Check this out:
https://jfb57.wordpress.com/2015/04/20/10”0-word-challenge-for-grown-ups-week149-2/
Prompt for this week: …April… + 100 words
Roses
Fingers chilled, April worked her forehead hard. Will this day never end? Caramel rubbed against her ankles; she ignored him.
Meow?
Urgent pounding startled them both. April froze, hand splayed at her throat. Miaow! The cat bounced into the air like a Billy goat and tore down the hall. Go away.
Curiosity won. She peered through the peep-hole. A florist’s box? She scooped the narrow box and slammed the door. Yanking off the top, she tore into the tissue. Long-stemmed white roses. Oh, Henry. April’s tears splattered the buds.
No. A drunk driver killed you. Five years, today.
“Then, who? Why?”
© 2015 All Rights Reserved Tess and How the Cookie Crumbles
How the Cookie Crumbles 
April 21, 2015 at 6:52 pm
Who indeed. Good one.
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April 21, 2015 at 7:17 pm
Thank YOU, John. Who? Who?
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April 21, 2015 at 6:52 pm
hmmm – I’m going to rule out Caramel … but don’t we all fantasize about a secret (as opposed to ‘creepy’) admirer? 🙂
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April 21, 2015 at 7:18 pm
Yes! exactly. Nobody wants creepy. Ugh.
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April 21, 2015 at 7:11 pm
That was definitely an O. Henry ending! Wow!
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April 21, 2015 at 9:09 pm
Nice to see you, Rebecca. Always. Thank you for reading and commenting. You haven’t mentioned your manuscript for a long time, or maybe I missed something interesting during my times away from the keyboard?
I admit I am partial to Oh, Henry. I don’t think I’d like any other name, and have no idea why EXACTLY.
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April 21, 2015 at 7:11 pm
Good one.
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April 21, 2015 at 9:07 pm
Thanks so much, Paulette. ❤ ❤
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April 21, 2015 at 7:27 pm
Tess, did not see that end coming! Surprise! Good one! Christine
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April 21, 2015 at 9:06 pm
Thanks so much Christine for both reading and commenting.
I didn’t see that coming either. Now I won’t sleep till I figure out who is the likely good Samaritan, or creep. ❤
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April 21, 2015 at 8:00 pm
And here we were just talking about cats and dogs over at my place! I think the cat sent the flowers.
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April 21, 2015 at 9:03 pm
Sure he did. He’s loaded. Hahahahaha. Don’t you wish our fur kids could? Awwww. I’m all teary again.
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April 21, 2015 at 8:09 pm
For several years after my father died, on my birthday, I received yellow roses. he always gave/sent them to me on my birthday. They stopped after a few years and I never knew who.
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April 21, 2015 at 9:00 pm
Wow, Kazen, that’s an amazing story. Makes you wonder Who and then it stopped.
Have you seen the movie, P.S., I Iove You? Maybe this is a corny movie to some, but I cry every time I watch it.
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April 21, 2015 at 9:01 pm
Sorry, my popcorn slippery fingers are taking out letter. My apologies, Kanzen. ❤ ❤
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April 21, 2015 at 8:17 pm
I suspect someone who knows her heart aches. This made mine ache.
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April 21, 2015 at 8:57 pm
Sorry to hear that, Colleen. ❤ ❤ ❤ {{{hugs}}}
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April 22, 2015 at 5:57 am
Don’t be sorry. You wrote it THAT well. That’s why it ached. ❤ (and thank you for the hugs!) 🙂
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April 21, 2015 at 8:29 pm
Aww…. Well done. You can feel April’s sadness. I love that you made her name April. Loved Carmel the cat! ❤ ❤
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April 21, 2015 at 8:57 pm
Thank you. Thank you for reading and commenting. April was the prompt and I didn’t want to do the month thing. I have a cinnamon and white cat (some say ginger and white, but not to me). He (Dickens, yes, as in Charles) was making a nuisance of himself as I tried to type this. Caramel popped into my head or it could be my fingers picked up on that first? 😀 😀
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April 21, 2015 at 9:04 pm
Your welcome. I enjoy your writing, and appreciate how friendly you have been. 🙂
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April 21, 2015 at 8:29 pm
Oh Tess, this was poignant and creepy at the same time, how excellent!
Thank you and now I’ll be wondering, who?
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April 21, 2015 at 8:51 pm
Me too. I haven’t decided yet. I’m hoping it’s a new admirer, but who knows these are Henry’s and her favorite roses? 😀 😀
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April 21, 2015 at 8:56 pm
Creepy!
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April 21, 2015 at 9:55 pm
Nice take.
DJ
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April 21, 2015 at 10:11 pm
Thanks ever so much, and for your taking the time to comment.
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April 21, 2015 at 10:58 pm
My curiosity is piqued! Are we ever going to know Tess or will you leave us hanging. Another great piece of writing. Thank you.
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April 22, 2015 at 12:43 am
You’re such a good story teller Tess!
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April 22, 2015 at 2:11 am
I just have to love a story with roses in.
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April 22, 2015 at 3:20 am
I think it is the driver.
The person who never drank another drop, but lives with the sadness of knowing that their carelessness cost one life and left another person with such loneliness.
A way of saying ‘I’m so sorry’.
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April 22, 2015 at 5:21 am
Reblogged this on Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life and commented:
A great little short story and few people can arrange 100 words as well as Tess Karlinski – Roses
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April 22, 2015 at 7:16 pm
You are awesome, Sally. Thank you. ❤
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April 22, 2015 at 5:30 am
April brings me bad memories… I thew a rose into the sea for somebody, very loved by me, who died 4 years ago.
Perhaps you have writen this becasue my thought conveyed to you.
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April 22, 2015 at 5:32 am
Interesting…more? I think it’s someone close to April and Henry who knows… and loves her. He has waited for five years. 🙂
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April 22, 2015 at 7:26 am
Brilliant and always that kick in the butt at the end!!! ❤
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April 22, 2015 at 9:53 am
Quite a kicker! Nice.
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April 22, 2015 at 11:57 am
You always do that, Tess–throw in a twist at the end. Your stories are so delightful.
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April 22, 2015 at 1:00 pm
Please, please, can we have a part two? I’m not going to sleep until we find out why and who?
A rather nice cliff hanger 🙂
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April 27, 2015 at 10:05 am
Thanks, Hugh. I am thinking about it. Thanks for your kind interest. ❤
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April 27, 2015 at 11:47 am
Good to hear, Tess. Nothing better than a bit of mystery in a story and finding out all the answers then being gobsmacked by how it was all done and why. Can you tell I’m a Miss Marple fan? 🙂
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April 27, 2015 at 12:33 pm
That’s exactly what crossed my mind: Miss Marple and your inquisitive mind. 🙂
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April 22, 2015 at 1:09 pm
Well done Tess. Poignant, mysterious…. and yes, just a little creepy.
As long as the roses aren’t from Hannibal Lecter… 😀
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April 22, 2015 at 2:30 pm
Excellent. It is amazing what you can do with 100 words!
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April 22, 2015 at 11:06 pm
Oh my! What a poignant tale!
Who sent the roses? We are left to wonder. The drunk driver who cannot escape his conscience, perhaps?
Lovely, lovely, lovely! ❤
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April 23, 2015 at 3:13 am
Beautifully achieved mix of touching and intriguing. I’m always impressed by how much you can do with so little.
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April 23, 2015 at 4:10 am
Oooh…I am on the edge of my seat with this one Tess…who indeed? And why? Those cats sure are scitterish 😉 Another wonderful flash ❤
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April 23, 2015 at 5:51 am
Hmmm, cat jumps like a billy goat? Maybe knows something no one else knows. You are delicious in your surprise endings. 🙂
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April 23, 2015 at 5:10 pm
Tess, that gave me chills. It really does amaze me how much you can put into so little ❤
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April 24, 2015 at 7:06 am
Thanks so much, Cathy. I’m always surprised when I attempt these short shorts. I appreciate your reading and commenting. ❤ ❤
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April 23, 2015 at 8:06 pm
I could have hurt or killed someone when I was drinking. Grateful it never happened to me or a victim. Clean and sober 13 years.
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April 24, 2015 at 7:04 am
Awesome, Carl. Congratulations, and thank you for sharing. ❤ ❤ ❤
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April 24, 2015 at 7:02 am
Thanks so much, for reading and for the shout out. You have made my day! ❤ ❤ I'm glad you enjoyed my little scribbles.
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April 25, 2015 at 9:11 pm
I liked your story and especially the end. Makes me wonder…:)
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April 26, 2015 at 8:06 am
Thanks so much, Susan, for reading and commenting. I tickled you like my little flash.
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April 26, 2015 at 6:44 pm
I wonder who indeed….a startling ending and will we ever find out?
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April 26, 2015 at 6:53 pm
I’m thinking about it. 🙂
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April 27, 2015 at 5:48 pm
Yowza! Those last lines of yours are something my friend. You gave me goosebumps. Yes! Really! 🙂
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Pingback: Roses (part 2) | How the Cookie Crumbles
April 29, 2015 at 8:54 am
Loved this Tess! At first I thought it was going to be scary but then…. You did a lovely job on 100 words! White roses mean purity of heart! Nice touch! Hmm….now who….?
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April 30, 2015 at 3:22 pm
Thanks so much. I appreciate your kind support. ❤ ❤ ❤
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Pingback: Roses (part 3) | How the Cookie Crumbles
May 21, 2015 at 8:51 pm
Oh I like this, but I’ve already read part 3. Headed to part 2 now
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May 22, 2015 at 6:28 am
Thanks so much. Tickled you’re enjoying this. ❤ ❤ ❤
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