Win Cash Prizes & Get Professional Feedback @ Flash Fiction Magazine
Learn More
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

101 Words

101 Word Short Stories

  • Subscribe
  • About
  • Submissions
  • Volunteer

Aftermath

December 1, 2023 8 Comments

By Alastair Millar

I took her in when I found her wandering, shell-shocked, between the piles of rubble where the street had been. The first sound she made was a giggle when I made a shadow rabbit on the basement wall. Later, tinned beans warmed over a fire made from a broken chair brought a faint smile to her tiny face. Eventually, she fell asleep as the single candle guttered, and I wondered what we would do tomorrow, a widower and a wordless orphan. As the dark closed in, I prayed that we’d dodge the monsters, and wished they’d never found our fragile world.

Share this:

  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads
  • Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • More
  • Share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Share on Telegram (Opens in new window) Telegram
  • Share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon
  • Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp
  • Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Share on Nextdoor (Opens in new window) Nextdoor
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest

The Power of Imagery with Nina Schuyler

September 12 & 13 on Zoom
Enrollment closes Thursday, September 3 at 7:00 PM Pacific

If your descriptions are vivid but your stories still feel thin, this workshop is for you.

Join award-winning author Nina Schuyler to learn the difference between description, which tells a reader what things look like, and imagery, which carries plot, character, and meaning at the same time.

In just two days, you'll learn to choose images that hold emotion without naming it, pair them so each one deepens the other, and build patterns that gather meaning as the story moves.

Learn More and Enroll

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Caroline Thomas says

    December 6, 2023 at 8:56 am

    Beautiful and tender.

    Reply
  2. Kevin says

    December 6, 2023 at 10:36 am

    A thoughtful piece. Kudos.

    Reply
  3. Pat R. says

    December 6, 2023 at 11:41 am

    I was very moved, thank you for a thoughtful piece!

    Reply
  4. S. says

    December 6, 2023 at 11:45 am

    Oh man. I want to read their story. Wonderful piece.

    Reply
  5. M W King says

    December 6, 2023 at 3:17 pm

    This could be the start of a novel.

    Reply
  6. Richard Mansbach says

    December 6, 2023 at 9:45 pm

    Sobering and poignant.

    Reply
  7. Lauren D. says

    December 7, 2023 at 11:56 am

    This was very sweet and heartwarming. Great job

    Reply
  8. Janet says

    December 7, 2023 at 4:25 pm

    Love the tone of your piece–gentle and sweet in the midst of devastation.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Search Stories

The end.