Home » Friday Fictioneers » Friday Fictioneers – The Ritual

Friday Fictioneers – The Ritual

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Genre:  Fiction

Word count: 99

The Ritual

© copyright - Rachel Bjerke

For centuries they gathered here, little girls ready to jump into womanhood.  Required age was thirteen as they would find themselves married off to some old geezer starting at fourteen, without choice.

None of them were excited at the prospect.  They had dreams of another sort to go out and take over the world.  Every year, at the Spring Equinox, they gathered, made a fire in the pit, danced feverishly, celebrating what should be and not what will inevitably be.

When dawn showed its first light, they threw their dolls into the well.

Children no more. Dreams put aside.

Friday Fictioneers:  100-word stories

Photo prompt:  © Copyright – Rachel Bjerke

35 thoughts on “Friday Fictioneers – The Ritual”

  2. Yay, Dale, you rose to the challenge. Welcome to Friday Fictioneers and an excellent first. Well written. And you managed to make it a Spring Equinox story to coincide with this weekend 🙂 When I read this, it made me glad that the age of consent is higher these days — at least in some countries it is — although girls hardly out of childhood are still forced to marry old geezers in some parts of the world.

    Liked by 1 person

    • I did indeed! I told Rochelle that thanks to you, I take walks with my fingers counting out 5 – 7 – 5 for haiku, that I was considering trying my hand at tanka and now this! You are trying to make me in to a writer!
      Thank you. It was fun and hard to limit to 100 words – who’d a thunk? I think it is a most horrid practice to marry off children to old geezers…

      Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you Sandra! I loved your picture and story from last week… that is when I started thinking of joining in. That and when Sarah suggested I try my hand!

      Like

  6. Pertinent story. It’s still going on in some parts, legally or otherwise. Such a cruel assault on childhood and choice.
    (Here in the UK we had a 90% eclipse of the sun this morning, we have a supermoon, and it’s the equinox. Good timing plus.)

    Liked by 1 person

  7. Great story, Dale. I remember having to write micro fiction when I took a writing class in school. I always thought it was such a fun challenge. This was done very well. Very nostalgic, at least for me. Nicely done.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thanks George! It was harder than I thought it would be and yet easier too ~ once I cut, cut, cut!!!
      Much appreciated!

      Like

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