Founds this over at https://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/2015/03/18/20-march-2015/ and it was such a beautiful photo, I had to write something.
© Copyright – Rachel Bjerke
Hands placed above the hearth, he inhaled until his lungs would burst.
Each stone had her scent on it. Every brick held the warmth of her touch. The floorboards where she’d walked bore the imprint of her bare feet. He loved that house, as he’d come to love her. But, his sister hadn’t felt that way.
She’d returned, tore the house down to its skeletal frame.
He’d stopped her in time. The hearth, scraped free of the witch’s ashes, burned once more. With the sizzle-crackle of Gretel came the sweet, unforgettable scent of gingerbread baking.
The memory made him smile.
Dear Raymond,
Welcome to Friday Fictioneers. I feel it only fair to warn you that once you start it’s hard to stop.
Your story tells a very different side of Hansel and Gretel. Nicely done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Who’d want to stop? =D
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I haven’t in three years.
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And your little tale made me smile too! Nice.
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Yay, I’m glad! =D
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There was a slow dawning of this one on me and it was divine – I love that leap to comprehension, where you go Ooooh!
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You and me both, LOL!
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Excellent story but why is he burning Grettle?
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It’s sort of Stockholm Syndrome. Years passed, and Hansel realizes he somehow loved the Witch. He goes back to find Gretel has almost completely destroyed the home of the Witch, so in a fit of anger and insanity, he sweeps away the Witch’s ashes, to keep, and kills his sister.
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Oh, okay. I need to reread it. I didn’t understand that at all.
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It makes much better sense to me now. Thank you.
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Yay! That’s the thing with flashes sometimes, lol.
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Yes, that is true. Especially when reading so many flash stories the brain gets overloaded. Haha
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Mine gets overloaded when I’m picking out socks in the morning… lol
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LOL! It’s hard trying to find a pair that match or look like they match.
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It is! Especially when they’ve just come out of that magical portal we humans call the dryer!
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Intriguing variation on the fairy tale. Well done.
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Thank you!
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Dear Raymond,
Welcome to the party, pal. I hope to read more of your work in the future. This one was tasty.
Aloha,
Doug
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Thanks! I look forward to joining you guys again for the next ride. 😀
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Great story enhanced by your explanation. Keep writing for us.
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Thank you 🙂
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Ah.. yes I can see Hans longs for the sweet smell of imprisonment.. bad bad Gretel…
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It’s like that ex-mother-in-law who could really, really cook.
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Loved this adaptation, very well written!
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Thank you so much!
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Poor Gretel. No good deed goes unpunished. Nice twist.
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Thank you! 😀
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