Tuesday 5 April 2011

E is for Easter (flash fiction)

EASTER

She knew he had a mission, this child of hers. From the moment she first held him in her arms, she felt that he was different; that his life was part of a great plan, fulfilling a God-given purpose. But what that purpose was, she didn't know.

The child grew and flowered into manhood. He left her, as is the way with sons, to be with a group of other young men; decent young men from respectable families. And yet she felt uneasy. For she knew her son had that mission to accomplish, and she wondered and she waited.

Three years had passed, when they brought her word.
“We have heard terrible news. Your son is dead. He is hanging from a tree."
“Where? Where is he?”
“We do not know.”

Shocked and distraught, she went searching for him, and found that he was not so very far away after all. Just two days had passed when she discovered him; hanging, as she had been told, from a tree.

And in her grief, she thought, was there to he no mission after all? Was her son's life in vain? For what purpose had she borne this child, and for what
purpose had he died? And she fell and sobbed at the foot of the tree, her arms around its trunk, her cheek pressed against its rough bark.

“Oh, my son! My son! What has happened to you?”she wept. “ What has happened to you, my Judas?”

10 comments:

  1. Wow!
    This is the type of story I like to write myself - based around true events.
    Reminds us that even villains have a mother somewhere.

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  2. Clever, Frances. Loved it and it shows a mother's love is unconditional.

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  3. Tingle down the spine time with the final line... very thought-provoking and immediately sent me back to read it again. Thanks, Frances.

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  4. I love this story, Frances. On multiple levels, this really resonates with me, and it's very well told.

    Makes me even more anxious to get your books in my hands.

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  5. Loved it - especially that great last line.

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  6. Thank you, everyone! I got the original idea years ago during a visit to Oberammergau to see the passion play (which was amazing).

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  7. I always felt a little sorry for Judas. Someone had to betray Jesus, or his life path couldn't be fulfilled. Nice to see a story about his mother, which humanizes them both.

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  8. Oh WOW... Frances, this is brilliant. What an emotional story, and so beautifully written. My heart ached for Juda's mother. I felt her pain.

    Wonderful post!

    Doris

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  9. Thank you, Catherine and Doris. I'm really enjoying your stories, too, Doris.

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