My husband was dead set on putting a pond on our property. There was plenty of room for one, but why on earth was one needed? We had two small children and I didn't like the idea of a pond being on our property. I made sure he put it far away from the house,
I hated that pond. Undoubtedly, because of the worry it gave me.
One day my children were oddly quiet and I went to check on them. I couldn't find them, and I ran as fast as I could toward the direction of that pond. Lordy Lord, there they were about 25 yards away from that damn pond.
With my heart in the bottom of my stomach, I grabbed their little hands and led them back toward the house.
“Thank you God. Thank you, Thank you.”
The next thing my husband built was a sturdy fence. (150)
Thank you ©Dawn Miller for our prompt photo this week.
This is my story submission for the challenge, Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers. The challenge supplies us with a prompt photo and 100-150 (+-25) words to write a story. We link our stories into InLinkz where we gather to share our stories. If you would like to participate in this fun challenge, click this link: FFfAW.
To read all the wonderful FFfAW stories, click on the froggy button.
To link your story to InLinkz, click on the froggy button.
BEAUTIFUL WORDS 
I love ponds, but so get the concern of a mom with small children. In our first little home, we had a stream running through the back yard. Water was only a couple inches deep. My BOYS loved playing in that stream, but I was always so worried. As a young mom, I’d been warned children can drown in an inch of water. Seems funny to think about now that they are grown, and hubby is trying to build a pond on our current property :). But boy – I can all too easily conjure up that concern after reading your little piece here. Thanks for the trip down memory lane with your little flash fiction story, PJ!
You’re welcome Jodi and thank you for reading it. This story is partially true. My husband did build a pond on our property and I was terrified of it, because of our kids. Thankfully, my kids never went near it. Ponds are great fun if you don’t have to worry about children drowning. Ducks will come and make it their home, and have little baby ducks. Thank you for reading and for your comment. 🙂
Good writing on the topic, i love ponds and pools in the house but fear is similar to yours. Sturdy fence, should have been the first thing built😏
Thank you Barb! Appreciate your feedback. 🙂
Heh, glad your narrator made her husband build a fence. Nothing worse than your fears coming true… Btw, the link from the link-up didn’t work for some reason.
You couldn’t get it to link to InLinkz??
No, I meant the link to your story on InLinkz didn’t work. I clicked on it and I got to a page that said destination not found (or something along those lines).
Oh, okay I will check it. Thanks!
If your linkup with InLinkz didn’t work, did you try it again? I had problems when I was linking mine up. If you tried again and it still wouldn’t work, let me know the url and I will link it for you.
Thank you so much for letting me know. Apparently, I had put in the wrong url. I fixed it now. Whew!
My pleasure. I think most people would probably have found a way to your story, anyway, but this way it’s easier 🙂
Thank you again! 🙂
Oh I couldn’t have a pond with children
I know! Scary!
Great story for this photo prompt and a good reminder for people to take extra caution when having a body of water around where young children can get access to. People usually think of pools for this type of danger, but any body of water within walking distance can present a problem.
Thank you Jessie and that is the absolute truth! Any body of water – even a bathtub.
For sure a big worry with little kids around would be water pond or pool. You would have to drill it into their little heads that their is big punishment if they even go near there alone, without adult supervision. Great story I could feel how much the main character hated that pond and her fear for her kids.
Thanks Mandi! This is a semi-true story. My husband (ex now) built a pond on our property and I had nightmares about that pond with my little kids. They never got near it (thank God). But it was a HUGE worry.
Yeah, I bet!
You really capture the anxiety here! You really know how to reach out and make your reader feel the situation.
Wow! Thank you for that wonderful comment! I appreciate and value your opinion! 🙂 🙂
Very welcome 🙂
I can imagine that it was a persistent worry. Building a fence to surround it sounds like a good idea.
Yes! Keep the little ones inside and the bodies of water outside. 🙂
Nice story! I never know for sure if your stories are imaginary or real! You make me wonder every time!
Thank you Deb! Usually my stories are pure fiction but lately I have been writing semi-fiction stories. They are partially true. In my categories and tags it will have fiction or non-fiction.
Thanks. I always forget to read the tags and categories. Heck half the time I forget to put them in my own posts! (Forehead slap)
LOL! I understand what you mean.
Fifteen fences between my kids and that pond. And probably a few other safe guards. BEFORE the pond went in. And because this is fiction I would come up with quite a few of them! 🙂
Yes, very true! LOL!
I can’t imagine having a pond near by at the moment. The headache of trying to prevent a hazard would totally out weigh the benefits. Good story Joy.
I totally agree! 🙂
Great work! I am so glad that it ended well, and that the husband is building a fence. ❤
I love ponds but a combination of pond and children is sure worrisome. It’s good that the husband built a sturdy fence around it.
Thank you for reading and commenting! 🙂
Great story, PJ. I love ponds but I’d never have one in a garden with kids. I think the first thing I’d insist on being built is the fence! 🙂
Yes, absolutely!
Nice job Pat. I liked the foreshadowing in the beginning and the tag line at the end. I’m just thankful you chose to keep the story light, I’m not fond of sad stories about children.
Thank you Vanessa! I appreciate your feedback! I understand about not liking sad stories about children. Nor do I.
That’s quite tragic tale PJ and well told- this is one of my biggest fears so it’s hit a nerve with me 🙂
We never had an incident with the pond but just the fact that it was there was bad enough.
“One day my children were oddly quiet and I went to check on them. I couldn’t find them, and I ran as fast as I could toward the direction of that pond.” The fear, and that “pit of your stomach feeling” are really well conveyed in your story. I held my breath til the kids were safe!
Thank you Phylor! The children in the story were safe and my children never had an incident. The pond was just a huge worry. Thank you again.
I love ponds, too – just not around kids. This was a great story, PJ. I can hear the narrator’s voice and concern and relief.
Ellespeth
Yes, it gives a reason for concern and worry.
Thank you so much Ellespeth. 🙂
You made me fearful of tge children’s safety, too! Yes, thank God, they were at a distance. I can imagine that choking panic she’d felt, afraid of what she’d find. Very happy to read the husband agreed to building a fence!
Thank you Izzy! That was always one of my biggest fears, that darn pond! This story is true, my husband did dig a pond on our property but my children never went near it.