This post is for the weekly challenge set by Madison Woods called Friday Fictioneers. The idea is that you submit a 100 word flash fiction story associated with the picture challenge added the previous Wednesday. You can find out more, and see the picture, on Madison’s Blog here: http://madisonwoods.wordpress.com/flash-fiction/rainbows/. There is also a Facebook Page too specially for Friday Fictioneers and you can find it here: http://www.facebook.com/FridayFictioneers
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My mother was the centre of my universe.
As a child I would sit on the back porch in a thunderstorm watching the rain pelting down, hitting the hardened ground with a whip and crack before scattering into a thousand tiny droplets; lightening crackled across a darkened sky, thunder rolling round the landscape, booming off the hillsides.
‘That’s just God playing the tom-toms’ she would reassure me.
And then, in the aftermath came the rainbow; brilliant in its colours and a stark contrast to the black and grey surrounding it.
‘That’s God kissing the ground son’ she would explain.
And I believed her, as I believe her even now.
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By the way, and as an aside I have an interview with Sadie Forsythe, the author of The Weeping Empress on the blog this week and she’s offering a free copy in a giveaway to one lucky commenter. If you’d like to be in with a chance to win it then you simply need to leave a comment here: the-thursday-throng-author-interview-and-book-give-away-with-sadie-forsythe-author-of-the-weeping-empress/
Unfortunately your comment was caught out by Akismet and marked as spam and I’ve only just found it. Thanks for your wonderful comment and I enjoyed yours too 🙂
For some it’s recent and for others it’s far away in time – I’m glad that yours is still so close to you 🙂
what a sentimental piece of writing, reminds me of my childhood, which wasn’t long ago for me and is still quite vivid.
that’s a solemn moment there.
http://brainsnorts.wordpress.com/2012/05/17/friday-fictioneers-518-via-madison-woods/
I always loved storms, the rain plinking the roof, the flashes of light and rolls of thunder, but also, the sharing of the storm experience with my grandfather. Nice.
Here’s mine: http://thebradleychronicles.wordpress.com/2012/05/18/flash-fiction-friday-4/
I really enjoy the narrative. Can’t add much that hasn’t already been mentioned. The reminiscent feel is truly heartwarming.
Wakefield
http://www.wakefieldmahon.com/1/post/2012/05/light-supremacy-friday-fictioneers.html
You are absolutely right, tom-toms are a colloquial term for drums 🙂
What a lovely trip down memory lane. One question… What is a Tom-tom, is it like a drum. I’m going to assume it is. It makes sense, I guess I’ll google Tom-Toms. My mom told me, Angels were bowling. What ever works right… Love it though. Here is mine: http://remakingme-atiyatownes.blogspot.com/2012/05/friday-flash-fiction-country-walk.html
Why thank you – I hadn’t looked at it like that and appreciate your insight 🙂
“as I believe her even now” – that’s the phrase that makes the story! Anybody can have little childhood memories, but this tells us something specific about the grown-up narrator. Nice!
My story – http://newpillowbook.wordpress.com/2012/05/18/friday-fictioneers-finding-the-gold/
Why thanks Craig and I must admit I do love the various sounds that rain makes 🙂
The whole piece is lovely, especially this line: “hitting the hardened ground with a whip and crack before scattering into a thousand tiny droplets”
Why thank you very kindly 🙂
I do hope they were both happy emotions and good memories although from your comment I suspect not 😉
Why thank you – I love the tales and reasons my granny and nana told me – they always made such perfect sense, still do in fact 🙂
Why thank you very much 🙂
Thanks Stevie 🙂
I couldn’t say it better than Stevie. A lovely thought.
We seem to draw such comfort from the image of a warm, safe lap in the middle of a storm. Whether we remember it…or wish we’d had one if we didn’t. Evokes both emotions and memories. Thanks for sharing!
Here’s mine, btw: http://smallquietplace.wordpress.com/2012/05/18/a-quiet-place-to-rest/
You took me back to my own childhood and my grandmother telling me not to be afraid of the thunder storm. She said that God was just rearranging the furniture in heaven. Loved it!
This was sweet. I’ve heard similar comments about thunder, but the rainbow one was new. I liked it. 🙂
My attempt: https://unduecreativity.wordpress.com/2012/05/17/fields-of-wildflowers/
Wouldn’t it be great if every parent could give such a positive and reassuring view of our world to their children. It’s from interactions just like this that we learn what is safe and what is dangerous and this simple metaphor will have turned something that could be seen as scary into something wonderous. Who knows, this may have broken a chain of fear that has existed for generations – well done Mum.
Wouldn’t it be great if all parents gave such a positive and reassuring view of our world to their children. We learn what is safe and what is dangerous from just such interactions, so this simple metaphor has turned something that could have been seen as as scary into something wonderous. Who knows, this may well have broken a chain of fear that had existed for generations – well done Mum.
You are very welcome and I’m glad you feel uplifted too 🙂
Thanks so much and your’s was such a welcome and different take on the post apocalyptic 🙂
Why thank you Sean – your comment is muchly appreciated 🙂
Why thank you kindly and as the fridge magnet my sister gave me says ‘Damn, my mother was right all along’ …. 🙂
God kissing the ground. Lovely imagery. Thanks for the morning uplift.
Mine’s at: http://www.rochelle-wisoff.blogspot.com/2012/05/miracle.html
Why thank you – I like to think of rainbows in that way as they always make me smile when I see them 🙂
Your’s definitely took a different ‘look’ at the cue and I liked it, if that is the right word to use considering the topic you were writing about … 😉
Why thank you and I really liked yours too 🙂
Beautiful story 🙂
http://mysocalleddutchlife.wordpress.com/2012/05/17/friday-fictioneers/
Ah, so sweet. You know, I somehow believe that thunders are God’s way of showing how angry he is with us. Funny, insn’t it? Mine is here: http://readinpleasure.wordpress.com/2012/05/18/friday-fictioneers-sinking-low/
“And then, in the aftermath came the rainbow; brilliant in its colours and a stark contrast to the black and grey surrounding it.” is such a precious line,like something warm & comforting you hold to your chest on a rainy day
Great explanations from Mother! I really like “brilliant in its colours”, too.
Here’s ours: http://www.lazuli-portals.com/flash-fiction/a-cordello-memory
Oh, it’s so sweet. I love it. Great job. http://kaitlinandmichaelbranch.com/2012/05/18/friday-fictioneers-3/#comments
Thats really lovely
I’m pleased to have given you a little reminder to enjoy Doug 🙂
Dear Linda,
Your story was a delightful catalyst that immediately had me recalling sights and sounds of thunderstorms past. Thanks for the memories.
Aloha,
Doug
http://ironwoodwind.wordpress.com/2012/05/18/no-rain-no-rainbows-3/
Thanks so much 🙂
awh this is sweet 🙂
Why thank you Sandra and you’re right so many things carry on after childhood that we often don’t realise it 🙂
Aww, I liked that. We don’t realise as adults what tremendous imagery we plant in our children’s minds with explanations like that. I still remember my Gran telling me that snowflakes were ‘God shaking the mattresses of the angels whilst making their beds.’ Thanks for taking me back, this was nice.
Mine’s at: http://castelsarrasin.wordpress.com/2012/05/17/pursuit-friday-fictioneers-may-2012/