Friday Fictioneers – Reflections

~ neilmacdon
on-the-beach-with-sandra
PHOTO PROMPT © Sandra Crook

Reflections were no longer perfect.  The above ceased to mirror below. Below the meniscus the granite cliffs and great purple bruise of a damaged sky were gone.  Down under, a gentle surf lapped the peaceful strand, and fishermen cast their nets on a sea pulsing with cod and bream.

“Tis the devil’s work,” Molly declared, needles clacking as they wound the soft strong wool. “Paradise be above, and below, a vale of tears.”

Nothing could convince her. Heaven below must be hell.

“The sky will clear,” she said, “and we’ll go back up. When I’ve finished my Jeb’s new jumper.”

 

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

 

78 thoughts on “Friday Fictioneers – Reflections”

    1. Thanks, mate. That’s the difficulty with 100 words. I wanted to indicate that most inhabitants have adapted themselves to their environment, but the protagonist remains stubbornly committed to the world as it was. Not so stubbornly, however, that she’s ready to venture aloft. That sweater may take some time

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  25. Wow, this is DEEP on so many levels. So many underlying themes and schemes, and ideas. Love it! Especially love the ‘bruised sky’ description..

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  29. Lovely images, as other commenters have said, and the sense of reality having been disturbed by some shift in the natural order has me wondering what’s caused it. I love Mollie – she has her priorities right.

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    1. Thanks for the positive comments, even if it didn’t hang together as a narrative for you. The idea is that there’s been an apocalypse and people have escaped below. They believe that they may be able to return above, but Molly isn’t so sure

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  34. Wonderful descriptions, especially “great purple bruise of a damaged sky” and “sea pulsing with cod and bream.” I wonder why “when I’ve finished my Jeb’s new jumper” reminds me of “when hell freezes over.”

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