Just for fun, I decided to enter a flash fiction story into Mysti Parker’s May Flash Fiction contest. The basic rules were that the story had to be 600 words or less and begin with the following sentence:
I never expected to be in this position so soon, saying goodbye to my son.
I’m not a parent, so at first this prompt didn’t “speak to me.” However, as sometimes happens, the sentence percolated at the back of my mind and just wouldn’t go away. I started writing notes about what kind of thing I might write that started with that sentence. Almost immediately, I realized that Mysti had given me an opportunity to explore an aspect of my story world that was outside the scope of my books.
What if a father recently discovered that his beloved, only son had abilities with magic? What if the rest of the family was mundane (non-magical) and lived in a village where sorcerers weren’t welcome?
My flash fiction entry titled “Sorcerer’s Staff” answers those questions, at least for the family in the story. Please check it out and feel free to chime in with your comments:
Sorcerer’s Staff by Daniel R. Marvello on Mysti Parker’s blog “Unwritten”
