25 Comments
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Heidi Zawelevsky's avatar

Great pacing and flow! Love the ending for its irony and humor. So fun, Chris. Thank you.

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Chris J. Franklin's avatar

Thanks! The crazy thing is, that part at the end is actually based on a true story. We had 'The Great Storm of 1987' here in the UK, and astonishingly, I really did sleep through the whole thing! Haha. I'm glad you enjoyed it... 😎

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Heidi Zawelevsky's avatar

Truth is stranger than fiction!

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Chris J. Franklin's avatar

Absolutely! 😎

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A.C. Cargill, All-Human Author's avatar

How unique.

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Chris J. Franklin's avatar

Thanks! I love experimenting on here, and it's always fun trying to come up with something a little different and unexpected. Glad you enjoyed it... 😎

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A.C. Cargill, All-Human Author's avatar

Was terrific. Well worth my time, which is very limited right now.

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Chris J. Franklin's avatar

I know the feeling! There just aren't enough hours in the day sometimes. But thanks for spending some of your free time here, and thanks for reading. I really appreciate it... 😎

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Writer Pilgrim by So Elite's avatar

Love the first and the last two. The language in the first one has a poetic lovely flow to it. I thought it would end in the "shattering glass." The puddles piece is very evocative.

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Chris J. Franklin's avatar

Thanks! Yes, I've been exploring poetry so much on here lately, it seems to be starting to leave its hallmarks everywhere! Haha. I'm even considering posting a collection of Haiku soon. Seriously. But we'll see. I love the section with the puddles, too. I think it shows an intriguing duality to them, where they can simultaneously be a site of pure joy and merriment, but also the remnants of something much darker. I'm glad you enjoyed it... 😎

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Fotini Masika's avatar

Maybe all this was a dream :)

Great writing, Chris!

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Chris J. Franklin's avatar

Well there are some characters here who seem to be on a train that's actually running and hasn't been cancelled. That's definitely a dream these days! Haha! Thanks for reading. And thanks for the great Comment. I'm glad you enjoyed it... 😎

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Carolyn Jones's avatar

One of my favourite Murakami quotes x

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Chris J. Franklin's avatar

That is a great quote, for sure. And I think it sets the tone for the story really nicely. Thanks for reading... 😎

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Joyce's avatar

Wow, Chris. Love it! 🙂

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Chris J. Franklin's avatar

Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it... 😎

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Deborah T. Hewitt's avatar

Ahhhh Chris! So good! Love all the drama, then the innocent children and you sleeping. And I'm seeing below in comments you did exactly this during The Great Storm! love it!

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Chris J. Franklin's avatar

Haha! Yes, that part is completely true. I actually did sleep through one of the worst storms in UK history. Thanks for reading. I'm glad you enjoyed it... 😎

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Deborah T. Hewitt's avatar

I loved it!

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Darienne's avatar

Loved the way you found these different angles to focus from. As a dedicated puddle-jumper of nearly 5 decades the last part has to be my favourite.

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Chris J. Franklin's avatar

Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it. I still love splashing in puddles, too, and pretending I'm Gene Kelly in 'Singin' in the Rain'. It always puts a "smile on my face"! Haha... 😎

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Gloria Horton-Young's avatar

Number One could be the Montecito Mud Debris Flood of 2018.

All three are clever and memorable. Kudos.

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Chris J. Franklin's avatar

Thanks! That is much appreciated. We had 'The Great Storm of 1987' here in the UK, that people still talk about. Some of the details are loosely based on that. Mainly the fact I actually did sleep through it! Haha... 😎

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Gloria Horton-Young's avatar

I’ll have to read about your storm!

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Chris J. Franklin's avatar

Yes, it's a fascinating story. Because the weather forecasts were wrong, and they said it wasn't coming. But it did, and the devastation it caused was absolutely tremendous. Many buildings and cars were damaged, there were power blackouts for days afterwards, and they say something like fifteen million trees came down! 😎

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