Flash Fiction Snippets

     Last week, I had my wisdom teeth taken out, and thus, spent much time in bed. It's been a while since I wrote anything other than an academic essay, so to get back into the swing of creative writing, I tried my hand at flash fiction. Flash fiction is a short story or story snippet about 100 words long. The writer is usually aided by a story prompt or picture for inspiration. I hope you enjoy my following attempts at flash fiction.

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Going Home

Rattling across sparsely forested terrain, the train carried its passengers closer to the border. Inside, a warmly dressed woman sat close to the window. A plaid woollen shawl framed her face and the collars of her gray coat were pulled tightly against her neck. Her wrinkled features bore the marks of a long and difficult life. Silently, she observed the scenery passing outside. Vague memories of younger days flashed through her mind and filled her with wistful nostalgia. As the train neared its destination, a sad longing tainted the woman’s reminiscing, and a sigh escaped her lips. She was finally going home, but would it be the home she remembered?

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Extinct

Arms straining, the young man plunged his oars into the crystalline water below his dinghy. Excitement tempered with grim determination shone in his eyes. The lake was deathly silent. Not even a breeze disturbed its surface. As he reached the edge of his people's territory, he allowed the oars to rest. Peering over the gunwale, he spotted the familiar bones of an ancient dragon resting on the lake bed, mere yards beneath the water’s surface. It was here that he had always stopped. But not today. Settling back in his seat, the young man pulled at the oars, his eyes fixated on the island at the horizon. It was said these dragons were extinct, killed off long ago. He was going to prove otherwise.

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Continue The Work

The young missionary stepped into his father’s office. Light shining through the open window illuminated a desk where books and reams of paper lay stacked. A sad smile flicked across the man’s face. The room looked the same as the day his father had left it. Tears came to his eyes as he remembered that fateful afternoon. Shaking his head, the missionary moved closer to the desk. Greek and Hebrew testaments were neatly piled beside various dictionaries and lexicons. Scanning the handwritten translation notes, the young man’s eyes fell on the last portion his father had translated. 

“Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”*

Emotion swelling in his chest, the missionary lifted up his head in silent thanksgiving to God. Then, reverently sitting down at the desk, he picked up his father’s pen. It was time to continue the work.


* 2 Timothy 2:1-3, KJV

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Which story was most vivid for you? Have you ever written flash fiction?

3 Things I've Learned From Two Years of College

     Two years ago, I embarked on a new, intimidating adventure: online college. It's hard to believe that I'm already half way through. Like any other adventure, this one has had its ups and downs, trials and triumphs. While I still have two more years to go and plenty more lessons to learn, there are three things I've realized.


     1. School does not come before God.
     Upon waking up in the morning, it can be very tempting to skip personal devotions in order to get a head start on school. While doing so may indeed give me more time for school, ultimately, it isn't worth it. Starving oneself of spiritual feeding, even if just for a day, will have consequences. Don't sacrifice your spiritual health for school.


     2. School does not come before family.
     Finding the right balance between school and family is tricky, and I tend to shirk family responsibilities in favor of school. But regardless of how important school may seem, it should never take priority over helping my mother when she's tired, or listening to my siblings when they need to talk. Investing time in your family should not be sacrificed for doing extra homework.


     3. School does not come before your health.
     It might sound cliche, but eating real food, getting good sleep, and doing a little exercise all go a long way. I've also found that setting aside at least one day of the week to rest, read, and dabble in a few hobbies is very important for my mental health. Your brain needs a break as much as your body does.


     I wish I could say that I successfully apply these lessons every day, but unfortunately, I do not. It's quite easy to become hyper focused on school and neglect everything else. But with every new day comes a new opportunity to try again, and for that, I'm very grateful.

If you're in college, what are some things you've learned? If you're not in college, what are some tips you've heard about balancing life and school?