Three little bowls, one empty. Three empty chairs, one mended. Three beds, one empty, one rumpled, in one sleeps my son.
In town my husband’s head hangs, snarling still, above her father’s mantle.
This post was written in response to the Trifecta Writing Challenge weekend prompt:
Give a re-telling of the classic Goldilocks and the Three Bears story. You can change the setting, the characters, and whatever details you wish, but the story should still be recognizable to us. Keep the spirit of the original work, but make it your own. And for once? You have no word limit.
I know it says “no word limit,” but I’m rather partial to the 33-word microstory. Plus, there are so many 3’s associated with this story, how could I do anything but?
Christine Hanolsy 
Really beautifully done. I too love “snarling still.” Very unexpected angle for the story.
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Many thanks! It was fun to write.
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Wow, I wasn’t expecting that last line. I agree with the others, this has so much packed into to so very few words. This is a very creative and original response to the prompt. Thanks for sharing with us.
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Thank you! It was a fun prompt.
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I have the image of the father as murdered or as an adulterer and the child protected by her mama bear
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That’s very close to what I had in mind. In my twisted head, Goldilocks’ father was a hunter, and that big ol’ papa bear scared his little girl. 🙂
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oh! How sad. What a story told in so few words. Great job. 🙂
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Thank you! I do love these Trifextra prompts!
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So much said in a very economical use of words. Nice.
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Many thanks – that was my goal, to say as much as possible without being overly explicit.
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Very nice! I’ve recently found how hard it is to tell a story so shortly and so effectively. Congratulations.
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Thank you. I find that the constraints of a small word limit focus my creativity – like forcing water through an ever-narrower pipe. It also makes me choose my words very carefully. It’s not always a rousing success, but it’s usually satisfying.
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Now that I’m working on flash fiction for tomorrow, I absolutely know what you mean.
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love it
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Many thanks!
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Wow! Short, but really good and to the point – and even a surprise ending!
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Thank you! And congrats on being in the Trifecta top three this week!
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I am impressed with what you were able to convey is so few words.
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Thank you! I know we had no word limit this time, but I really love seeing what I can do with only 33.
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Snarling still…
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I have to admit, I particularly liked that phrase. 🙂
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