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

Total Eclipse

August 7, 2024 14 Comments

By Dundiswa

I was working alone in my yard on a warm spring afternoon. The daffodils were blossoming, and songbirds were twittering softly in the trees. April in all its glory surrounded me. I was absorbed in my annual task of removing the lingering leaf litter of autumn and cleaning up the remnants of winter’s ravages.

There was not a cloud in the sky when I felt a chill. Out of the corner of my eye I saw something unexpected. I felt compelled to stare, too long, blinded by the light of the half-occluded sun.

The last thing I would ever see.

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. I. R. Pathak says

    August 7, 2024 at 7:12 am

    “Out of the corner of my eye I saw something unexpected.” Wonderful setting of words that show the word picture. Excellent.

    Reply
    • Dundiswa says

      August 12, 2024 at 9:27 am

      Thank you so much for your kind comment.

      I am waiting for another “101 words” worth of inspiration!

      Reply
  2. Michael W King says

    August 7, 2024 at 7:51 am

    Your words created the garden in my mind.

    Reply
    • Dundiswa says

      August 12, 2024 at 9:28 am

      A poetic response like yours is a fine reward – thank you!

      Reply
  3. Toni Brayer says

    August 7, 2024 at 8:56 am

    Chilling and good.

    Reply
    • Dundiswa says

      August 12, 2024 at 9:29 am

      Thank you so much for taking time to comment – the encouragement is greatly appreciated!

      Reply
  4. Dan says

    August 7, 2024 at 2:02 pm

    Vivid…with a nasty twist. Well done!

    Reply
    • Dundiswa says

      August 12, 2024 at 9:30 am

      I was there – but did not look-up for too long!

      Thanks for your kind comment.

      Reply
  5. Ed Kratz says

    August 8, 2024 at 7:21 am

    Good chilling tale. The garden scene made the loss greater. Well done.

    Reply
    • Dundiswa says

      August 12, 2024 at 9:31 am

      Thanks for your kind comment – you saw something there I was not fully aware of myself!

      Reply
  6. Charlotte Bennardo says

    August 8, 2024 at 2:00 pm

    how many times have we all been tempted to take just a quick peek….

    Reply
    • Dundiswa says

      August 12, 2024 at 9:33 am

      I was spared that urge this year because the weather was so bad where I was that there was really nothing to see!

      Thank you for your comment – I will consider your perspective in future writings.

      Reply
  7. Matt Henshaw says

    August 11, 2024 at 9:25 pm

    A great little piece! Well done, sir!

    Reply
  8. Dundiswa says

    August 12, 2024 at 9:34 am

    High praise considering the source – keep-up the good work yourself!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

Primary Sidebar

Search Stories

The end.