Friday Fictioneers is a fun way to interact with other writers around the world and also to hone and discipline your writing skill by forcing yourself to tell a whole story in just 100 words. Hop over and check out the details for participating in the challenge. My story is below the picture.
Photo prompt is from Melanie Greenwood.
THE CALL OF THE CHITWOOD
Nora woke. Was it? … Yes … the call of the Chitwood bird: silver-sweet; compelling.
Rising swiftly, she ran to the maze leading to the gazebo, which harbored the locked door to the ‘other side.’ She knew the legend: Only a young virgin could hear the Chitwood’s call; if she obeyed instantly, she’d find the rainbow light bursting through the keyhole. Then, for only three minutes, she could gain entrance.
Her breath caught at the brilliant light. She hurried through the familiar maze, her eyes on the door. Stopping once, she looked back. But light engulfed her, sang to her, pulled her into itself. She lifted the door latch and stepped through.
~~~
The Happy Wordcrafter 
This was a sweet tale.. I wonder what was on the other side of the gate.. There is something out of Lewis Carol in this.
I’m glad I had only 100 words to use, because I don’t know what’s on the ‘other side.’
Sounds like this could lead to an interesting story.
But what comes next is the hard question to answer.
Hmmm . . . well, I hope whatever is on the other side really is better than sex. 😉
Cheers!
Marie Gail
Since I don’t have a clue what’s on the other side, maybe we could hope for romance, and that would solve the problem.
Ahh sweet mystery 😊
Yes, yes, what happens….enticing….
I was sort of glad I’d used up all my words because I don’t have any idea what happens.
Confucius said, Virginity is not like a bank account. If you save it, it doesn’t draw any interest….or was that Benjamin Franklin? Lovely tale. We are left wondering just where the light takes her, and was the price worth paying. 🙂
I thought about characterizing her as a “pure young girl,” but that would have taken three words after all, so I succumbed to the easy way out — perhaps unfortunately for her. Thanks for reading and commenting.
Very graphic. I enjoyed this.
Thank you, Sandra.
Lovely story! Very funny comments! 😀
Thank you. It is interesting, isn’t it, that so many people seemed to find the word “virgin” the focal point of the story.
Yes and there were plenty of funny comments about it too. Haha!
Dear Sandra,
I liked the fairy tale feel of this and I’m dying to know what’s on the other side. Maybe people focused on the word virgin because it seems to be a foreign concept these days. 😉 (Aside from virgin wool or olive oil).
Nicely done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
I truly did laugh out loud at your comment, Rochelle. I am working on a novel right now that has a character who is shocked to learn that the lead female character is still a virgin, and the revelation is used to accentuate the humor in the story (I hope). But for this piece, I think the reason I got such a kick out of the focus on “virgin” was that I really chose that particular word because it saved me from using three or four. I’ll just hope that whatever’s on the ‘other side’ includes romance for her so that all will not be lost.
P.S. And don’t even ask me where Chitwood came from. That name just jumped into my brain and lodged there. I couldn’t get rid of it.
Beautifully told. I love that she stops to look back – a little bit of tension there – and how the light sings to her and engulfs her. Very dramatic. I’m sure she won’t be sorry she stepped through.
Thank you for taking the time to read and comment.