FFfAW : A last flap of broken wings

This week’s photo prompt is provided by Tim Livingston with the blog, The ForesterArtist. Thank you Tim for our photo prompt this week!

 

Archie pushed through the ferns, the fronds pleasantly scratchy on the backs of his hands. The light grew brighter as he walked on, the canopy of leaves thinning. Ahead was the LaSalle’s rust brown body, part masked by green, the tarpaulin that covered the hole in the roof shifting with the wind, imitating the sound of the sea.

A ham sandwich was warming in his pocket, a flask of tea cooling. Enid slept in an old car, but she still loved her morning cuppa. His eye was caught by movement, like a bird flapping broken wings. One of her National Geographics. Images of yellow sand dunes flashing with each twitch of the pages.

‘Enid?’

On the car’s dashboard was a flattened cigarette packet, a note scrawled on the inside.

Dear Archie, it’s time for me to go home. Something’s calling and I can’t ignore it longer. Take care of La Sally for me. Enid

He sat in the driver’s seat eating the sandwich, inhaling the scents of ham and rotting leather.

 

Written for Precious Joy’s Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers. See the pic – a gorgeous one this week, I’m sure you’ll agree – and write a tale. See here to join in and to read the other stories.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

38 thoughts on “FFfAW : A last flap of broken wings”

  2. Love all the sensory details, as always. I can see him – smell him – sitting there, eating what he brought for her, thinking, saying goodbye. Nice touch, having her write the note on a cigarette packet.

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    1. Thank you, Joy. Yes, definitely a silent goodbye there, remembering her even as she walks away. Thanks again for reading 🙂 How are you doing, BTW? Your WIP going well? And are you doing Camp NaNo this year? Can you believe it’s almost a year? So glad I took part and met you all 🙂

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      1. I can’t believe it’s been a year either! April is looking crazy for me, but I’m sorely tempted by Camp NaNo anyway. It *is* a flexible goal, after all… Plus I get to hang out more with you and my other writing buds!

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      2. Pretty sure I won’t be doing it, sadly. Though perhaps I should – try to get the last couple of chapters of this novel finished. Problem is, a few thousand words and I’m done and then no other big project in the pipeline at the mo. I’ll think about it.

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      4. Good point. I could finish the WIP, hand that over to my Alpha Reader then edit my YA novel. Is that acceptable, or do NaNo prefer to stick to one project?

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      5. As long as you can find some reasonable way to count up “words” then I believe it’s flexible. And yes, I know people who add up multiple projects for Camp, like several short stories.

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    1. Thank you Michael. The homeless always have an intriguing background, don’t they? No one becomes homeless by choice, there’s always a darkly twisting path that leads them there. Thanks for reading

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  9. This is very well described. The rotting leather is a wonderful description against him eating his samwich. I guess there was something she had to do so she left. Maybe she’ll return?

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