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101 Word Short Stories

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Independence Farm

July 16, 2026 4 Comments

By Liz Mayers

The farmer picked up a broken spur from the dirt and dropped it into the basket; it clinked against buttons, buckles, and musket balls. Each spring, like previous generations, he collected fragments from the fields before planting began.

“Let’s go, Sarge,” he called his loyal dog.

Back in the barn, he hoisted the basket onto a shelf then pulled a tarp over it. Historians and archaeologists always hunted down this battlefield. His family turned them away; they couldn’t risk losing their only livelihood.

He looked up at the shelves and sighed. His children would show them everything when he was gone.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. David says

    July 19, 2026 at 10:29 am

    Good use of your 101 words. I could picture the scene vividly and got a sense of the farmer’s character.

    Reply
  2. Cheryl Dahlstrand says

    July 19, 2026 at 11:16 am

    What a wonderful tale for the 250th!
    The scene itself becomes history.

    Reply
  3. Bud Pharo says

    July 22, 2026 at 1:22 pm

    The farmer’s commitment to maintaining the continuity of past generations is honorable, yet he seems resigned to the fact that his children will not do the same. Very nicely done!

    Reply
  4. Ranabrata Ray says

    July 23, 2026 at 3:06 pm

    I find stories of human frailties very likeable.

    Reply

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