15 Comments

I really liked this little story, and would read more 😉

Expand full comment

aww thank you, Shelley! I appreciate that!

Expand full comment

What a charming story AND even more charming your husband made it for you. I'd read the rest of that novel about Klara and Jack. 🫶🏻🤩

Expand full comment

thank you, Elaine! The very spontaneous characters of Klara and Jack thank you, too. :)

Expand full comment

I wrote this back in June for the challenge then forgot the title I saved it under. Ooops.

The Heart Gatherer

The little wooden heart gets scooped up and tossed into a bag full of similar hearts. Some are different colours, some more vivid, some dulled, some perfect, some chipped. Jules does as she always does when she adds to her collection, which is to tell herself a small story about the person who lost their heart. This time, she decides this small red heart belonged to a young man named Caleb. With the heart being in such good condition, the red very bright, no chips, no dull spots, it’s a heart that hasn’t seen much turmoil. Very likely, in her opinion, it’s a heart thrown away after the heartbreak of first love. It’s fine. In her story she tells herself, it’s only Caleb’s first heart he’s thrown away. He has more.

The saddest heart she ever found, which meant the saddest story she’s ever told herself, was a pitch black heart with many dents. It was so dented Jules had thought it was a rock at first, but upon a closer look, it was a heart. She had imagined it to be someone’s last heart, thrown away after years and years of loneliness, no colour in their life, ready to move on knowing there was no one to miss them.

Jules collects hearts. And tells herself stories.

Expand full comment

OH. MY. GOD. Trista, this is stunning. I got chills (again! You keep doing this to me.) WOW WOW WOW. It's not just your writing, it's your imagination, too. I'm floored by what you can evoke in so few words.

Expand full comment

I have over two years to make up for. Thank you🙂♥️

Expand full comment

I am SO SO happy and excited that you're starting up again. Little by little!

Expand full comment

Baby steps.

Expand full comment

So pretty! And the story was so cute! Would love to read more!

Such a fun challenge :)

Expand full comment

thank you, Trista! I hope you have fun with the challenge yourself, too!

Expand full comment

I did! It was nice to write something again, even if it was only a small paragraph :)

Expand full comment

this makes me SOOOO happy to hear!!

Expand full comment

I really loved that short story.

Expand full comment

I'm so happy it made you smile, E!

Expand full comment