Write a creation myth in 99 words, Charli Mills said. My love of mythology crowded my thoughts, but instead I wrote something more personal, a microcosm of the universe encapsulated in one struggle. I hope it pleases you and the good folks at https://carrotranch.com

How Ellie’s Life Began

Written by Kerry E.B. Black

Doreen’s life bled away on the gurney, seeping into sanitized linens. The doctor nestled a bundle of blankets against the cold. Doreen buried her face within, savoring the warmth, relishing the smell. Too young to die, yet passing with skill, Doreen’s tear-slicked vision blurred. Iron coated her palate, and dust clogged her throat. With trembling fingers, she peeled back a layer of blankets to reveal skin soft as a tulip. Here Doreen found immortality, here, in this tiny person whose eyes squeezed shut against the garish hospital and her mother’s death, this person whose birth brought about her death.