Skipping Stones, Skipping Dreams

Skipping Stones, Skipping Dreams by Daron Thompson is a heart-wrenching urban fiction story that explores the life of Lisa McKenna, a ten-year-old girl living in a crime-ridden neighborhood. The story is a raw and emotional look at the devastating impact of poverty, violence, and systemic neglect on vulnerable children. Lisa's only escape from her harsh reality is her close friendship with Tia Simmons. Together, the girls find moments of happiness skipping rope and dreaming of a better future.

Their innocent dreams are shattered when Tia is killed in a drive-by shooting, leaving Lisa alone and overwhelmed by grief. Without Tia, Lisa spirals into a deep depression, struggling to find meaning and comfort in a world that has taken everything from her. The once-joyful skipping rope becomes a haunting symbol of her lost childhood and growing hopelessness.

Lisa's relationship with her overworked mother, Shanice, is strained, with Shanice too exhausted from working multiple jobs to fully notice her daughter's pain. The emotional distance between them only deepens as Lisa continues to withdraw. At school, her teacher, Mr. Hamilton, recognizes the signs of her distress but is powerless to help, trapped in a system that fails to support children like Lisa.

As the weight of her grief becomes unbearable, Lisa returns to the park where she and Tia once played. There, in a final act of desperation, she uses the skipping rope to end her life. The story ends with a haunting image of Lisa's shoes gently swaying in the wind, symbolizing the tragic loss of a young life.

Skipping Stones, Skipping Dreams is a poignant exploration of mental health, grief, and the failures of society to protect its most vulnerable members. Daron Thompson's powerful narrative draws attention to the emotional and psychological toll of growing up in an environment marked by violence and poverty, making this story both heartbreaking and thought-provoking.