Hi everyone! It’s that time of the week again … Friday fun flash fiction … on a … Tuesday! … I was, erm … musing, lols. Here’s the short story I came up with >>>

 

Photo by Oxana Lyashenko on Unsplash

 

Chaos

The house falls into deathly quiet. The last of the flames gutter and die. Only the thick stench of burnt timber and scorched flesh, melted from bones, offers any clue to what may have happened here. Helmeted officials pick through the smoking remains, eyes hard and sharp—faces grim. The eventual verdict … faulty wiring wrapped around the deceptively pretty Christmas tree.

Salvaged, alone from all the mess, a soft, cuddly teddy bear with nary a mark on his well-brushed fur. Brisk, efficient hands pick him out of the rubble and deposit him in the charity box. Mayhap, out of tragedy there could come love for some small child to whom the world has not been kind.

He bears the indignity of being bound beneath gaudy wrapping paper and ribbon. And when an excited boy holds aloft his very own little toy, the stitched-on smile twitches and then sets in place. But not before the boy’s eyes grow wide and blink … he sees the glint in the bear’s beady eyes.

Wary at this turn of events, the bear sits and stares at the child, who’s dashed them both out of the fray and up to the solitude of the unoccupied boy’s dormitory. Never before has anyone guessed at the secret life that lies within, but Edward knows.

What to do? That’s the question.

Later that night, however, during the witching hour and while the orphanage sleeps, the boy and the bear reach an understanding. Edward nods and smiles around a yawn. “Your name is Chaos.”

Satisfied, the child slumbers. Chaos shares his dreams.

It starts out with a little touch here, a little there. One by one, Edward’s tormentors turn allies—too afraid, now, to oppose. And then comes the happy day that Fall when the orphan finds a home.

The weeks pass, and the secret holds. And then there comes another Christmas tree, all bedecked with ornaments and pretty, flashing lights. In the deep dark depths of night, while the adults snore, Chaos sneaks through the house.

The silly people have left the fire alive in the grate. They make it too easy.

As Chaos sits and plots, Edward stumbles into the room with fresh tears shining on his face. “I’m happy here,” he tells the toy. What a very silly little boy.

Chaos shakes his head. Soon they will all be dead.

Edward’s shoulders slump, weighed down beneath the burden of defeat. Over the child’s bowed head, Chaos laughs. “Whatever I do, they’ll blame you.”

Fuelled by sudden fury, Edward plucks the bear from the sofa and hurls the stuffed toy into the flames. “You’re just a stupid bully!”

Chaos burns.

 

© Harmony Kent 2020

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I’d love to know what you think of this short piece … so please don’t be shy and leave me a reply.

Have a great week and Thanksgiving, everyone!

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Photo by Oxana Lyashenko on Unsplash

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The rules:

Please put your entry (or a link to it) in a comment HERE or email it to Sooz at her email address. by DEADLINE: 4pm EDT on Thursday, November 26th. Subject: Fiction in a Flash Challenge. If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to THIS page would be much appreciated.

UPDATE: The response to the prompts has been just wonderful. As a result, Soooz be sharing all entries received, and her own contribution on her blog AS SHE RECEIVES THEM. Rather than posting all of them only over a few days.

 

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