Dress to Dust

Charli Mills offered us the opportunity to craft a 99-word tale about a 1940s dress hanging in an abandoned house. Should you desire to have such opportunities in the future, please follow her inviting blog here: Carrot Ranch

She said yes to the dress. It belonged to her grandmother’s sister, for whom she was named. She had only seen photographs of her great aunt in the dress. It was such a romantic idea.

With her best friend by her side, she walked into the old family home, heading for the attic stairs. Cobwebs covered the walls and dust motes danced in the sparkling shaft of sunlight that stood between them and the dress.

On the other side of the sun, they gasped! As they watched, the beautiful dress from the picture fall apart right before their eyes.

©2022 Annette Rochelle Aben

Cooler Than a Pool

Thank you to Charli Mills for her great 99-word flash fiction prompt this week. It brought back this memory of when a pool was cool, but a float was cooler! For those who might not understand the references, a Boston Cooler is an ice cream float made with vanilla ice cream and a healthy pour of Vernors (made in Detroit) ginger ale. Be sure to check out the weekly fun when you hang out at the Carrot Ranch

Mom banished all the kids from the pool when she wanted to use it. In fact, she didn’t even want us in the backyard while she relaxed. She turned the radio to her favorite station, donned her sunglasses, and floated on her blow-up raft.

That worked for us! We enjoyed having access to the kitchen when she wasn’t around. One of us grabbed the glasses. Another found the long, skinny iced tea spoons, and I gathered the goodies.

Two scoops of vanilla ice cream topped with cold Vernors ginger ale. She floated her way, and we floated our way!

©2022 Annette Rochelle Aben

Pups for People

This week, Charli Mills’s prompt was to write about a disabled Vet and a newly released prisoner who trained a dog named Buttercup to be of service to that Vet. Here is what I came up with. Make sure you connect with a terrific writing community on the ranch, the Carrot Ranch!

Gail leaned over in her wheelchair and smiled at the furry little family.

“Buttercup, you’re such a good mother! Your loving pups will one day mean as much to others as you mean to me!”

Gravel crunched under the weight of truck tires. Loretta was here. Gail couldn’t breathe. It was time to say goodbye.

“Well, here they are, Loretta. Five enthusiastic recruits for the program. I’m sure the ladies who will train them will do as wonderful a job as you did with Buttercup!”

“Thank you, Gail. I get more out of this program than words can say!”

©2022 Annette Rochelle Aben

Eats on the Fly

Up, up and away is the theme for this week’s 99-word flash fiction challenge from Charli Mills. It made me think of birds. So what does it make you think of? Check out the fun at The Carrot Ranch.

The bag of birdseed on the park bench was top rolled down, wide open. A shaky hand lifted some out and scattered it on the pavement at her feet every once in a while. The trees emptied as the birds swooped down to have their fill.

The bag under the park bench, empty and crumpled, was where the old cat sat. Eyes became the size of saucers each time the birds came to dine. A wary paw would shoot out from under the bench every now and then. The trees would fill quickly as the birds hurriedly flew away.

©2022 Annette Rochelle Aben

Drops in the Bucket

As water falls from the skies, she makes her way to a job that drains her energy. Day after day, it’s the same grind rewarded only by a paycheck at the end of the week.

As water falls from her eyes, she makes her way into her house where she must manifest energy. Night after night, the cooking, the cleaning, the laundry, rewarded only by momentary satisfaction.

As water falls from the sprinkler, she makes her way to the backyard swing. Season after season, she watches the blossoms appear from bulbs she has planted rewarding her with hope-filled beauty.

©2022 Annette Rochelle Aben