Good morning! I’m running behind this week – a case of too many things to do, and not enough time in which to accomplish them! LOL I would love critique on this short – not my best work – I knew what I wanted to say, but the words had a difficult time going down on paper.
Upon opening his eyes, Stanley looked in awe at the rainbow that arched itself over the other end of the forest and ran down into the very trees themselves. The forest was beautiful, and he felt so lucky to live there!
Stanley stretched his limbs, yawned, and gave himself a good shake all over. The air was cool, and the sky a vivid blue after last night’s storm.
For one brief moment the thought occurred to Stanley that he wished he could paint the picture in front of him, wished he could capture that moment in time forever. Then Stanley gave a small laugh. Whoever heard of a tree being able to paint like those odd creatures called humans!
Along the way with Julia 
May 19, 2012 @ 15:56:44
Hi, Julia … I enjoyed the twist you offered, and the unusual point of view through which you described the scene. During the first reading of your vignette, I began to suspect that Stanley wasn’t a person, although being a tree took me by surprise. Obviously, you succeeded in foreshadowing the reveal in the first two paragraphs. The line that first made me suspicious that he wasn’t human was when he gave himself a good shake all over. People, as a rule, don’t do that … at the same time, that line led me to think that he was a dog. The problem, I think, is that trees don’t shake themselves all over, either. Maybe if you could have put a small breeze or a light wind into the scene, and connected it to the stretching and shaking of his limbs (good word choice, there!). Hope that is the type of critique you are looking for … would you mind doing the same for mine? It’s quite a bit different; I was playing with some ideas but don’t know if it comes across as shallow because so much more needed to be said. If you have time, you’ll find it at http://scottcheck.blogspot.com/2012/05/rainbow-promises.html
May 20, 2012 @ 12:40:23
That is EXACTLY the kind of advice I was looking for, thanks! I was going for the unexpected, and decided that if a tree could laugh, yawn, stretch its limbs – well then why not give themself a good shake in the process? Duly noted about adding a breeze – I’ll keep it in mind next time around. 😀
May 20, 2012 @ 15:32:34
Hi Julia … thanks for commenting on my story, and I’m glad you liked it. I also wanted to thank you for the advice that you offered. Like you, I am relatively new to FF, and have looked at the 100 word limit as a challenge and as an important exercise. I tend to be overly verbose, and trying to communicate a feeling, a scene, a complete story (or whatever) in 100 words is really tough. I have therefore tried very hard to make each effort exactly 100 words long. Now, I know I can do it. A couple of others have suggested that the exact word count isn’t important … just tell the story and use as many words as necessary. I am not sure what Phineas Barnum’s retort might have been, had I allowed him to respond, but the first thing that comes to mind is “So long, and thanks for all the fish.”
May 19, 2012 @ 23:25:37
Ok, I didn’t see that one coming. Nicely done. Here’s mine: http://melodypearson.com/flash-fiction/may-18-2012-rainbows/
May 20, 2012 @ 12:37:10
I was going for the unexpected. 🙂
May 20, 2012 @ 02:04:31
haha!
Stanley stretched his limbs and gave himself a shake! I’d have loved to see that! 🙂
May 20, 2012 @ 12:36:32
Wouldn’t that be fun to see? LOL
May 20, 2012 @ 20:54:07
Cute! I laughed because I thought at first it was Flat Stanley, (he’d JUST visited our house so I have sort of have Flat Stanley on the brain), but wondered why would he live in the forest? Then it all made sense! Limbs… good one. ‘)
Kathy
http://notforallmarkets.wordpress.com/2012/05/18/after/#comment-210
May 20, 2012 @ 22:22:49
Glad you liked it! 🙂
May 22, 2012 @ 11:02:09
ha, great twist!! would love to be a tree sometimes 🙂
May 23, 2012 @ 01:48:51
How clever, I didn’t even think your character would be a tree, I was leaning toward some kind of forrest creature though. Nothing in your story leaned toward that, just my runny head. I enjoyed this.