Friday Fictioneers – Airiness

~ neilmacdon
from-david-stewart
PHOTO PROMPT © David Stewart

The dirt track became a cobbled street, twisting between high buildings that leant together, nodding their heads and clicking their tongues at us.

Marta began to tire, feet dragging and hand pulling in mine. “Let’s go home,” she said. “I don’t like it here.”

The street opened on an avenue, straight as marching soldiers.

At the end—a great plaza. Waters danced in fountains, and flocks of starlings hid the distant palace behind a curtain of coruscating wings.

Marta turned and turned. “Daddy, I didn’t know there was so much space in the whole world.”

I determined things must be different.

 

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

66 thoughts on “Friday Fictioneers – Airiness”

  8. Neil, for me this could almost read like a Dad who is an an access visit and possibly not returning the child to her mother. The child seems quite uncomfortable and there’s an eerie feel to it. I seem to be out on my own with this perspective but there’s a reticence in the child which attracted my attention.
    Best wishes,
    Rowena

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  11. Your story nicely captures how wanting things to be better for our family so often is the driver of change. And, I really like “flocks of starlings hid the distant palace behind a curtain of coruscating wings,” – lovely image and use of language.

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