50-word short story challenge - MONEY
THE MILL
„Now, that you've got my money and property, won't you also take care of my children?“
Grandfather broke his observing silence, facing the Bolsheviki, still plundering his mill.
Grimly, the poorly uniformed leader hushed him away:
"We've got what is ours. You want to live? Take your breed. Go!"
I took the first event coming to my mind after thinking about the money term.
It's a true story.
I don't actually know if money was also involved in my grand dads question but I thought it fits the message as "money" today is much more associated to a secure life than back then where people lived more self sufficient. Or more so where my family was located.
I must say that limiting myself to just 50 words was a positive perceived challenge because it very effectively made me thinking to use as much descriptive terms I can put in the story. What else it made me aware of that the description of a "poorly uniform" I took out of historical context as the Bolsheviki - also known as red army - were working class people.
If you are interested in reading the whole story, I provided you with a two part article titled with "Why being political is a very personal thing. The story of the Russian Germans - from my family's point of view." Part one and part two.
After having written the 50 words, some others visited me during the day. :)
Your recommendation to write first, let it rest and come back, is a very good one! Thank you.
I don't know how often I am going to write 50 or more words. But for sure this is a lot of fun and it doesn't eat much time. It's a very good exercise!
The 50 word short story contest is a courtesy from @jayna - she gives the prompts as well as the guidelines for participation.
Photo by Agence Producteurs Locaux Damien Kühn on Unsplash
Welcome to the fiftywords gang!! Great opener with excellent dialogue..
Thank you very much! I've read some very inspiring others, too. what a good idea that is, this limitation:)
It's an authentic and evocative scene that for a moment transported me in another world.
Thank you. Must see what you guys are doing so far. I was away a couple of days. Tomorrow I hope I am going to dive into it again:)
We're always there waiting for you with open fangs.. err.. arms! 😜
As long the fangs give me some pleasures I am all yours :)
Rrarrr! 🐿️
Hahaha... my first thought was, that's going to be hard for you. 50 words only? 5000 would have been much easier for you I think! 😉😎
I remembered that story right away. Compliment, well... ahm.. condensed 🤔 (giggle)
I used a trick. HeHe.
Trick? Which one??
letting myself being disciplined by 50 words. LOL!
Wouldn't have expected you asking me of the trick. In fact, I was .. ahem ... just teasing.
Tsts... I'm surprised, you didn't just ignore the rule. Were you tied to a chair?
HeHe, sometimes it's better to obey willingly. No chair was used.
Did you actually see that I mentioned you in this post:
https://steemit.com/reading/@erh.germany/the-vampire-l
;-)
Ahm... to be honest, no. That Lestat guy was my exwife's favorite and therefore somehow negatively associated for me... maybe time to readjust ;-)
Oh .ahhaaaaa!! :-) So I was unwillingly stinging into the wasps nest. Apologies! :) The books though are really worth to read.
What's amazing is that the scene is vividly captured in so few words. "Breed". The word reflects how in the eyes of the soldier Grandather and his family have no humanity. Hence, cruelty is morally and emotionally acceptable.
exactly. No mercy for no humans.
Well done, @erh.germany. I'm amazed that this is a true story! Thank you for providing the additional background information and the links to more stories of your family past. I will read them. (But it might take me a few days to get to them.
thank you. I was away for some days and hope I'll catch up for the story contests:)
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