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Flash Fiction Friday – Make A Wish

Published by

Hugh W. Roberts

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January 24, 2022, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about “the wish I made.” Whose wish is it and how does it fit into the story? What kind of wish? Go where the prompt leads!

Make A Wish – by Hugh W. Roberts

“Clean up this mess, and put out the rubbish! I haven’t got all day.”

Looking at the single candle on the 80th birthday cake she’d made herself, Miriam made her wish before blowing out the candle. She watched her demanding daughter cut a slice of the cake and devour it. She wondered if arsenic had a taste.

When turning to look at herself in the antique mirror, Miriam’s wish revealed itself – a beautiful, slim, young woman ready to live life again. But this time without the burdensome daughter that craved her inheritance and cake more than her mother.

***

Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch.

***

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46 responses to “Flash Fiction Friday – Make A Wish”

  1. Rowena avatar
    Rowena

    Great story, Hugh. Friends of mine have asked whether I’d go through the whole having kids thing all over again, and in my heart of hearts I don’t know. Yet, while they may not make life easier, they do make it more meaningful and I have grown a lot through them while also feeling like I’ve lost myself entirely. This all reminds me of that great Barbra Streisand song: “The Way We Were”.

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      Thank you, Rowena.

      I don’t have children, but I have nephews and nieces who have bought much wisdom, happiness and love into my life. They are the future.

      Reply
      1. Rowena avatar
        Rowena

        They are indeed, Hugh. I’ve spent much of the last two years researching soldiers letters from WWI and I strayed across some writings post WWI where people were looking to children as a new future. Hope. Terrible to see events in the Ukraine showing these lessons still haven’t been learnt at least by some.

        Reply
  2. Sam "Goldie" Kirk avatar
    Sam “Goldie” Kirk

    It’s painful to see older people/mothers disrespected like that. They gave up so much to be treated like that… If only…. hehehehe

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      Yes, disrespect of our elders was something I’d never heard about when I was growing up. Sadly, in today’s world, it seems to be almost taken for granted.

      Reply
  3. D. Wallace Peach avatar
    D. Wallace Peach

    Wow, Hugh, what a dark story! Well done. :-)

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      Thanks, Diana. 99 words are quite the challenge, especially when I want to add a twist.

      Reply
      1. D. Wallace Peach avatar
        D. Wallace Peach

        You always seem to meet the challenge. :-)

        Reply
        1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
          Hugh W. Roberts

          Thank you, Diana. I enjoy these 99-word flash fiction challenges. Not only do they challenge me, but they also dare me to participate.

          Reply
  4. Anne Goodwin is bringing Matilda Windsor home avatar
    Anne Goodwin is bringing Matilda Windsor home

    Lovely story, Hugh, I hope she didn’t taste the arsenic.

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      Thanks, Anne.

      Your comment went straight into my WordPress spam folder. Not sure why, but luckily I check that folder at least once a day.

      Reply
  5. D. Avery @shiftnshake avatar
    D. Avery @shiftnshake

    If that daughter couldn’t even be bothered to make a cake for her mother’s eightieth, well she got her well deserved slice. The best twist in this maybe is that it was a nasty daughter not the more usually portrayed nasty mother. (I was going to say evil, but I suppose killing the nasty daughter wasn’t exactly nice either.)

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      I had plans to entitle this tale ‘The Other Cinderella.’ One who is not only older than the usual Cinderellas portrayed but also isn’t frightened to murder those she doesn’t want in her life.

      Reply
  6. Colleen M. Chesebro avatar
    Colleen M. Chesebro

    This was a good one, Hugh! Leave it to you to surprise me at the end. LOL! :D <3

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      Good to hear you never had the ending I planned for this tale, Collen. We should all be careful when looking into mirrors.

      Reply
      1. Colleen M. Chesebro avatar
        Colleen M. Chesebro

        That’s a fact! Mirrors are the windows to the soul… or is that eyes? 😳🤦🏼‍♀️

        Reply

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