Flash Fiction Challenge Entry. ‘Salvation’ by Derbhile Graham

Good morning friends.  The second entry in my Flash Fiction challenge to all aspiring writers has arrived and I know you will all enjoy it.  Tanya Farrell, the writer behind ‘The Camels Back’ has received lots of great feedback so thank you everyone for being so lovely and taking the time to let her know how much you enjoyed it.  As I said many times before, it is extremely brave to share your writing for the first time and I can promise you that for every ‘like’ or ‘comment’ you make you help to quell some of their shaking nerves. 

Today’s offering is from Derbhile Graham, titled ‘Salvation.’  Derbhile’s piece is short and she knows how to use words to their utmost effect. Not a single word of the 217 is wasted. I’ve read the piece a few times and each time I get something new from it. I love it when that happens.  

Enjoy everyone and if Tanya and Derbhile have inspired you, why not give it a go yourself?

In case you have missed any of the fun so far here is a link to the Flash Fiction Series.

http://carmelharrington.com/category/flash-fiction-2013-series/

Carmel x

Salvation

Jamie struts. Her heels strafe the pavement, click clack, click clack. She uses her stick-of-all-trades to cut swathes through Saturday crowds. Her black hair swishes in time with her stick. She turns towards the sun, lets it caress her face. Her deadly nightshades, thick as armour, dominate her face.

Through the wall of sound, Jamie hears a sweet, insistent voice. It tugs at her memory. She strains her ears, moves into its orbit.

“Hello,” it says.

Jamie’s internal voice-recognition system isn’t kicking in, but she slows down, just in case.

“Would you like to support Sight Savers?”

It is brown and sticky, this voice, its vowels promise extreme unction. Jamie imagines the owner’s artfully-arranged hair, eyes brimming with sincerity and caramel-smooth skin. Her stick brushes against his foot. There is no escape.

“I’m sure you of all people are bound to appreciate how important our work is.”

Jamie can hear the whir of his thoughts: I have a live one here.

“Oh sure,” she drawls. “You can save my sight, pal. Anytime you want.”

This time, the touch of her stick is deliberate. It thwacks against his leg. She fancies she can hear his intake of breath. The day is cold, but Jamie is glowing.

“Oops, sorry,” she says over her shoulder as she taps away. 

Derbhile Graham is a freelance writer, originally from Clonmel. Co Tipperary, but now living in Tramore, Co. Waterford. She is the author of The Pink Cage, first published by Book Republic in 2011, now self-published. The Pink Cage is a tale of a girl with hair the colour of day old snow and a love that’s not quite forbidden. Derbhile loves nothing more than to help other people tell their story. She has given creative writing classes for the Bealtaine Festival, Waterford Festival of Learning and Waterford Healing Arts. Derbhile also runs a writing and editing service called WriteWords,

 

For more information about Derbhile, visit www.writewordseditorial.ie. And to buy a copy of The Pink Cage, emailderbhile@writewordseditorial.ieImage

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