‘Fifty-nine dead. Five hundred injured.’ Hannah says it more to herself than anyone else.
‘Terrorists again?’ the young girl playing on the floor asks her.
‘Just a man with a gun.’
‘It’s never going to stop, is it, Mum?’
‘It hasn’t stopped since time began. All this violence toward each other,’ she shakes her head. ‘All of it senseless.’
‘Then there is nothing we can do to make it better.’
Hannah looks at her daughter and sees the look of fear.
‘No, we never give up. We never let the violence win. Get your paint and some paper.’
Hannah helps her paint the word ‘love’ in bold blue letters. The ten year-old adds love hearts.
‘Come,’ Hannah says. They go out into the street and walk to the town centre, carrying the homemade sign.
Hannah lights the candle she brought with her and stands holding her daughter’s hand. The small crowd grows, standing together in peaceful remembrance and defiance.
She looks into the innocent brown eyes staring up at her. ‘Hate never wins.’

Written as part of Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers. The challenge is to write a flash fiction story in around 150 words, based on the weekly photo prompt. Thanks as always to the challenge host Priceless Joy. For more information visit HERE.
To read other stories based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.
49 responses to “LOVE”
Thanks for this lovely story on dark day Iain.
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You’re welcome, thank you for reading.
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Besutiful story of Hope!
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We have to keep believing that peace will win. Such a sad day.
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Thanks Janet
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Thanks Joy
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loved the part: get your paint and some paper.
yes!
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That and the pen, powerful weapons.
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oooo = well said!
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Excellent! Enjoyed the story. Made me feel a bit better about both the world and myself.
Mine: https://kindredspirit23.wordpress.com
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Thank you, I’m glad it helped you feel better on a bad day.
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Stories of topical interest touch an instant chord. Thanks for the emotions it generated, Iain!
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You’re very welcome. Thank you for reading.
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A very strong story and message. Good one, Iain.
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Thanks Varad.
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A precious lesson for the daughter. I admire the mother in Hannah.
Beautiful story of hope and love.
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Thanks Moon
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We should never let hate win. A timely tale indeed.
Click to read my Six!
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Thanks Keith
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Love will ultimately triumph. Lovely story, Kelly.
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Thanks Neel
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This is a lovely story Iain, but when I first read it, I just clicked ‘Like’, as I didn’t feel much like writing anything. Hannah says hate never wins, but it certainly does a lot of damage, like fostering cynicism and resignation.
Vigils and displays of solidarity have value, but something a lot more concrete has to happen to prevent events like the one on most people’s minds at present.
Sorry for the negativity. It’s still a good story. We’ll done.
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I agree to an extent, but in this case a mother looks at her daughter and sees the fear starting to win. There is not much concrete a child can do, but they can be taught not to give in to that fear. Hopefully that is the lesson Hannah gives her here. Thanks for reading.
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It really hurts me that these kinds of things still happen in your country, I like to believe that love always wins, but then again, love without action is just a word.
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Thanks Joy. I’ve commented a lot today that looking from the outside, the gun laws and controls (or lack of them) in America is just plain crazy.
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It was impossible for me to look at that image and not write about the tragedy that occurred in Las Vegas last Sunday evening.
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I want to, but the images and sounds take me back to a place that I REALLY don’t want to go to. Maybe I will write, but privately at that.
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I had the same feeling James, although I tried not to be too overt beyond the first couple of lines.
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Brings tears to my eyes to read this, sad tears. Just yesterday, i watched a little boy (5ish)looking up at the tv news. What he said tore my gut in two. “Mommy, where was Superman and Batman?’ The Mom pointed to the screen and said “Right there… and there… and there!” She was pointing at the people helping people. We ALL need more of that in this world, so sad that it takes something like this to actually make us do it.
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The real sadness is that events like this are becoming so commonplace that people start to become immune to the horror of it. Surely, at some point, something will be done to try and stop it happening so often.
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One can only pray that it is sooner rather than later. I heard a comment yesterday that it seems there has been much more hate/violence since the election last year than our nation has ever seen. And, it does seem so, on the face of it.
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How very true x
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Thanks Shehanne x
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What a wonderful story for a dark week in America. We will never let hate and violence win. Thank you, Iain.
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Thank you Rosemary, I’m glad it meant something to you.
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Wonderful story Iain! The Las Vegas shooting is so sad and senseless. I think it has this country in shock.
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Not just your country PJ, the rest of the world too. The prompt was an excuse to try and write something positive, thank you.
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I didn’t realize you didn’t live in the U.S. but you are so right, this covers the whole world. This entire world needs love.
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Love will triumph. Amen. A story of hope.
https://ideasolsi65.blogspot.in/2017/10/shielded.html
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Thank you
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A great positive story growing out of recent events. Well done.
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Thanks Sarah, it’s not much but it’s better to try and be positive.
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Ah Ian- I used the same theme but in a different way, yours is more positive.Mine depicts the pain of the bereaved families.
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Well done, Iain. Hate never wins!
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Thanks Sascha
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[…] that is, I read this superb piece of writing from Iain Kelly and asked myself why? What was it about this violent event that made me do the written equivalent […]
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[…] moon, https://meandray.com/2017/08/02/full-moon/ as I wondered if love would ever find me. https://iainkellywriting.wordpress.com/2017/10/02/love/ Did I have even an element of chance? […]
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Wow. I found your post by clicking a link in Debs Despatches blog (https://debsdespatches.com/2017/10/11/las-vegas/). I clicked it not knowing what to expect and without being in any emotional state in particular. I started reading, and by the end of your ca 150 words I was crying. From zero to real tears in less than two minutes. This is strong and skilled writing. Kudos.
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Thanks for reading. I’m glad it had an effect on you, that is the ultimate compliment.
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