#sixsentencestories – Page 23 – Poetry, Short Prose and Walking

Quarter – Six Sentence Story

With less than a quarter of his pieces remaining and seemingly desperate John moved his queen to a square adjacent to Tom’s king tempting Tom to capture her.

“Although I could win this game right now,” Tom announced as he took the bait removing John’s queen from the board and giving the plastic piece a messy kiss, “I’ll take your queen, you senile fool, just like I took that Miriam of yours long ago.”

After Tom’s capture of John’s queen, John moved a pawn to Tom’s edge of the board with a diagonally unobstructed view aimed right at Tom’s newly exposed king and with the right to exchange that pawn for any piece he wanted. John replaced the pawn with a diagonally powerful bishop as nursing home aides entered to wheel them back to their respective rooms.

“Why didn’t you get another queen, idiot?”

“I had one, Tom, until you took her away, but I only needed a bishop to checkmate you.”

Denise offers the prompt word “quarter” for this week’s Six Sentence Stories.

GirlieOnTheEdge Denise Farley's six-sentence-stories icon — GirlieOnTheEdge Denise Farley’s six-sentence-stories icon

Presence – Six Sentence Story

After worrying whether he should or not, Tom called his father telling him that he saw the ghostlike presence of Aunt Janet after his classes that afternoon.

“She said she was sorry, but she didn’t say what for,” Tom added.

“What did you say?”

“I told her it was OK and then she vanished.”

Tom didn’t believe in ghosts, nor did his father, but he felt obligated to pass on this message not understanding what actually alienated his father from Aunt Janet over a decade ago. He was relieved when he heard his father say, “I’m glad you told her that.”

Denise offers the prompt word “presence” for this week’s Six Sentence Stories.

Powerful – Six Sentence Story

Saul consented to the stoning of Stephen outside of Jerusalem. Little did he realize that years later he himself would be stoned in Lystra, stoned to death so his enemies thought. And perhaps it was to death, but after being dragged out of town and left for dead by men who supposedly knew what they were doing, he would stand up.

On his way to Damascus, Saul once again was up to no good. This time the Lord Himself knocked him down, or rather, he fell down unaccustomed to the blinding light. When his blindness left, so too did his powerful delusion.

Denise offers the prompt word “powerful” for this week’s Six Sentence Stories. The story is a recounting of some events from Acts 6-9,14.

Rivalry – Six Sentence Story

Bernard’s confidence returned as he began drinking the last can of his six-pack. He was ready to point out every nit that needed picking from the members of a social networking community he frequented.

In righteous rivalry he led his own charge condemning the “freaks, flakes and morons” to fiery hells that he himself didn’t believe in. They knew he was drunk.

Eventually his demons, unforgiving accusers themselves, led tired Bernard to bed one last time. As a reward for his long service, they prepared terrifying dreams.

Denise offers the prompt “rivalry” for this week’s Six Sentence Stories.

Improvise – Six Sentence Story

Although Rebekah told Isaac of the prophecy she received that Jacob, the second-born of her twins and her favorite, was to receive the blessing, as the boys matured Esau, the first-born and Isaac’s favorite, seemed to Isaac better able to carry any burdens his blessing might require.

In his old age with failing eyesight, Isaac decided to give the blessing to Esau rather than Jacob without telling Rebekah, but she overheard his plan and improvised one of her own. She prepared the meal Isaac requested from Esau, covered Jacob’s arms with fur to imitate Esau’s hairy skin and dressed him in Esau’s clothing to deceive her husband. Not even Jacob, willing though he was to go along with it, thought her plan would work, but it did.

After realizing he had been fooled, Isaac reluctantly remembered the prophecy and remained faithful to it reaffirming the blessing he unwittingly gave to Jacob. Esau, however, wanted revenge and so Rebekah convinced Isaac to send Jacob off on the pretext of finding a suitable wife, not one like Esau found among the locals, knowing that she would likely never see Jacob again.

Denise offers the prompt “improvise” for this week’s Six Sentence Story.

A more complete and accurate description of what happened to Isaac, Rebekah, Esau and Jacob begins at Genesis 25:19. The insight that Rebekah did not see Jacob again came from Pastor Colin Smith’s sermon last Sunday.

Connection – Six Sentence Story

Rafael walked home with his daughter, Celia, to bring her back to her mother. Celia told him about Derek, and she wondered how he knew so much about him? Rafael didn’t think he knew much at all.

They climbed the stairs to the second story apartment wondering what Celia’s mother would say or do when she saw her daughter again after two years. The silence of their searching eyes overcame the hardened words and deeds from their memories. Then tears restored their lost connection.

Denise offers the prompt “connection” for this weeek’s Six Sentence Stories. This story continues from Walk – Six Sentence Story.

Pawn – Six Sentence Story

Helen heard an infant crying, slid down to the river and found a newborn, an expendable pawn, abandoned to die and be washed away near a drain outlet. She wrapped the baby in her coat and then almost fell when the ground shook from the explosion while hearing Bill yell from above, “Helen, get out of there!” The water from the burst dam crushed her against vegetation on the bank as she protected the infant until her team reached them.

Bill and Rose adopted the child Helen rescued and invited Helen to stay with them indefinitely since she lived alone and could no longer take care of herself given her injuries which gave Helen days, months and then years to read to and guide Little Helen from her wheelchair.

When Little Helen was three years old a man gave her a permanent marker to write a message while Rose held her so she could reach the top of the casket. As she carefully made her marks she suddenly looked up with astonishment and proclaimed loud enough for all to hear, “Mommy, Auntie Helen is dancing with Jesus!“

Denise offers the prompt “pawn” for this week’s Six Sentence Stories. This story continues from Effervescent – Six Sentence Story.

Effervescent – Six Sentence Story

Eventually Bill stopped giving Rafael excuses and entered the revival tent hoping his doubts wouldn’t dampen the effervescent joy in others should a miracle occur. He stood at the back where he met a missionary who had scars across her cheeks, lips, ears and nose. She explained that the militia overpowering her town a decade ago carried off the pretty girls for prostitution and mutilated the ugly ones or killed them, like her sister, to demoralize the surrounding communities.

Bill went back often and at one point disclosed to her as a warning that his work was dangerous. In turn she reminded him that she was one of the ugly ones.

She loved it when he called her Rose and they were married under the revival tent.

Denise offers the word “effervescent” to be used in this week’s Six Sentence Stories. Continued from Filter – Six Sentence Story. Next: Pawn – Six Sentence Story.

Walk – Six Sentence Story

Celia’s boyfriend, Derek, with two of his friends helping, removed his things from her apartment the morning she met her father, Rafael, at the café. How did her father know Derek could not be trusted? Since the arguments with her mother she had not spoken to either of them. How did her father even know there was a Derek?

Rafael remained in the café for some time after Celia ran off and then decided to walk by the ocean before going home. He was wondering what their next move should be and how he would tell his wife that his meeting with their daughter failed when he heard footsteps running from behind and Celia shouting, “Dad, wait!”

Denise offers the prompt word “walk” for this week’s Six Sentence Stories. Continues from Service – Six Sentence Stories.

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Gear – Six Sentence Story

Some agents went with Timothy to the east parking area near the second tunnel after getting Helen’s dispatch where they found a suspicious fifteen foot van and arrested the driver upon hearing screams from the back. Other fully armed agents stood ready anticipating hostile response. When the shootout started Timothy dropped behind a car with the child he was moving from the van shielding her with his body and the protective gear he wore.

A few days later Timothy saw that child reunited with her parents at the hospital. She pointed him out and her family approached. In broken English they thanked him and the child’s mother sealed it with an uncontrolled flow of tears, holy water: God be praised.

Denise offers the prompt word “gear” to be used in this week’s Six Sentence Stories. This continues from Service – Six Sentence Story. Next: Home – Six Sentence Story