Friday Fictioneers, for those who are not aware, is a writing challenge hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields on her blog. She gives us a picture prompt each week, and challenges us to write a 100-word story based on that picture. It’s great discipline and lots of fun. So if you’d like to join in, just follow the link to her site for the details.
This week’s picture prompt is courtesy of Dawn Q. Landau. My story is below the picture.
ADOPTION
Hair bristled on my neck. I was bein’ followed. I whirled ’round and found Zanzibar ploddin’ behind me, head down, tail draggin’.
“Hey, boy,” I said, squattin’ down. “Where’s ol’ Toby?”
Zanzibar whined, licked my hand, whined again. Somethin’ was wrong. Zanzibar and Toby were thicker’n fam’ly. They came through here first week of ever month. Stayed ’till the coal train came through and stopped at the crossin’. But this weren’t the first week. Where was that ol’ hobo?
I hunted three days for Toby; no luck. Reckon that lung problem finally got ‘im. Zanzibar’s tail’s still draggin’, and he won’t let me out of ‘is sight. Reckon I got me a dog.
~~~
The Happy Wordcrafter 
Happy Sunday, Sandra. I’m never going to get through all the stories this week so today I went to the bottom and I’m starting back up. 🙂 Glad I did or I might have missed your story. I’m glad the dog found another owner to love and be whom to be loved.
janet
Yes, me too. I wasn’t sure who adopted whom, so I just let the title work for both. Thanks for reading. I know what you mean about getting through stories. I’ve had a loaded week trying to help a friend who had surgery and is not allowed to drive anywhere for several weeks. I only barely got my homework for that poetry course done, and I couldn’t resist this story. But I’m not sure I’ll manage to read very many other stories before Tuesday.
Dear Sandra,
I love the voice in this. And I reckon he has hisself a dog at that.
One little thing: Although I had a teacher who referred to me as Wise-off, there’s no ‘e’ in Wisoff. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
Ooooops, so sorry. I know how it feels to have people misspell your name. They do it to me all the time. I do have a tiny bit of an excuse, so I’ll plead my case: I have been really swamped trying to help some friends who have had health problems, surgery, and a need for much running and doing from me, and I didn’t think I’d get a chance to do this week’s story. But when I saw my chance early this morning, I jumped in and wrote the pre-story stuff so fast I wasn’t careful. I do apologize, and thanks for the lovely compliment on the story.
I reckon he does.
I’m drawn right into this one, and really feel for both of them. Zanzibar’s tail will soon be wagging!
Yes, I think so too. Adoption works both ways. Thanks for reading.