Three Line Tales : If you ever loved me …

three line tales week 45: a vintage Kodak camera

photo by Grant McCurdy via Unsplash

 

The paper’s edges were feathery with age, the folds so well worn they were almost tears, scoring the words he’d read a thousand times.

If you ever loved me, never develop this film.

If ... How could she have doubted him, after all they went through together, all he endured because of her. But now it was finally time to see the world through her eyes.

His hand shook as he picked up the camera.

 

Written for Sonya at Only 100 Words’ Three Line Tales. Write a tale to the prompt photo. See here to join in and to read the other tales.

What do you think he’ll find if he develops that film? Share your ideas in the comments box.

27 thoughts on “Three Line Tales : If you ever loved me …”

    1. Thanks Bill, it is a good photo isn’t it? All thanks to Sonya. You’re quite right about the story – what kind of person does that? One day maybe I’ll work that out 🙂

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  3. 1. Perhaps the roll of film has degraded over the years and images on the prints taken from it are virtually indistinct; or

    2. The camera is booby-trapped, her final revenge from the grave on his serial infidelity; or

    3. The camera is empty, her way of expressing a metaphor about her life with him; or …

    A fantastic gender reversal of the Pandora’s Box / Bluebeard’s Castle trope, Lynn, brilliant!

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    1. Thank you so much Chris. All great suggestions. I wondered about it being empty, some kind of twisted revenge, keeping him wondering all those years. I also thought the pictures might be of something horrific – the liberation of Bergen-Belson horrific – something that will change the way he sees the world, see her. An interesting premise I think – a high concept idea that I can’t follow through on I’d say 🙂

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  4. Interesting mystery! I keep thinking of things she wouldn’t want him to see, but that doesn’t work, because if so, why didn’t she simply destroy the film? If she wanted the images for herself (even if she didn’t want him to see them), why leave them in the camera rather than develop them? So none of my logic works. I’m left with the idea that this is some sort of cruel trick or heartbroken test she left for him, that the images are of her crying over his hurtful ways, or photos of him with his mistress, proving that she knew all along. That doesn’t quite match with his feeling that of course he loves her after all they’ve been through, but maybe this is a case of two very different perceptions.

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    1. I like your ideas Joy. I wondered if it mught be some cruel trick on her behalf, some way to hurt him just because that’s how she was. Perhaps he hasn’t looked because he thinks they’re one thing but they’re something entirely different. Perhaps she really is trying to protect him from something she can’t bear to destroy but knows will upset him. I’m sure I’ll never write what happens when he develops the film, but it’s an intriguing premise to think on. Thanks so much for reading

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      1. That’s an interesting point — not only to imagine what the pictures actually are, and what her motivation for writing that note would be, but what HE imagines the pictures show, and his own motivation for not looking for so long — which may be completely different.

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  5. Surely that is an invitation? I think she wanted to be found out but have it clear that whatever is in the photos was something she regretted, not necessarily the contents but the fact she’d kept it secret from him.

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    1. Great idea. You’re right, I think. I’ts something she feels she has to keep – if it’s that awful, she could have just destroyed it after all – but maybe there is a part of her that needs to know he’ll see it one day, if for no other reason than to unburden herself. Thanks for your great comment and for reading

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