Each month, [100 Word Story] posts a photograph as a writing prompt. July’s photo inspired the following flash fiction.
Grief is an invasive species, thought Margarite, blowing her nose onto a hand-embroidered handkerchief. They just don’t make things with care anymore. Years of trying to understand her namesake’s death led her to an abandoned graveyard miles from their estate.
On the tomb, a message, half-hidden by garrish green moss.
Margarite used her handkerchief to scrape off clumps, revealing a verse:
“Though your beginning was small, your later days will be great.”
Nonsense, Margarite sneezed, wiping goo before resuming her search. It was only when her nose tingled, slid from her face covered in green, she realized the expanded truth.
© khartless 2021, All Rights Reserved
Yard Sale of Thoughts 
The story pulled me right in, great! Did you take the photo? It’s amazing.
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Thank you , John. No, the photo was from the site. They post a different one each month and send out a call for 100 word flash. This looks Eastern to me, not sure where.
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Ohhh!! 💚
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Thank you. 😉
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beautifully paced; what a knock-out ending !!
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Thank you very much, John. I knew I wanted flesh eating moss, but wasn’t sure how to get there in 100 words. Glad you enjoyed it.
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An excellent piece. I think you may have accidentally hit upon the truth behind the origin of coronavirus!🙂
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Thanks, Hobbo. Oh my, didn’t even realize this. We have yet to blame nature, you know. Her uprising against all our destruction. Makes perfect sense.
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Mother nature is a very wise old lady!
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Yes, she has her ways as all mothers do.
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