Love of Writing discussion

Not only is September 11th a Day of Remembrance, but write about someone you have lost forever, who made a good impression on you in your life.

Include one or all of these prompts:
*A phone call
*A comment on social media
*A life-changing event

Word count: 750 - 1,500

Voting will take place only if there are more than 3 submissions

Here are some flash fiction writing guidelines:
1. Use strong imagery. Make every single word count. Help your readers visualize as much as possible.
2. Stick to one moment. Focus on one particular moment in time. Don’t try to cram in more than one scene into a piece of flash fiction.
3. Work with just one or two characters. Don’t spread your story too thin.
4. Try first-person point of view. This will create an instant connection to the reader and allow you to express more in fewer words.
5. Surprise your reader. Make sure to end your story on a different emotional note than the one you started on. Creating surprise is what flash fiction is all about; take the reader on a journey, no matter how short.

Challenge Guidelines

Genre: Fantasy, Thriller, Sci-Fi, Mystery, Crime, Comedy, Romance, or a mixture (BASICALLY, anything but erotica)

Purpose -
Some fiction writers are looking to win a short story contest, keeping in touch with making deadlines, and/or simply sharpening the skill of writing fiction. The main purpose of this contest is to sharpen plot and character skills, collect your own short stories, receive good feedback, make a good connection with other writers, and take a short break from your current novel to get a fresh view when you return to it.

Rules and Directions -
* Type in English - no erotica, no profanity.

* Post your title, by line, and word count total in the first line of your story posting.

* Writers are responsible for their own copyright. Authors keep all rights. PRIVACY POLICY IS ENFORCED. COPYRIGHTS AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS BELONG TO INDIVIDUAL AUTHORS. THIS CONTEST DOES NOT GRANT ANY PERSON THE RIGHT OR LICENSE TO COPY OR USE OTHER STORIES. EACH STORY IS PROTECTED BY THE COPYRIGHT OF THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR.

* ONE entry per person, must be writer's original work, a final revision, and a new piece of writing. Please do not delete and repost since this becomes confusing to the readers. Try to post your final revision.

Judging: The story will be judged on creativity, proper grammar, good punctuation, and overall good quality for story.

**Not to be voted on**

If I could write this short story over again, I would focus less on the prankster/partier and more on the caring side of my brother Sammy. October 10, 2018 Hurricane Michael devasted the Panama City, Florida area; Mexico Beach to the East was hardest hit. We were without water and electricity for a week. My brother Sammy out of 7 siblings was the only one who inquired about me and my husband. He was also the only one who came with supplies. This was the last time I saw him until he died on September 6, 2021. Here is the story I wrote about him.
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The Jacob in Me
By Glenda Reynolds

Eternity. Whoever thought it would come so soon. I’ve always been a “rascal”, a modern-day Jacob, a trickster, an entertainer, and an occasional thief. When I was elementary school age, my family had already made up their minds that when I grew up, I’d be destined for jail. I admit it. I was a little devil. That’s what happens when you grow up without a father, and your mother is holding down two jobs to provide for her family. That gave me an opportunity to befriend a mischievous boy who talked me into hauling large bags of toilet paper for TP-ing people’s properties. A policeman stopped and asked us what we were doing with all that toilet paper. My friend answered disrespectfully, and the cop hauled us in his police car. You can imagine what I put my mother through.

After graduating from high school, I joined the Navy. Discipline didn’t sit too well with me. I corresponded with my sister. She sent me one small cookie with a letter, probably payback from when I let the air out of her bicycle tires when we were kids. But I recognize a good joke when I see one. My Navy career didn’t go so well. I went AWAL twice and struck a commanding officer. The Jacob in me always came out. I was finally discharged.

I soon found my niche as a salesman. You know the reputation of car salesmen, right? That’s what I was. They called me “Samurai Sam” back in the day. I left the auto sales industry and gravitated to home entertainment sales. Home entertainment was and still is a lucrative industry. But the Jacob came out in me. I was caught stealing merchandise from my employer. My family’s vision of my future came to pass. However, they didn’t post flyers saying, “Have you seen this person?” They didn’t even know I was in jail until one of my friends made phone calls to raise money for my bail. My bail was posted and I was released.

I found employment in the same industry as a salesman. But the weekends were meant for partying which I was very good at. I was the life of the party. Give me Budweiser or Jim Beam whiskey, it doesn’t matter. After one of these parties, I was driving home on Highway 75 in Fort Myers. I’m sure I angered a motorist or two. My driving was horrendous. My truck collided with another vehicle causing me to be thrown from it. While I lay there in the road covered in dirt and grit, an angel appeared next to me and looked down at me. Other humans who had parked on the side to come to my aid were oblivious to his presence. That’s because I was in between worlds.

“You are lucky, son. I’m glad I found you,” the angel said.

“I never told you to look for me,” I spat out. “What makes you think I’m so lucky? Does this look lucky to you?”

“You aren’t ready for heaven yet. God is giving you a second chance.”

I tried fighting against the message by pushing myself off the ground. This was actually my spirit doing the moving; my body lay still on the asphalt. The angel came closer and pushed me forcefully on my chest.

My eyes opened with a jolt caused by the electricity from the defibrillator used by the paramedic to get my heart to beat again. Yes, I was given a second chance. I almost blew it though, Jacob style.

I lived my life the way I wanted. I bragged about my financial success. I bought a boat and took my dog with me while I fished or mingled with other boaters on weekend getaways with lots of sand and surf. I was addicted to cigarettes and booze. The party was not complete until I was there to entertain which I did so well.
One day I checked myself in with a doctor after discovering blood on my pillow and on my face. It turns out I had throat cancer. The weeks that followed were filled with radiation treatments followed by chemotherapy. I lost significant weight. The pain was too great to continue as a salesman or to even speak to relatives on the phone. But in God’s mercy, people reached out to me, sending me devotional books and praying for me on the phone. I decided that I would no longer be a Jacob. I put my life in God’s hands.

But I died.

Months later, to my sister’s surprise, she found an old birthday card that I had sent her years ago. Of course, she had forgotten about it. She also found a Christmas card that I had sent during my time in the Navy. I had written in it how I regretted that we couldn’t watch each other grow into young men and women, that it hurt my heart. No, we can’t go back in time. We can only make choices for the future. But we will see each other one day in the greatest reunion that will ever be, in the presence of the Lord God almighty.

Thank you for sharing this Glenda. Losing a loved one is never easy. You will indeed meet again in the other realm.

Rejoice wrote: "Thank you for sharing this Glenda. Losing a loved one is never easy. You will indeed meet again in the other realm."

Thanks, Rejoice. I prayed with him on the phone. He started reading devotionals and tuned to Christian ministry at the end. Yes, I'm looking forward to our reunion.