Ellie struggled along the icy path to the children’s hospital, two full bags in either hand.
‘Morning, Ellie. What are you donating today? More hats?’
Ellie nodded. Bill took the bags from her. ‘Thank you, Ellie. You have a nice Christmas.’
Ellie left silently. Bill handed the bags to Beth. ‘Put these with the rest.’
Beth emptied the knitted hats onto the table, joining the stacks of hundreds more.
‘Why does she do it?’ Beth asked Bill.
‘She lost her own child in the ice storm of ’82. Ever since, she knits hats.’
Beth watched the lonely figure shuffling away, hunched against the cold.
Happy Holidays to all the Friday Fictioneers and those that visit my blog. As always I am eternally grateful for everyone who takes the time to read my offerings. I hope you all have a wonderful break and a Happy New Year.
Written as part of the Friday Fictioneers challenge hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields (more details HERE). The idea is to write a short story of 100 words based on the photo prompt (above).
To read stories of 100 words based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.
A chewy character here. Nice one, Iain
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks Neil
LikeLike
This makes me sad and warms my heart all at once. Absolutely love the way you tell the story. Happy holidays to you and yours, Iain.
LikeLiked by 4 people
Thank you Annie, for all the comments and for continuing to read my stories over the past year. Happy Holidays to you as well, I hope you enjoy it 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Poignant and so believable.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you Jane.
LikeLike
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Happy Christmas to you Iain. XXX for all the wonderful fiction all year round.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Shehanne – thank you for always reading and your supportive comments. Merry Christmas, hope you have a great time 🙂 x
LikeLiked by 1 person
You too Iain. I am looking forward to more entertainment next year x
LikeLiked by 1 person
A form of therapy, but I’m not sure it’s altogether working. Still, someone benefits. Merry Christmas, Iain.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thanks Sandra, a nice way to look at it, even if she is struggling to cope she is helping others.
LikeLike
Beautiful and sad at the same time. No parent should outlive their child. Nice tale, Iain.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you Varad.
LikeLike
Dear Iain,
I echo Varad. No parent should outlive their child. And the holidays do seem to magnify loss. Poignant and well written story, sir. Made my screen blur.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you for such kind words Rochelle.
LikeLike
Happy holidays to you too. This was a nice story..made me pensive. Have a great holiday.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, much appreciated 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, poor Ellie. Such grief. So well-written.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you so much.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So poignant. Hopefully, the hats will be put to good use.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. From my experience of children’s hospitals, they certainly will be 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
That must be so horrible. At least she found a way to compensate somewhat.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks James. It appears she is over-compensating, but then I can’t imagine how anyone would cope in that situation.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Once again you’ve knitted a delightful yarn. Hats off to you sir. Enjoy the festive season, I look forward to reading more from you in the very near future.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you Keith – I always enjoy your comments 🙂
LikeLike
So very tragic . superbly written, as always.
I loved the last line. I could feel Ellie’s lonely, cold heart.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you Moon, glad you liked it 🙂
LikeLike
Great tale, Iain. Hope you have a marvelous holiday! Thanks for sharing your little stories with us.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Janet, and a Happy Holidays to you too. Thank you so much for reading and all your supportive comments 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
They should pass on some of the hats
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Bryan. That’s the idea, it’s more that she keeps knitting more hats than they will ever need.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A sad portrait!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Afraid so – not quite in the festive mood.
LikeLike
I can so understand her. Lovely story, Iain.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Dale, that means a lot from you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
😘
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a beautifully touching story. No child should have to be so cold, and every child should have a beautiful hat knit with pure love, too. 🙂 ❤
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, glad you liked it – could almost be a prequel to your own story this week 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s what I thought when I read yours! Wow, love when that happens, don’t you? Merry Christmas, lain.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Merry Christmas to you also 🙂
LikeLike
I hope that there will be someone buying them before the next ice-storm…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Would be nice for them to be put to good use. Thanks Bjorn.
LikeLike
I’m in a knitting group (I don’t knit, I embroider, but it’s the camaraderie that counts.) More than half the ladies knit hats for cancer patients or baby clothes for children that die at birth ~ so the parents have something beautiful to put their child in or layettes for children of military men and women. It warms the cockles of my heart. You brought that feeling to the surface with your story. Thank you and Merry Christmas.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you Alicia – it was based on my twins who spent time in hospital when born premature and wore clothes that were knitted and donated to the hospital as shop clothes didn’t come in sizes small enough. Those little sort of things become massive gestures when in that situation. Glad it gave you that same feeling 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Oh, it truly did. Thanks for giving me a little insight into your story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This was so well written. I have a very powerful image of Ellie – I can see her walking away surrounded by her grief. Great story, Iain.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you Edith, much appreciated.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hope they aren’t throwing them away. Surely there is someone who would appreciate them.
LikeLiked by 2 people
So poignant and yet so warm. Lovely read.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you
LikeLiked by 1 person
it must be tough to get over the lost of a child. at least, she’s doing something positive about it. nice story. happy holidays to you and family.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, and Happy Holidays 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh wow, hats have inspired a sense of loss for me too in my story. She cuts a lonely figure hunching against the cold while she knits hats to keep others warm 😦
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Fatima
LikeLike
A very sad story. You captured a character clearly with just one moment.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautifully sad story Iain, very well told.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much
LikeLike
A very sad but well told tale. Her coping mechanism doesn’t seem to be working too well, but how many of us would fare better under the circumstances?
Wishing you all the best as you celebrate Christmas!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Jan. It is difficult to see how anyone would cope in such circumstances. Merry Christmas to you and yours 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Quite sad, but sweet that she’s trying to keep other people’s kids warm after what happened to hers.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you
LikeLiked by 1 person
Poor Ellie – she should donate her lovely hats to a refugee charity which will actually use them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Perhaps that is where they get sent in the end. Thanks Liz.
LikeLike
A very believable tale, Iain. Your dialogue is lovely, really well judged, telling the story without ever stepping out of character. A sad story, but one with an undercurrent of hope.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much Penny, very kind.
LikeLike
This is a beautiful story of a woman who gives in spite of her grief. Acts of kindness do bring healing! Happy holidays to you as well. =)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Brenda 🙂
LikeLike
Sad but beautifully told, Iain. What a lovely thing to keep giving after your own loss. Lovely.
All the best for Christmas and 2018
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Lynn, and to you 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
A poignant read. Good one. Ellie cuts a lonely figure.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Vivian
LikeLiked by 1 person
😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
a touching tale for Christmas. I hope someone becomes the beneficiary of Ellie’s labors.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Susan
LikeLike
Christmas is a hard time for many particularly those who have lost children and other loved ones. Your story was beautiful although I’m sure they could find a use for the hats somehow. Hope you have a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year Iain.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Irene, and a Merry Christmas to you and yours too 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sweet story Lain, Happy Holidays to you as well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Dawn.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A touching story, Iain. Have a blessed holiday.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Russell, and to you too.
LikeLike
Sad and tender. An example of not being able to move on from a loss so overwhelming.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Sarah Ann
LikeLike
Sad and Melancholy. Not quite to depressing.
Well written.
Mine: https://kindredspirit23.wordpress.com/2017/12/22/tend-to-your-knittin/
Scott
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Scott
LikeLiked by 1 person
U R Wlcm
LikeLiked by 1 person
Enjoyed your sad tale (poor Ellie) and also the real story behind the story. Hope your twins are thriving. Merry Christmas!
LikeLiked by 1 person
They certainly are, thank you 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
That was a beautiful story! Sad but so well written. Well done.
I’m going to resume writing stories with FF in the New Year.
Happy Christmas!
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
LikeLiked by 1 person
Look forward to reading more from you then Susan. Merry Christmas to you 🙂
LikeLike
Sad story but maybe it’s time to move on. But I’ll tip my cap to her for her hard work.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you.
LikeLike
Poignant piece Iain. Merry Christmas, see you on the other side
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Michael, and to you too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A heartrending story, Iain. It would be a mother’s worst fear. Good writing. Happy Holidays. —- Suzanne
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Suzanne.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful, sad and poignant story. I loved Ellie, though something in the words, “Put these with the rest” made me want to punch Bill. Happy New Year, Iain!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Jan – I think Bill means well, he’s just a realist.
LikeLike
Hi Iain Kelly,
A very heartwrenching story indeed. Beautiful and captivating. Thanks so much for sharing this. Hope to see more great works from you in the future!
Cheers,
💕🤗
TTT https://thinkthoughtstaught.wordpress.com
LikeLike
Such a gentle and poignant story, told with delicacy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much
LikeLike