Transformation

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In her 99-word flash challenge this week, Charli said: “We are forged in the fires…[we] want to fully transform into something of beauty and purpose.” This reminded me very much of a tweet I wrote:

 

 

It’s not 99 words, though, it’s 19. Let’s see if I can expand this…

 

I struggle to find what’s real.

My mind feels like melted glass, being stretched and twisted into something I don’t recognize. If someone were to put my mind on display, it would be unsightly and puzzling. I hope it doesn’t turn out that way. If the glass can be manipulated as easily as pulling taffy, I think it can be made into something beautiful and useful. Perhaps a vase.

 

Okay, we’re at 69 words. Let’s just add 30 more…

 

I struggle to find what’s real.

I’m picking up sounds—buzzing and static. I think they’re trying to talk to me. Or maybe it’s me saying something. My words are lost in a haze of unrest.

My mind feels like melted glass, being stretched and twisted into something I don’t recognize. If someone were to put my mind on display, it would be unsightly and puzzling. I hope it doesn’t turn out that way. If the glass can be manipulated as easily as pulling taffy, I think it can be made into something beautiful and useful. Perhaps a vase.

 

Ah. And there you have it. My 99 for this week. 🙂

 

Flash Fiction Challenge over at Carrot Ranch

March 2, 2014 prompt: Slag – In 99 words (no more, no less) include slag (a glass-like by-product of smelting or refining ore) in a story. Slag is also used in making glass or can result from melting glass. It can be industrious or artistic.

 

Sarah Brentyn Reef 99 Words - sig

 

20 thoughts on “Transformation”

  2. This is awesome, Sarah. I enjoyed your original tweet. Then I enjoyed your addition, and your addition. Fabulous meaning added each time. Each addition does stretch, twist, transform, into something new.
    You know, you are the master of telling a lot in just a few words. I find it interesting that you’ve had to add to get to your 99 words. I’m usually the opposite. I have to delete, and delete, and delete, and still don’t tell as much as you do in so few. Brilliant!

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    • Thank you. ❤ The prompt made me think of this tweet and I was just going to post that but figured, eh, let me try to stretch and twist this into a 99-word flash. This is how I got some of the stories for Hinting at Shadows. They began as tiny tweets. (I often add to get to the 99 count but also have to edit and cut some of the pieces to shreds. Depends on the week and the prompt and if I'm feeling verbose.) 😉

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    • I do enjoy this transformation process. 🙂 Thanks, Anne.

      So, yes, Twitter. I write for a lot of prompts on there and it’s sort of a drafts folder for me. Some of the pieces in Hinting at Shadows started out as tweets. Remember #Tweets4Blogs? I have a few posts on this:

      Mine Your Own Tweets

      Be Your Own Muse

      Basically, you “use the search bar [on Twitter] and enter your handle and the hashtag. Like this: @sarahbrentyn #Tweets4Blogs”

      Or you can enter your handle and a keyword. I think I found this one by searching: @sarahbrentyn glass

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  9. Transformation flash! Oh, you’re so brilliant! I’m thinking what a lovely way to torture, I mean inspire, a prompt for a certain Vol. 2. 😀 I loved this process. It reminds me of your Tweet-prompt, next Sasha’s 52-word prompt, and then the 99-word prompt. I love seeing the deepening layers of meaning come to life.

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