Excellent 80 words flash fiction for the contest. 2024 Gypsy's Prose : a Way Out of Hell by Gypsy Blue Rose 80 Word Flash Fiction contest entry FICTIONAL

~ f i c t i o n a l ~ I lost my job and couldn’t afford rent or food. Eventually, I became homeless. I remember walking by them thinking “they” were lazy alcoholics who chose to live in the streets.  Living on skid row was extremely dangerous. I was raped and beaten regularly. I turned to drugs and alcohol to numb myself from my horrible existence. I joined an AA group. At first, for the coffee and cookies but soon it became my salvation and a way out of hell. Author Notes 80 words - it's a fictional short story but is a real problem in our country. skid row = a poor district of a city where there are inexpensive hotels, bars, etc., and where people who are homeless usually go. In January 2023, The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) counted 653,104 homeless Americans, 35,574 are Veterans, and 437,580 have some mental illness. You would be surprised to know how many regular middle-class folks are one paycheck away from homelessness. I worked as a social worker for homeless people for 3 years and realized many are regular people like you and me. Not all homeless people are drunks or lazy and they all deserve respect and kindness, they are free and they have a huge impact. Thank you very much for reading my flash fiction for the contest.

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