100 word challenges

Change

Have you ever seen the impact when you drop a pebble into the water? The resulting ripples stretch far and wide. They say you never step into the same river twice; it’s always changing. Equally, life is always changing.

He was thoughtful; clever. No doubt, destined for great things; or so they said. In his life change meant achieving more. Being more. But having more, meant more stress. More turmoil; doubt. In the end, he’d had enough. Something had tipped him over the edge. He set off from the shore; walked towards the sea. And just kept on walking.

Escape is futile

She crept forward. Stockinged feet making no sound. Fully clothed, she had slept in the spare room. She told him she wasn’t well. She needed a quick getaway. Life had become oppressive. The walls had closed in. Tipped her over the edge. She took another step. She needed to get out; now, or she would surely lose her nerve. Any courage she had would soon diminish. Closing the door, she held her breath. Time was on her side; at least for now. Escape she considered, would inevitably be futile… but for now, she had to do something.

Beware!

‘One final tip for those intending to go to the river; stay safe’. She’d heard these words on the radio; felt a pang of nerves. Dismissed them as she picked up another shirt to iron. Another jumper. Time had moved on. The pile of ironing complete. She had made a drink, sat relaxing while her son was fighting for life.

The knock that no-one wants to hear came later. Much later. Mrs. Irene Smith we’ve found a body, by the river. Tangled in the bushes. They need someone to identify the body. We believe him to be your son.

A father’s love

Painstakingly, he followed their every move. They had tipped him over the edge. Swore an allegiance with the devil to deal out his own justice to the men who had murdered his daughter. Who had shown no mercy.

But the tables had turned. He was now at the killer’s mercy. He heard the siren. The message had got through. They ran, but not before putting a bullet in his head. As he watched the carnage unfold, he would see justice prevail. He would get them one by one. He had sworn an allegiance. He would get them.

Hope springs eternal

We had lived in the dark for so long, we were afraid to step into the light. Fearful of what we might find. But then, at last, came the tipping point; nuclear war was inevitable. It brought them to their senses. Warring factions met. Held peace talks. The guns fell silent; still. The war had stopped.

They had done their best to destroy what we had, but there had always been hope. The festival reconnected us. We mourned the dead. We celebrated life. We saw a future. Hope… it showed us the way. Truly does spring eternal.

Let her sleep…

I come from humble beginnings. It’s true. Not, that you would know. My life today epitomises a middle-class background. I have worked hard to secure a strong future. I was born into a rather large family. We had very little, no one did, but we had everything. We had love. It meant no one would go hungry; no one would be turned away. It was all that mattered.

Today, a quote hangs over my bed – it says ‘Let her sleep for when she wakes she will move mountains.’ Each morning when I awake… I intend to do just that.