without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. If you want to use posts, excerpts, photos and links, you may contact me first. You must give full and clear credit to Hugh W. Roberts and Hugh’s Views And News dot com with links to the original content.