Friday, August 23, 2013

Flash Fiction Friday






Morning Glory
by Donna L Martin


The sun was just starting to come up when Neil reluctantly let go of his dream. It was the same one he'd had for the past three nights. Molly was laughing at something he'd said, looking at him with eyes the same shiny blue as the morning glories hanging outside the coffee shop where they ate breakfast every morning for the past six years.  He stopped eating there because now just the sight of them felt like a knife in his gut.

Neil rolled over and absently reached out for her. His mind knew she was gone but his heart just couldn't say goodbye. Slowly he opened his eyes as his hand touched where her auburn hair used to curl so softly next to his it would sometimes tickle his nose as he slept. What he wouldn't give to be tickled like that again. Now there was just a cold, sterile pillow to take up space in that big empty bed.

It had been a year since she left him. A year to curse God, feel the anger well up inside, and endless nights to lie awake fighting back tears threatening to break through the careful wall he built around his aching heart. Well-meaning friends kept telling him it was time to let her go, time to move on, but how could he move on when he couldn't even remember how to breathe without her?

Shuffling through the kitchen, Neil grabbed a piece of dry toast and his keys as he made his way to the front door. Maybe he should think about moving? Maybe move up north and start over? Or maybe he would just crawl back under the covers and pray for the dream to come again.

Opening the front door, it took him a moment to notice it. Shiny blue flowers caught his eye.  There, in the flower bed Molly made him dig for her last summer, were dozens of beautiful morning glories. Bright blue like her eyes. For a moment Neil thought he was losing his mind. For a moment he almost forgot to breathe and looked around to see who would play such a cruel joke? Then he remembered their last conversation at the hospital as he held her hand and gently moved aside the tubing to kiss her cheek...

***Okay, it's your turn! What did Molly tell Neil? How will he find the strength to carry on?  Put your creative cap on and add a sentence or add a paragraph.  Continue my story or start one of your own.  Join the fun and see where this picture prompt takes us!***


8 comments:

  1. Donna, this is beautiful. Here's my feeble attempt: "There will be other morning glories, other flowers, but regardless of their color, you will start afresh. You will love again."

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    1. Hi Angela and welcome to my blog! Thanks for becoming a follower and I like how you ran with this story and gave it a nice ending...

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  2. Ouch! That hit a few nerves. Spooky.

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    1. Hi JP! My flash fiction stories always come from a flash of pictorial inspiration where I hope it speaks to others as it does for me...;~)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  3. I went another way:

    Her words came rushing back to him. "Meet me in the garden, my love." The toast landed on the floor, his keys too, as he stumbled outside and fell next to the bright blue flowers.
    A year to the day she'd left him, they said it was a heart attack, but his friends knew it was the result of true loves call.

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    1. Hi Yolanda! Oh, how I LOVE this! I once read a book called OBSESSION about a love which lasted beyond the grave and the ending was very much as you described here with a slight different twist...;~)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  4. Well, Ms. Renee, it could've been a heart attack - of love! LOVE gripped Neil's heart... Great job Ms. Martin! :D
    Erik

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    1. Thanks, Erik, that really means a lot coming from one of my favorite "black belt" followers...;~)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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