First, and irrelevantly, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my gorgeous little boy, who has become one of my best friends and a constant reminder of the wonder of life.
Now, onto business. It’s November, which means I’m already at least toe-deep in NaNoWriMo, but the lovely Steph over at BeKindRewrite doesn’t care about a small thing like that. She demands voices, because this week is Voice Week. So, every day this week, I’ll be posting a 100 word story in a different voice. If you want to find out more, join in, or read other Voice Week stories, check out VW HQ.
Either way, I hope you enjoy my stories this year. I’d love to hear your feedback – on the stories, on the voices, whatever. My stories are based on an InMon prompt from a few weeks ago, which I liked but didn’t use.
Guns in the Toy Box
We always said our son wouldn’t play at war. It seemed wrong to our middle class, liberal minds, that he should play at shooting when children half a world away do it for real.
But if you don’t buy them guns, apparently kids just make them. Out of fingers. Or toilet rolls. Or the arm of their sister’s Barbie. So we let him have a water pistol when he was five.
Now he’s going halfway around the world to protect those foreign children. I’m proud. But if it’s such a good thing, why do I wake up cold and sweating?
elmowrites 
hoping he comes back safe, sound, and unharmed….
great works, great job in raising such a person.
All fictional in this case, my own little boy is too young even for toy guns. I hope you enjoy the other voices…
Whew. Lol. Great work. Had me fooled
Yes I did enjoyed the other voices.
My mother felt the same way, so we could even pretend to shoot someone with our finger. Good luck with Nanowrimo! I’m taking a year off from doing a new novel, but revising a previous year’s story.
Revisions are at least as hard, David. Good luck with that, and thanks for stopping by my first VW story – I wonder how you and your mother would feel about the rest of the voices…
Intriguing. I was recently talking about this with a friend who has a young child. She said “we didn’t let him have any toy guns, and now everything is his ‘gun.'”
I don’t have any possibly-constructive critiques, which is rare for me. I think it’s very effective. I look forward to the rest. 🙂
Thanks jubilare, I’m glad you liked it. And yes, raising children there are no easy answers, eh?
I’ve none of my own, but from what I know of my own raising, and the experiences of friends and family, I know it’s a challenge!
Woah. This hits hard. Makes my throat tight. Can’t wait to see what else you have in store!
Thank you, Steph. I can’t believe you’re making me do this during NaNo! One of us must be mad. I think it’s probably me.
Pingback: Voice Week: Guns in the Toy Box #1 | elmowrites | Voice Week HQ
Wow…absolute punch to the gut there. Very well-done, echoes so many sentiments of parents lately. I can’t help but empathize–two of my closest friends plan on entering the military come summer. Fantastic work, can’t wait to read more!
I don’t know how people cope with loved ones away at war. Not easy on anyone.
I guess that’s the nature of war, though. Kind of like the obnoxious, drunk uncle. You don’t put up with it because you want to. You do so because you have to, and because the rest of your family hangs in the balance.
Your last line gave me chills.
p.s. I can’t believe that kid is a year old… it seemed only yesterday…
It’s definitely been a year, Ted! And thanks, I’m glad the last line works for you.
First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to your little guy!
Onto the story — it packed a punch, both in writing style (which was beautiful) and in the story (which was bittersweet). The last line would surely resonate with anyone, but especially so with mothers.
A powerful voice; can’t wait for more!
Great development of the story, and capturing a mothers worries for their child.
I simply love this piece! The details of middle class, making guns out of toilet rolls and barbie arms – connected me instantly. Looking forward to the next one.
love the universality of kids wanting to play fighting games. really interesting way to start; looking forward to seeing where this goes
How most parents feel I imagine…well, except those in Texas 😉
I grew up in the age of Star Wars (the original and the Reagan Era defense plan!) and looking back, I’m always amazed at how sanitized they made gunplay — lasers instead of bullets, and when people got hit they just fell down, seemingly stunned — hell, Star Wars’ counterpart Star Trek even had weapons with a STUN setting. Hate guns… nasty things. Off to read the other voices now.