I almost missed Friday Fictioneers last week. I was away for Thanksgiving, so I couldn’t post a story until last night. If you’re interested in reading it, it’s here. Here in Fayette, Iowa it’s a bright, frosty day with a windchill of -12 (Celsius). Perfect for an icy story.
Hope, Through Fire and Ice
“Kill me. Please!”
The healer looked at him gravely. “When I was a little girl, I contracted the burning sickness too. An alchemist injected ice into my veins to save my life. One drop was enough but his hand shook and he put in three. From then on, I could never get warm. I begged for death but it didn’t come.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“To tell you there is hope. Good can come from even the worst situations.” With that, she breathed her cooling breath on him and for the first time in months, he felt relief.
The Green-Walled Tower 
December 3rd, 2014 at 1:21 pm
I love how you’ve created a fantasy world, given us its basic tenets and told a story, all in 100 words. Nice one!
December 3rd, 2014 at 4:27 pm
Thanks! It’s a challenge sometimes to fit everything in in a comprehensible way, but I’m glad it worked.
December 3rd, 2014 at 1:26 pm
Nicely done. As Elmo says you created a great fantasy world and told a fantastic story in 100 words.
December 3rd, 2014 at 4:04 pm
Your words are very descriptive. I could see this vividly in my minds eye.
December 3rd, 2014 at 4:27 pm
Thanks, Dawn. 🙂
December 3rd, 2014 at 4:41 pm
So much pain and hope in this perfectly encapsulated tale. Well told
December 3rd, 2014 at 5:24 pm
Excellent! I would love to read more of this, David 🙂
December 3rd, 2014 at 8:05 pm
Nice little twist. Good story!
December 3rd, 2014 at 11:59 pm
What a beautiful story, David. I find often that those who have been in the shoes of the unfortunate make the best caregivers–across many different forms of that giving. You capture this truth well.
All my best,
Marie Gail
December 4th, 2014 at 4:42 am
Reblogged this on BOOKS (UN)LIMITED.
December 4th, 2014 at 4:43 am
This one is a masterpiece, so is that picture!
December 4th, 2014 at 5:41 am
Dear David,
Writers are gift givers who often share messages of hope. Your story is a perfect example of this. Very well done alternate world that is not.
Aloha,
Doug
December 4th, 2014 at 5:41 am
Dear David,
A bit like the person who’s survived snake bite. His blood builds up antibodies that can save others.
I love the ethereal feel of this piece. Nicely done as always.
Glad you got to spend Thanksgiving with family. I’m sure they were happy to have you home.
Shalom,
Rochelle
December 4th, 2014 at 9:03 am
I enjoyed this.
December 4th, 2014 at 9:39 pm
Thanks. 🙂
December 4th, 2014 at 2:00 pm
That is a word that sounds so different.. yet very plausible… in some sense.
December 4th, 2014 at 9:38 pm
That’s kind of what I was going for. I was going to just call her a doctor but I thought people might not pick up on the fantasy aspect of it, so I changed it to healer.
December 4th, 2014 at 4:12 pm
Mystical, fairy tale, horror… this seems all in one, and so well done. I love the pacing and magic here, David. Nice job!
December 4th, 2014 at 9:37 pm
Thanks!
December 5th, 2014 at 11:31 am
I love the healer aspect, and her story. You are a great story teller.
December 5th, 2014 at 5:06 pm
I love a story with hope.
Lily
December 5th, 2014 at 8:26 pm
The mysteries of fire and ice. Ice has cooling, healing power in this lately virus zombie I’m watching, too. Great take. I’m glad to see hope at the end.
December 5th, 2014 at 10:52 pm
“Good can come from even the worst situations.” Embroidering this on a pillow 🙂
December 5th, 2014 at 11:38 pm
It’s a good motto to have. It’s hard to think like this, but I do believe it.
For example, my grandfather was bedridden for the last few years of his life in a nursing home and for a man who worked constantly his whole life, it was a huge blow to him in many ways. However, often the residents of the nursing home weren’t treated all that great and since he was mentally alert, he could be an advocate for some of the others who couldn’t speak or weren’t well off mentally, such as my grandmother . So yes, I believe good can occur in even the worst situations.
December 6th, 2014 at 4:30 am
I am moved by this story. Love that he stepped up to the plate for his fellow residents. and what a nice memory for you to hold dear.
I too had a grandfather I loved and admired. I was the last one to see him before he died. I was in New York, he Connecticut, and I told my mother who said…don’t bother to rush…he’ll be gone before you get here…to tell him I’m coming, and he waited for me David. I walked in the room, started to cry, and he motioned…that all was well…all was well. He passed a few seconds later.
I truly loved him.
December 6th, 2014 at 12:39 pm
Dear David, Such an interesting story and really well written! Good job! Nan 🙂
December 8th, 2014 at 6:04 am
A lovely little piece of optimism here. Certainly worth reading and musing on.
December 8th, 2014 at 10:24 pm
Thanks. I like to end with a happy ending, if I can.
December 8th, 2014 at 8:09 pm
A wonderful story – a fantasy setting and feel, but very human characters.
December 8th, 2014 at 10:29 pm
Thanks, Margaret. 🙂