Stone-stacking #99WordStories

39 Replies

This week at the Carrot Ranch, Charli Mills challenged writers to In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story that features stone-stacking. How does the activity fit into a story? Who is involved? What is the tone? Do the stones have special meaning? Go where the prompt leads!

I tried all week to find a fitting ending to my story beginning but couldn’t get anything I was hoping for to fit. I have ended up with ninety-nine though, so I hope it works, at least a little.

Stacking Stones

Active children were everywhere — throwing, skipping, climbing, swinging, laughing, playing. But over in the garden, on the gravel path, one child was stacking stones.

“What’s he doing?” a visiting teacher asked.

“Jack? Counting stones. He’s been doing it for days now. At the end of playtime, he tells me how many he stacked.”

“Why?”

His teacher shrugged. “He likes counting, I guess.”

“Is he okay, I mean, you know —”

“Oh, yes. He’s completely fine. He just wants to see how high he can count.”

“How high has he got?”

“Twelve.”

“How far does he want to get?”

“Ninety-nine.”

Thank you blog post

Thank you for reading. I appreciate your feedback. Please share your thoughts.

Note: The collection of stories made in response to the previous prompt Memorials, including mine, can be read at the Carrot Ranch.

39 thoughts on “Stone-stacking #99WordStories”

  1. Jules

    You reminded me of when I was on the CR retreat – I left a few small stacks of stones by waterfalls… I enjoyed your story. And kind of like The Ranch Tales of Kid and Pal… I think the ending was just fine!

    Liked by 1 person

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  3. Pingback: Stacking Stone Collection « Carrot Ranch Literary Community

            1. Norah Post author

              It is good to have friends and catch up. We all need the human connection as much as we need paradise, but I understand how difficult it would be to tear yourself away.

              Liked by 1 person

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  7. Prior...

    Oh delightful
    Ending Norah!
    Had to smile with that
    –
    And for some reason Victor Frankld’s book about the search for meaning came to mind!
    He talked about being in a Nazi camp and doing mundane tasks (sweeping or digging) and that came to mind when stacking stones could be mundane and redundant but had so much meaning for our MC!
    –
    It also modeled the independence of doing our own thing and not caring about what others say.
    This stone stacker has a drive and solitude that will serve him well !

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          2. Prior...

            The first time I heard of Frankl’s was from a positive psychology professor and then you know how it is / you then see it in lots of places –
            It has been a while since I read I (pretty short book too)
            And Norah – ugh! There is one litt part where he describes one of the most beautiful sunsets ever!
            You feel the color and natural beauty – and then it is from the train to the concentration camp !
            And so the book looks at this kind of beauty – about humanity / air in the lungs and a pulse – and of course perspective and how that connects to everything
            Please let me know if/when you get to this book! Even if years from now
            ☀️🌸💛

            Liked by 1 person

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I appreciate your feedback. Please share your thoughts.

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