He came in at 1:30 a.m. He’d done a 4 to midnight tour; late shift.
Sandy always waited up for him. She could never sleep when he was at work.
Baking and ironing kept her preoccupied until she’d hear the key in the door.
An enormously tight hug let her know it had been tough night. She could smell smoke in his hair.
He rambled on about the fire. Six children died. He repeated it several times. Tears flowed down his face. We couldn’t get them out. We could hear them scream. We just couldn’t get them out.
2015©isadora delavega
Genre – Flash Fiction
Word Count – 100
The challenge is to write a story in 100 words – beginning, middle and end
with the photo prompt.
Friday Fictioeers – to join in the challenge – click here
Inside the Mind of Isadora 
May 13, 2015 at 1:17 am
Poignant and unfortunately very timely … you have such a gift with your style of writing.
Hope you are doing well ~ Namaste ❤
LikeLike
May 5, 2015 at 7:10 pm
How do they do it? I’d be an emotional basket case without letup…
LikeLike
May 1, 2015 at 9:20 am
Hello. Invite you to watch my new photographs on the blog. Have a nice weekend.
LikeLike
April 26, 2015 at 6:54 pm
I want the cool winds of April to carry with him my warmest thoughts and in my soul spring blossom into a smile on your face and a fericeasca you even for a moment!
LikeLike
April 26, 2015 at 9:11 am
Well told, Izzy. So very sad.
LikeLike
April 24, 2015 at 6:59 am
Oh, how sad, Isadora…*whipes tears away*. Soft Pawkisses ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 25, 2015 at 9:38 pm
Awww … paw your tears away sweet little fella. It’s sad and this happens sometimes but hugs heal and you sent a very sweet one. Thank you … *head rubs* ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 20, 2015 at 11:33 pm
A ton of sadness … but fitting for the prompt.
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 21, 2015 at 3:20 am
I feel you’ve captured my emotions in this story. It’s flash fiction with a sprinkles of my realistic life.
Thank you …. !!! 😎
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 20, 2015 at 7:05 pm
You are getting so good at these flash fiction pieces. This is very riveting and filled with raw emotion.
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 21, 2015 at 3:23 am
Think about those spaces I try to avoid. There lies these stories of my life. ❤
Thank you for seeing my emergence from these corners that are very dark and filled with sadness. 😎
We don't always write the whole truth but there are sprinkles in this story that are very close. ❤ hugs ❤
LikeLike
April 20, 2015 at 5:04 pm
Oh my goodness you broke my heart in 100 words! skillfully written this sad tale.
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 21, 2015 at 3:25 am
Yes, short and sweet and filled with emotions of a NYPD wife. Flash Fiction with
sprinkles of a life lived. Merci and Gracias por su visita. Adios, Isadora 😎
LikeLiked by 2 people
April 20, 2015 at 12:49 pm
Nice fiction scene Issy 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 21, 2015 at 3:26 am
Jake … thank you for visiting and leaving a super comment. 😎
LikeLike
April 19, 2015 at 1:41 pm
Sad one, how easy it is to forget the emotional toll such jobs take. Nicely captured in your story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 19, 2015 at 8:57 pm
There’s no way to see these situations except in complete sadness. 😎
LikeLike
April 19, 2015 at 6:12 am
What a terrible thing to bring home. I guess it’s hard to go on after a while.
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 19, 2015 at 8:55 pm
These are unsung heroes because it’s just part of their job. Families are affected too. Thank you, Bjorn 😎
LikeLike
April 19, 2015 at 4:45 am
God bless the unsung heroes in our lives. This was my favorite flash fiction this week. Thanks
Be well,
Tracey
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 21, 2015 at 3:30 am
And … God Bless you for your recognition of these tortured souls. A Flash Fiction story with sprinkles of my life lived with a civil servant of the NYPD who suffered and brought suffering to the lives of those who witnessed his heartaches … AND … there were many. A future memoir from a wifes prospective. Thank you for you kind heart. Thank you for your visit and touching comment. 😎
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 19, 2015 at 1:44 am
Wow Isadora, that was a powerful message. Terribly sad ending.
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 19, 2015 at 8:58 pm
These are the realities of the civil servants. It’s terribly sad for all. 😎
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 19, 2015 at 9:21 pm
I agree.
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 17, 2015 at 11:21 pm
i was also that guy that was coming home with memories of sadness. It struck me hard to recount the tragedies of death and despair to the innocents as i call them. They also were left the thoughts that such things could and do happen.
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 21, 2015 at 3:31 am
Gracias mi amor … te adoro y aprecio las visitas. 😎 ❤
LikeLike
April 17, 2015 at 7:38 pm
My cousin used to be a fire-fighter. It must be such a harrowing job, especially when lives are lost. Your ‘Friday Fiction’ says it all, Issy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 21, 2015 at 3:33 am
All civil servants suffer the heartaches of the public lives they encounter. Thank you for your understanding comment.
This is a Flash Fiction sprinkled with my life lived. 😎
LikeLike
April 17, 2015 at 6:14 pm
There was a fire a few nights ago in a house fairly near to me, the family are all safe but their home is lost, so terribly sad.
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 21, 2015 at 3:35 am
Tragedy that can’t be understood or felt but witnessed and left unsolved. 😎
LikeLike
April 17, 2015 at 4:24 pm
Great story. Sad and true.
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 19, 2015 at 8:59 pm
I appreciate your visiting and your very nice comment. Thank you!!! 😎
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 17, 2015 at 10:23 am
Querida Isadora,
My husband was a firefighter for a short time and it’s experiences like this that made him quit. Lovely take on the prompt.
One small nit. I don’t think you need “they died” at the end. “We just couldn’t get them out.” took my breath away. My opinion, your story. Love it either way.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 19, 2015 at 9:06 pm
Querida Rochelle,
I’ve deleted the last two words. I didn’t like them when I reread my story after posting it but wasn’t real sure. Thank you for voicing my original doubt. 😍
Flash Fiction with a twist of my life’s reality. The unsung hero’s of the NYPD.
Adios,
Isadora 😎
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 17, 2015 at 7:19 am
I can’t imagine what it must be like to be married to a fire-fighter. You captured that well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 19, 2015 at 9:01 pm
Flash Fiction with sprinkles of my life’s reality. Thank you, Sandra. 😎
LikeLike
April 17, 2015 at 5:47 am
I can’t begin to imagine how such professionals steel themselves to go to work each day. I am just very grateful that they can.
Good piece.
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 21, 2015 at 3:37 am
It’s a difficult life. At times, the only consolation is the pay check at the ned of evey two weeks.
Thank you for the fabulous comment and visit. 😎
LikeLike
April 17, 2015 at 4:53 am
Sadness pulls everyone apart..
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 21, 2015 at 3:38 am
Yes, all are affected by these types of civil servant jobs. 😎
LikeLike
April 17, 2015 at 1:06 am
okay. Why don’t you wring every last tear out of us, break our hearts and just get it over with. randy
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 21, 2015 at 3:46 am
Oh my, I’ve thought about writing stories that are a bit more uplifting but, tragicly, I tend to be a hankerchief writer. I have a lot of sad stuff that has to be released. Perhaps, when all of this is gone a happy corner of my soul will appear and I can write happy floating stuff. Actually, I write Nurture Yourself posts which showcases happier stuff I’ve learned through my emotional growth process. Just clcik on the tabs on my blog and find a bit of joy in those stories.
In the meantime, I like your comment very much. I appreciate your visit tremendously. I think it was super nice of you to leave a heartwarming comment that made me smile and my heart dance. I hope you’ll visit again. Thank you for bringing me a huge smile and a warm fuzzy feelinsg all over me. 😎
LikeLike
April 16, 2015 at 9:11 pm
This week is going to bring a lot of tears, methinks… So very sad, at times, the job of a fireman…
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 21, 2015 at 3:48 am
YAH … you thinks very smartly. I’ve been reading a great many of the stories and my eyes are getting very dry from all of the tears. Who knew you could write so many sad things about a fire in a photo. Thanks, Dale, for coming by and commenting. 😎
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 21, 2015 at 9:06 am
😉
LikeLike
April 16, 2015 at 8:27 pm
Very sad. The extra tight hug …was a nice touch.
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 21, 2015 at 3:49 am
It’s how one feels when one is giving a feel-better hug. Thanks you … !!!! 😎
LikeLike
April 16, 2015 at 8:23 pm
Read this story too often. 😦
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 21, 2015 at 3:50 am
For sure … too many times and too many heartaches. 😎
LikeLike