Sand shifts under our feet as we run to the sea. It sparkles in the sun.
My chest hurts when I see her smile. It’s been so long.
It’s petty of me but I’m glad I am the one who brought her here, made her happy.
“What are you thinking?” I sit in the slender beach grass.
“Softness,” she looks at the distant mountains lost in mist. “Everything is soothing. Muted and soft. Yet…they’re here.”
Shadows pass over us. Two of the winged beasts. She’s right. We are never alone—we have an audience. And they are always watching.
I’ve combined two prompts again this week:
#writephoto, a weekly writing prompt for poetry/flash/short stories hosted by Sue Vincent which asks writers to use photos for inspiration (the photo above is this week’s prompt)
and Flash Fiction Challenge over at Carrot Ranch which asks writers to pen a piece in 99 words (this week’s prompt: Audience).
March 23, 2017 prompt: Audience – In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story write about an audience. It can be broad or small, and gathered for any reason. How does your character react to the audience?
Wow…I love how it’s like looking at a pastel painting with something terrible looking over your shoulder. Well done, Sarah. #mast 💙
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That is a GREAT image. #mast ❤ Glad you got the creepy vibe…
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I did! #mast ❤❤❤
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I like this very much, Sarah… a lot of understated emotion and a lot of intriguing questions for the reader 🙂
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Aw, thanks, Sue. Yes. Understated emotion for sure. And I feel like this one, these characters and their “audience”, need more breathing space. Perhaps I’ll work on that. (In all my free time…) 😉
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What a lovely wistful, romantic piece, I thought. Until I realised that “they’re” the winged guardian beasts. Now there’s a story in that.
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I think it was supposed to be wistful and romantic but you know how it goes when you pants. 😀 More to the point, I think perhaps I’m incapable of pure sweetness. There’s always a fly in the chardonnay, you know?
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So beautiful…and the photo too. I love how you’ve combined the two prompts here Sarah. You took me right there… ❤
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Thanks, Sherri. Glad you enjoyed this. (I know, that photo is gorgeous. Sue has some great ones.) Good to see you. ❤
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❤ ❤ ❤
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Oh, not what I was expecting! An interesting thought your flash gives me — the harder our audience, the more we crave softness.
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Ooh…interesting. I wasn’t thinking of it that way. I think I had it the other way ’round. But, yes, that makes sense. There is such softness in this place and I get the feeling it’s something they don’t get to experience often. But, if they do, they’ve got that harsh audience so…
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Nice, Sarah. Are those winged creatures heavenly or menacing?? I love that you left that question unanswered. I didn’t know you had another site. I’m glad I found it. 🙂
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They are menacing in my mind but I love that readers can take what they wish from each short piece like this. (Yes, the Reef is a separate space where I play with prompts, test the waters and whatnot. Glad you found it, too!) 🙂
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Great idea to combine and loverly flash.
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Thanks, Luccia! 🙂
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