© Yarnspinnerr
“What are you eating, Grandpa.”
“Ashes, apparently.”
Elizabeth was twelve and still enjoyed visiting her Grandpa for the holidays. Mom and Dad would be up in a few days but this time was just for the two of them. Lately though Grandpa had been acting strange.
“I can make you a sandwich for lunch if you’d like.”
“No, sweetie. This is the plate set before me and this is what I’ll eat.”
“But what is it, Grandpa? It doesn’t even look like food.”
“It’s what’s left of your dreams after the magic’s gone. Dried up like autumn leaves. Good for nothing but throwing away.”
“Oh, Grandpa.” She slipped up behind the old man and hugged him as he sat at the table. You still miss Grandma, don’t you?”
The old man reached up and gently put his hand on the girl’s shoulder.
“She was my dream. Now God’s taken the magic away.”
Elizabeth sat in the next chair and put her arms around him. “I miss her too, Grandpa. I promise. I’ll always love you.”
I write this for the FFfAW Challenge-Week of December 12, 2017 challenge. The idea is to use the image above as the inspiration for crafting a piece of flash fiction between 100 and 175 words long. My word count is 175.
I have no idea what’s on that plate and it really made it tough to think of anything to write. I thought about aliens, the supernatural, some sort of tie in to Christmas or Hanukkah, but nothing really clicked. What I wrote above is the best I could come up with. Dining on dead and dried up dreams after the magic has gone. The family members one generation older than me are getting sicker and some have died this year. Looking back, I realize I’ve been looking death in the face. The only thing that gives me hope is the children who will come after us.
To read other stories based on the prompt, visit InLinkz.com.
poweredbyrobots.com 
What a sweet story James! I love it! Perfect for the holidays. 🙂
LikeLike
Actually, I thought it was kind of depressing but in a way you’re right. I remember the first Christmas after my wife and I married. That September my wife’s cousin died suddenly and then a month later so did her Dad. That Christmas (we celebrated back then) was pretty grim. Fortunately we had each other.
LikeLike
That is too bad about your wife’s cousin and uncle. That would put a sadness in the holidays. I hope ya’ll have happy holidays now!
LikeLike
Well, that was 35 years ago, so things have kind of smoothed out since then. That said, my Dad died in April and my Uncle died a couple of days ago, so death is still with us.
LikeLike
My mother died in April too. Yes, death is always with us.
LikeLiked by 1 person
😦
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree with PJ. A very sweet story indeed, James.
LikeLike
Thanks, Neel.
LikeLike
I think everyone is struggling to identify what is in the picture, I certainly did. But I like where it took you James.
LikeLike
Thanks, Iain. Haven’t had a chance to read the stories of the others yet. Looking forward to seeing how everyone else handled the prompt.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I liked how you started with ‘ashes’ then revealed the death of the grandmother…..nicely done James.
LikeLike
“Ashes to ashes, and dust to dust,” Michael. Thanks.
LikeLike
I liked this James. As we get older we have our dreams and memories, then suddenly the ones closest to us are no longer there to share them. It’s what makes everything so precious now as we don’t know how long we’ll have.
LikeLiked by 2 people
What we’ve lost sometimes makes it difficult to see what we still have. Thanks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree with you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Looks scary. Whatever.
Wonderful read though.
LikeLike
Well, I wouldn’t eat it unless someone told me what it was…or I was very hungry. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Looks like chicken legs chips to me. Very crunchy.
🙂
I’m actually an omnivore.
LikeLike
Me too, but I still like to know what I’m eating.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a sweet girl. Good for her to soothe her Grandpa. A lovely story.
LikeLike
Thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A sad story, but I think that there could be hope for the grandfather, if only he can find joy in the new generations around him.
LikeLike
Bittersweet to be sure, Michael.
LikeLike
Awwe, what a sweet tale. Loved the physical manifestation of dying dreams as ashes.
LikeLike
I’m sure he’ll find some new magic within Elizabeth, in time.
Click to read my FFfAW!
LikeLike
Perhaps, Keith. Thanks.
LikeLike
Wonderful write. Simple, elegant and passionate.
LikeLike
Thanks.
LikeLiked by 1 person