Flash Fiction- the Day Shadows Turned to Blackness. Annart's Challenge.

My parents had several German Shepherds as I was growing up. One day my youngest brother wandered out of the yard. We lived in the country with fields and a nearby woods. One of the dogs stayed with him, and when my mother started calling for Jimmy, the dog barked. He barked in return to every one of her calls, and that is how my mother found him. My other brother and I were playing and never missed him as he wandered off. So that was a happy ending just like your story.

Brilliant Ruby.

Enjoy your day .

Eddy.

Ruby, I just reread your story. I must have been on the verge of falling asleep, because the first time, I somehow stopped reading two paragraphs too early. You didn't kill Timmy and Shep. Oh happy day. Sorry I misread before. It is a great story.

Ruby, you are great at this flash fiction, and you are an amazing writer, I am blessed to have you for my friend.

Blessings and Hugs

Hi Ruby, I don't know how I missed this heartrending hub of Timmy and Shep! You certainly do have this flash fiction style down. Had to read it twice because I thought it had a happy ending but I see some commenting about a sad ending. This had my heart beating so fast. I love the photo of the boy and the yellow lab, who reminds me of my childhood pet. Excellent! Voted up ++++tweeting, pinning, G+ and sharing God bless

Ruby, this is such an amazing piece of flash fiction. Timmy is such a cute kid and what a wonderful chap this Shep is ! Everything is so vivid in this tiny tale. Loved reading this very sweet hub. You responded to Ann's challenge so well. Voted up and shared.

Beautifully written and you have great thoughts here. Voted up!

You are certainly great at this flash fiction! loved the story Ruby! and yes old Shep saves the day!

Different slant from Billy and Mary's. Nice interaction and cool ending. A friendly and approachable touch. Nice one, my sweet friend.

Yes Ruby, loved the happy ending better

I was holding my breath until the end! Especially after reading John and Chris's stories! Great job! Up++

Hey Ruby....you are sneaky. You slipped in a happy ending without telling anyone. I commented after thinking Timmy and Shep both drowned....then I see Genna saying she was pleased with a happy ending...what?? I went back and realised that you had added to the ending :)

This is great flash fiction. I can’t write in this style and am envious of those who do this so well. Billy is right – this is your niche, my friend. I’m so pleased with the happy ending. The fact that Timmy is blind shows in the painting…what a unique, creative idea and perspective! Well done, Ruby. Voted up and shared.

Wow, what a great story. Tragic ending and all. Thank you for sharing. Jamie

Very good story, Ruby. I held my breath as Shep drifted away. A happy ending with a lesson well-learned.

Thank goodness Timmy and Shep are safe! I guess when Shep drifted away he was actually going for help. Just like Timmy and Lassie from long ago.

Great story, Ruby. And it even comes complete with a moral to the story!

Hello Ruby. What an interesting turn you have given us with this story. You lead us to the very end of the high diving board and then you pushed us off.

This is very different from your jaunty 'I Traded in my truck' poetry that you just published.

Sad but compelling story Ruby. I wish I had time or the energy to do one of these challenges. Very well done.

Always.. you're always getting it right.. this challange proves to be just that a challenge and you got it right

Hauntingly tragic, I can visualize Mommie when she discovers...

Your wings are spreading beautifully, Ruby. Love, Maria

Why am I always a day late and a dollar short?

I don't know anything about a challenge but you surely wrote this up right. Poor Shep! Was the current just too much for him?

Timmy needs his little boduncus blistered if he does make it out alive.

He should have know better than to walk out in the water. What is it with kids these days?

Shep could probably have lived another year or two, but it was just too much for him.

I hope Timmy thinks about that when he is floating past Spain!

Good job, Ruby!! :-)

DJ.

This had to be tough to write...talk about tugging at the heart strings. I thought sure Old Shep would save the day, but life doesn't always have a happy ending.

I loved your interpretation of the picture and I'm so glad Ann started this challenge.

Voted up, awesome, and interesting.

Ruby, I'm so glad you joined the fray. You have done a marvelous job. I don't get why we seem to be killing everybody we write about, but you did a good job of it. Thanks for sharing, Ruby. :)

Oh Ruby, this is the saddest one yet. I wanted Shep to save Timmy so bad...damn. "Old Shep" was a song on one of the first music albums I owned...loved that sad song. Well done.

Great response! You've got so much in so few words.

Each contribution makes the whole thing better and better; I'm amazed!

Thank you so much for taking up the challenge. Your angle is so different too.

Ann

Yup--you are just excellent at it!

One for all the Sheps out there. They are doing such a incredible job of improving and saving lives. Well done, your story is heartfelt and beautiful. A very touching response to Ann's challenge.