All that remained were his last photographs. Surely, they held a message? Some final trace of him to quiet my anguish; a response to everything I should have said.
If only I’d…. But, no. It is what it is. He’d have known I hadn’t meant to leave, that I’d be back.
There it was! A sparrow looking-in through the window. A reprimand? Or forgiveness? Was I the bird, or he?
Friday fictioneers is a weekly challenge set by Rochelle Wisoff Fields to write a 100-word story in response to a photo prompt. You can find other stories here
Neil MacDonald Author 
Indeed. Great ending.
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Thanks, Anthony
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I agree with Anthony – the ending was wonderful.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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Thanks so much, Susan
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Hmm, thought-provoking piece, Neil, superbly constructed as ever
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Thanks so much. It wasn’t at all what I’d started out to write
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Dear Neel,
Evocative piece and lovely ending. Sorry again for the link party delay.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks so much, Rochelle. And no problem
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Ends with a punch. Enjoyed the flow of the story.
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Thanks so much, Tannille
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I guess they’ll never be able to get a definitive answer – perhaps that was the message that was intended.
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Don’t you just hate people whose messages are unclear?
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I can imagine the narrator scrabbling through it all, desperately trying to find meaning. I hope they find something to bring them comfort.
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Perhaps we always find the meanings we seek
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I know a couple of people who robins visiting their gardens as harbouring the spirit of someone they’ve lost. Perhaps this is a similar thing, a message from someone gone. As you say, left to the viewer to interpret the deceased’s intention. Great tale, Neil
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Thanks so much, Lynn
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My pleasure
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That’s the problem with bereavement, It is so…final! The questions never asked and the regret for things we cannot alter are difficult to bear. Well delivered.
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Thanks so much, Clare
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An evocative piece of writing Neil. Nature carry us may messages, even perhaps through the birdsong, it is so quiet here, quiet so that I can once again hear the birds singing.
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Thanks so much, Mike.
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Lovely writing, Neil. I like the last line. It’s a question the Buddha might ask.
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Thanks so much, Joshua, Any spiritual profundity was entirely unintentional
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So, who’s the winged visitor?
Life really doesn’t give us many chances, does it?
Take care.
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Any angel (or devil) you care to imagine
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I understood regret from your story – why do we leave things; too late.
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And sometimes we do things on the spur of the moment sure in the knowledge there’ll be another moment later
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The anguish one feels when a loved one has passed and questions are left unanswered.
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That’s it exactly. Though he may just have gone away
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Such a beautiful piece. The grief of the narrator is almost palpable. Well done, Neil.
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Thanks so much for the high praise, Sandra.
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An ending pregnant with unanswered questions. I love everything about this!
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Thanks so much, LInda
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How interesting that we both went sort-of-that-way!
Well done, you. I’m thinking, it could be both!
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Yes, we did go in the same direction. It could, of course, also be neither
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Possibly, not plausibly … 😉
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Lovely write, Neil. We do want to know answers after, don’t we?
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Thanks so much, Dale, Living with uncertainty is painful, but common
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I love (and envy!) the way you control the pace in this. The combination of short and long sentences really conveys the fragmentary nature of your MC’s thoughts and emotions. Beautifully done!
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Thanks so much, Penny. Your readings are always insightful
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And maybe there was nothing more than the image of a bird.. but he did miss you in the end, so there is probably some guilt
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Very probably there was nothing more than the image of a bird, but she won’t countenance that explanation
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Oh those agonizing questions we torment ourselves for on decisions we’ve made! Good story, Neil.
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Thanks so much, Jade
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You’re welcome.
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All of the above in previous comments. My 98 year old Dad’s retort to regrets about the past is ‘So if the rabbit hadn’t moved, you would have shot it?’
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Thanks, Doug
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sometimes things are better left unsaid unless one is a neurotic.
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That’s true, but sometimes not knowing is very hard
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Impossible to tell what it all means, but I’d have to assume forgiveness and maybe sleep a little easier.
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In time she may be able to do that
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Truth… when we want to see a message we will see one. Whether real or not.
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We’re programmed to find meaning, even where it doesn’t exist
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I often wish communications were more clear. From my end and the other person’s.
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I think we all day, but often it’s not
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A beautiful take on the prompt.
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Thanks, Susan
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Sad and thoughtful – I hope he finds some answers in those photos.
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Thanks so much, Liz
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Lovely piece with a great ending.
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Thanks so much
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Brilliantly written, Neil with a great ending as everyone says. I wonder if the there’s another possibility, the bird may be missing him as well and confused about where he’s gone.
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Birds are pragmatists
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I wonder if that settles the troubled soul. Is it enough…?
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She’ll have to make it do
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Great stuff as ever, and the number 1 spot too!!
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Thanks so much
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Beautiful. I love that last thought.
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Thanks so much, Sascha
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Remarkable piece, I like how the ending plays out.
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Thanks so much
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A lovely reflective piece.
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Thanks so much
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