FRIDAY MORNING - flash fiction for Good Friday

FRIDAY  MORNING

Last night had been enjoyable despite the threat of discovery – thirteen men breaking bread together and sharing wine. This morning, though, the bread was a hard lump in his stomach, and he could still taste the wine on his tongue, as sour as betrayal.

He stared into the mirror as if seeing a stranger. Was it really necessary to endure today’s horror? 

He got up, feeling far older than his thirty-odd years – what he needed was fresh air. Outside, his friends were waiting, with one notable exception.

“Walk with me,” he commanded, “It will be cool in the Gethsemane garden.”

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Pizza and wine - bread and wine - today's story had to be about Good Friday, the morning after the Passover meal. I think it's safe to assume that Jesus, who was human too, was also scared.

Thanks to Dale Rogerson for the photo prompt, and to Rochelle for hosting Friday Fictioneers on her blog https://rochellewisoff.com/ .  

Happy Easter to you all, whatever you believe.

A WINNING STORY!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! 
And to mark the occasion I won a small competition on a writers' forum with this 200 word story, prompted by the word GLITTER. I make no apology for the fact that my background theme is again Christmas - in Tenerife the festival isn't over until after tomorrow - EL DIA DE LOS REYES - Kings' Day. 
So - Felices Reyes to everyone, and may 2015 bring peace and prosperity to us all.

WINGS                                     

At the cry of a newborn the villagers rejoiced – a new life was always worth celebrating but on Christmas Eve it was a double blessing. They clustered round as his father held him up.

“What will you call him?” a woman asked.

“Jesús, naturally,” Josef answered.

           

An hour later a dog barked and was instantly silenced, but it had been tied up deliberately far from the village and had done its job before it died.

Josef woke his children with his hand over their mouths. “Run and hide in the caves,” he ordered and they slid silently away, Maria close behind them carrying her baby.

The villagers cowered deep in the caves while rebels burned everything and then rampaged through the forest, slashing wildly with glittering machetes. Maria’s children clung to her skirts and Jesús whimpered.

The rebel leader stopped, listening.

The villagers watched in horror as Maria, with tears pouring down her face, held her hand over her baby’s mouth.

“They have gone,” the lookout reported eventually but the cave remained silent – Maria’s baby lay limp in her arms.

Then the air moved as if wafted by angel wings, the tiny chest heaved, and Jesús lived again.

STABLE - a Christmas story

STABLE

“We have a son! I will teach him to be a good carpenter.”

“Are you sure? I know you promised but . . .”

“Hush, wife – I meant every word – now sleep.”

She lay back on the straw holding her son to her breast and slept until voices woke her.

“Find another shelter – my wife’s just had a baby.”

“We know; we were told to come – we’ll leave the flock outside.”

She moved her veil aside to show the child, and weathered faces worshipped while his baby hands bestowed blessings.

“You’ve seen him,” Joseph said, “Now leave us in peace.”

“We all wish for peace,” they said and departed, leaving a lamb behind – mother and baby snuggled into its warm fleece and were comforted.

Later, more visitors came, rivalling the star-shine with their gifts, and as Joseph hid the treasures from thieves his last doubts vanished - Mary’s story of an angel was true.

That night Mary woke weeping. “I had a dream,” she sobbed into Joseph’s arms and he said, only half in jest, “Not another one!”

“I dreamed he was sold for thirty pieces of silver.”

“Our son will be a simple carpenter, wife – who would sell him?”

                                                             *********************

There's no 100 word challenge this week, so I chose a story that I wrote a year ago in response to a different forum's challenge to write 200 words inspired by the word SILVER.

The photograph I have used is of the crib at Reina Sofia Airport in Tenerife, where I live.

Thank you for reading my blog, and for the lovely comments I have received over the year.

I WISH YOU ALL A HAPPY AND SUCCESSFUL 2015.