Sunday Photo Fiction 9-23-2018

Sunday Photo Fiction

Photo Credit: Anurag Bakhshi

---

Icarus

It was a familiar fantasy, one he’d had for years. Driving. Driving. Guardrails flashing past. Trees. Signs. Winds through cracked windows. Feel in his belly like a roller-coaster up the first hill. Clackety. Clackety. Clackety. Body filling with air, with fear, with joy.

Sweet fear as he raced forward. Faster. Faster. Inch by inch by mile. Feeling in his belly growing and growing….. faster. Faster. Expanding like a balloon until he would explode.

Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Steering wheel clutched in sweaty hands. Cold hands. Fear hands. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.

Faster. Faster. Faster. Then bump and trees and….. freedom!

 

Sunday Photo Fiction 7-28-2018

Sunday Photo Fiction

Photo Credit:C.E. Ayr

---

The ride wouldn’t be hard, not physically, but mentally? Frankly, I had no desire to bike across any state with Marcus. Who would? Not many people like to be controlled and Marcus was a whiz at control.

When he’d first shown up, I’d felt sorry for him and so I’d invited him to hang. I’m such a chump. All my friends say so.

We left at dusk, riding several hours into the night before he would allow a stop. The sky was a spectacle. The night cold. I lay all night fantasizing about sneaking away.

Did I?

Five days which would have melted the Devil was enough. After midnight, I rose, quiet, and snuck away, wheeling my bike beside me. Hitched a ride home after ditching the bike.

Never biked since.

Always told people he moved away, decide to bike the world.

Who knew?

 

 

 

Sunday Photo Fiction 6-17-2018

Sunday Photo Fiction

Photo Credit: Susan Spaulding

 

---

He sat quiet, watching the coming and going in the park, Alfred standing to the side, staring off towards the pond.

“After we eat, don’t worry,” he said, taking a bite of his biscuit. Sipping coffee. Tossing half of another to his friend. Alfred ignored the sharing.

He shrugged. It was early. Alfred wasn’t a morning bird.

Neither of them were young. Maybe that was why they were such good friends. Both of them looking at the world from the wrong end of the telescope.

He hope Alfred went first. Who’d take care of him if he passed first? Alfred was a quiet bird, a reflective bird, set in his ways.

Taking his last bite of biscuit, he crumbled the bag and tossed it into the trash bin. Two points. He still had it.

Glancing down, he saw Alfred eating his biscuit, settled back to wait. Friends waited for each other. Friends accepted each other. Friends were friends.

Besides, he enjoyed the quiet. The pond would wait.

 

Sunday Photo Fiction 6-12-2018

Sunday Photo Fiction

Photo Credit: Susan Spaulding

---

“Metal flamingos?”

“Would you rather have real birds, feet buried in the sand?”

Susan sighed, watching the man buying lunch at the trailer beyond.

“Hungry?”

“Are you trying to distract me?”

“If I was trying to distract you, I’ll be heading you towards the bedroom.”

“If I wanted real flamingos, would you get them?”

“For you, darling, anything.”

She turned in her chair and looked at him. So handsome with his chiseled features and beach blonde hair. And his hands. She’d never known such magical hands.

“Anything in the world?”

Leaning over, he kissed her gently. “Anything.”

“Okay, then I want flamingos. A pair to keep in my garden.”

For a moment, he considered, pretty sure hijacking real flamingos was against the law. Besides, he’d never heard of captive flamingo except in zoos and he wasn’t much of a zoo fan.

He pulled her into his lap, lips caressing the soft skin of her neck. “How about a little before lunch fun?” His hands moved up her sides.

She wiggled. “You are trying to distract me!”

“Guilty as charged.”

She snuggled for a moment then rose, grabbing his hand and pulling him inside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.0.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday Photo Fiction 6-8-2018

Sunday Photo Fiction

Photo Credit: C.E. Ayr

---

The two men stood in front of what used to be a home, neither quite sure what to say.

“It was a nice house,” one said finally.

“Yep.”

“Real nice inside.”

“Yep.”

“Bill put in a nice new bar.”

“Yep.”

“Real shame.”

“Yep.”

“Wonder if he’d of rebuilt?”

“Nope.”

“You don’t think so?”

“Nope.”

“Why not?” He scratched under his ball-cap.

The other man just shrugged.

“He loved that house.”

“Yep.”

“I’d hate to see it burn again.”

“Yep.”

“You think it will?”

“Yep.”

“Well, he ain’t the best kind to have in the neighborhood.”

“Nope.”

“I guess we’d be better off if he moved.”

“Yep.”

“Don’t need nobody poking their nose into things.”

“Nope.”

“Think he’ll talk about things?”

“Nope.”

“Why not?”

“Kinda hard.” Uttering his first two words of the morning.

“Yeah.”

“Dead men don’t tell no tales.”

They stood looking at the ruins of the house.

“Yeah,” they both agreed. “Dead men don’t.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.0.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday Photo Fiction 5-30-2018

Sunday Photo Fiction

 

Photo Credit:Susan Spaulding

---

 The Watcher

“Buddy is still watching over Grampa, isn’t he?”

Pa nodded, cupping the back of the boy’s head with his hand. “He sure is,” he said quietly, staring down at his Pa’s grave. Didn’t seem like no time since he was standing by Gramp’s grave with his Pa, his Pa’s hand cupping his head.

Funny how time worked like that. Used to be summers lasted forever. Now his boy was out of school and back in almost fore he turned around.

The boy knelt, petting Buddy as if he was real.

Buddy would of been there if the dog hadn’t died the hour after his Pa. Died of a broken heart, that dog. He hadn’t never seen nothing like it. Both of them buried right there, together until the end.

“Come on, boy,” he said, turning away, “time to go on home.”

The boy hesitated, petting Buddy once more, whispering something in the dog’s ear before following.

“Pa,” he asked as he took his Pa’s hand, “is Momma gonna watch over Gramps til you get there?”

For a moment, Pa was silent, eyes fixed on the grass, then he lifted his head, smiled at the boy. “She sure is, boy. Gonna have them a party when I get there.”

Sunday Photo Fiction 5-20-2018

Sunday Photo Fiction

Photo Credit: Susan Spaulding

 

---

“So the slaves were down here?” she asked, wrinkling her nose.

“Yes,” Mother said.

“Why weren’t they upstairs with the people?”

“Because, Little Light, slaves weren’t considered people.”

“But… Mama. how could they not be people?”

“Because,” Mother knelt. “Slaves were considered property.”

“Am I property?”

“No,” Mother laughed, hugging her daughter close. “Never in a million years.”

The little girl looked down at her Raggedy Ann doll. “Is Raggedy property?”

She smoothed down the child’s hair. “Raggedy Ann is a doll. She’s not a living person.”

Not satisfied, the girl frowned, squatting, Raggedy Ann held in front of her. “Raggedy,” she said seriously. “I’m sorry I thought you were property.” She blinked, holding back tears. “I guess I should free you cause… I don’t own you or nothing.”

“I think,” Mother said, “Raggedy Ann wants to stay with you.”

The little girl looked up hopefully. “But she is not property is she?”

With a smile, Mother rose, pulling her daughter up. “No, she isn’t property. She wants to stay because she loves you.”

The child looked at Raggedy Ann, hugged her close. “I love you, too,” she whispered, skipping off down the corridor.

 

 

Sunday Photo Fiction 5-14-2018

Photo Prompt: C.E. Ayr

Sunday Photo Fiction

---

 

 

Tanya stood just inside the doorway, watching the boys move from exhibit to exhibit. Men really, but she still called them boys. Her boys. She’d been in the band when Chris took over, when Jay came, where they were still the Fluffy Marshmallows. When she’d been nothing more than the token girl shaking the tambourine and looking pretty.

Not that she’d been pretty.

Chris blew in like a nor’easter, changing her life forever. From the second day, the marshmallow backdrop was gone, they were nameless – for the moment – and all the previous members were gone except for her and Mikie. She wasn’t sure why Chris kept Mikie except he could play the drums. Maybe that had been enough. Or maybe he’d been as lost as she and they’d both been waiting to be pulled to safety. There were people like that; people who saved the world without even knowing.

She wanted to go back to the hotel. The animals lwere as lost as she had been, made pretty so people could stand and stare. People who never did, and never would, understand lostness. Why hadn’t they had a savior, too?

Laying a hand on the baby’s elephant’s trunk, she started to cry.

 

 

---

 

Sunday Photo Fiction 5-9-2018

Sunday Photo Fiction

---

“Do you really think we can get across the ocean in this?”

“Why not?”

“Well,” skeptical, “this is a hot-air balloon. What if something happens?”

“Its 1987, Per. This baby is the best in the world.”  Richard Branson patted the rim of the basket, proud of his hot-air balloon. Sure, a trio had crossed the Atlantic in 1978, but with a helium balloon. His would be the first hot-air balloon to make the crossing.

Per Lindstrand nodded, ever hopeful. He’d love a record as much as Branson.

Takeoff was problematic, landing worse, but 31 hours and 41 minutes later, they had secured the record, been rescued by the Royal Navy and become heroes.

Arriving home, Richard looked at Per. “Next, the Pacific!”

---

Thanks to those who write historical-based stories for inspiring me to try my hand!

Sunday Photo Fiction 4-26-2018

---

Sunday Photo Fiction

Three men stood in front of the table displaying three wine glasses.

“Nice diagonal,” Jay commented, tilting his head.

“I’m more worried about the yellow wine,” Kerry replied.

“You think the artist is comparing wine to pee?”

“Well…. maybe.”

“So,” Chris put in. “What about the blue?”

“Blue bests yellow which bests red?”

Chris leaned forward, looking down into the glasses. “I’d be more impressed if he’d gotten liquid to tilt like that.”

“He’d have to tilt the glasses for that.”

“Obviously.” Chris looked around the museum, taking in the variety of other exhibits. “I might not be up on visual arts,” he went on, “but this…”

“Yeah,” both Jay and Kerry agreed.

“The artist needs to come on one of our tours, see the reality of wine.”

“And what, Sir Abstinence, is the reality of wine?”

Chris chuckled. “You drink wine, you get sloshed and don’t care shit about what color it happens to be.”

“Unless its yellow,” Kerry added.

Both Chris and Jay looked at him. Laughed.

“Yeah, right, Kerry, unless it’s yellow.”