On the Threshold: A Short Story

She stands on the threshold big toe hanging over and it makes her heart beat just as fast as the cars driving across her little house.

Anything that stays in one place long enough can’t move no more.

It’s not like Maeva Dawn wants to be stuck inside all the time, afraid of the darkness that’s outside her little dog trot house. She just can’t make herself put more than her right big toe outside her doorway.

Somehow life had made a cage for her and little-by-little she’d given up. Finding it easier to sleep in the bed where he’d laid than go get groceries. More comfortable to be wrapped in his nightshirt than get dressed and go visiting the neighbors.

Six months ago, she had willingly stepped through the cage door, turned the key, and tossed away most everything she ever wished for.

A breeze lifts Maeva Dawn’s hair somehow twisting it, pulling it, teasing it outside the door. The little curl of life inside of her responds reaching for freedom, pushing Maeva forward. Maeva’s foot lifts, hovers, shaking for what seems like eternity, before she turns and shuts the door, leaning against it to keep the darkness out.

The fear leaks from her eyes and she’s sure the sound of her silent scream might just wake heaven itself.


I think Mava Dawn is a bit inside each of us. We get stuck in our patterns of what’s easy, comfortable, and feels right. Then all of a sudden, we realize we want out and we’re not quite sure how to get there.

For me, I’m in a season of constant flux. The last few months have made me want to run screaming for the hills…or bubble wrap my entire family so no one else will face surgery or major procedures—three of us is quite enough. Thank you very much.

Now we’re headed into school in the near future and I’m wondering where my place is. I’m hearing quiet whispers to trust and take one day at a time. But I’m also praying for the faith to step out the door when the time comes.

How about you? Where are you finding your place today, tomorrow, and this school year?

This story is in response to the Five Minute Friday prompt: Place. The rule is no editing (although I can’t stop myself a little. I am an editor after all).

The image is from Pixaby.

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14 thoughts on “On the Threshold: A Short Story

    1. So glad you liked it. Don’t know how much this one is an escape. Maeva Dawn seems so trapped. I wanted to keep writing so I could write her out of it, but I suspect that’s a whole book 🙂 She might actually morph into a part of another character I have brewing. My mind is aswirl with characters and thoughts. I really need to start into another book so I have a place to contain it all!

    1. I will take being compared to one of my favorites every single day! And I feel like Maeva Dawn and far too many occasions too. It takes a tremendous amount of faith to step out into a fire of circumstances—trusting that the fire is there for your purification and believing it comes from the power of God’s love for us.

  1. Beautiful short story, Janyre! I haven’t seen you around FMF before, so if you’re a regular, I’m sorry I haven’t connected before now! If you’re relatively new (I wasn’t able to link up most of the summer), welcome!

    1. Thank you, Anita! It’s nice to meet you. I’m pretty new to FMF—I think this is my 3rd week participating—and I’m enjoying it so far.

  2. Wow, Janyre. I get it now. Your comments on my post make more sense now that I read your post. You’re right, there’s a little bit of Maeva Dawn in all of us. I pray that your journey to ‘investment’ will finally thrust you through the door to the other side! LIFE is waiting there.

    And yes, you MUST develop this character further. She is beautiful and needs to be free!
    Have a great week!
    Shauna

    1. Thanks, Shauna. I have a whole file of characters and quick snippets of scenes and descriptions. It’s a treasure trove of information and inspiration. Maeva Dawn is definitely going in the file 🙂

    1. Thank you, Andrew! We’ll take those prayers as we work to trust in a God who promises to hold us in the palm of his hands.

  3. What an excellent analogy. Our contentment can become a cage and keep us from fulfilling the plans that the Lord has for us. Thanks for sharing. 🙂

    1. I have a friend who says the worst enemy of being great in whatever you do is being good. No doubt there’s a place for being good, but if it stops me from relying on God to be great, I’m missing out on so much.

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