Every Friday, writers from around the globe join to write tiny tales in response to a photo prompt posted on Rochelle’s blog. This week’s photo has been supplied by Rochelle herself! Congrats, Rochelle, on completing your first year as driver on the Fictioneers bus 🙂
Joanna’s story ~Please don’t stop the music
Marie’s fingers worked at the door’s handle. Eventually, it opened.
Inside the abandoned room lay her piano, dust icing its once-glossy black surfaces. She limped into the room and lowered herself onto the stool.
Pain shot through her hands as she lifted the instrument’s lid. Beneath, the white and ebony keys stretched before her.
Closing her eyes, she settled her twisted hands onto the keys.
Once, she had dazzled concert houses.
Once, she had played delicate sonatas and rousing concertos.
Now, all she had was memory. She needed to anchor the past before her fragmenting brain forgot the music altogether.
[100 words]
Ron’s poem ~Life’s Reconstruction
it lies in pieces at my feet
dismantled by the tools of discontent
whilst once joy flowed from the whole
now there is nothing, not even silence
can I find the missing unit
to make complete, the means, the time
will the fingers of my mind still work
on the schematic of the build
screw and clip that held as one
the wires that connected the components
stripped naked, loose and bare
nothing there but the memory of cohesion
will anything bring her back
[84 words]
The tales written by other writers who’ve taken part this week can be found by clicking the blue frog below.
Our earlier stories can be found here and on our old blog.
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Interesting pieces.
Particularly liked Joanna’s.
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Thank you 🙂
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I’ve missed you two! What a sense of loss runs through both pieces, although in very different circumstances!
janet
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I’ve missed you too, Janet! I wish I had the time and energy to take part in FF every week, but sadly it’s just not there at the moment!
I’d like to think that there’s a way for Marie to find joy in her music again even if she can no longer play.
Lovely to see you; thanks for stopping by.
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Joanna, each new piece of the story build to a heartbreaking conclusion. I loved it.
Ron, a clever moving use of metaphor. Beautifully written.
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Karen, thanks so much for your lovely and thoughtful comments. 🙂
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Dear Joanna and Ron,
I love the way your stories dovetail at the end. An enigmatic pair this week. Well done to both of you.
Aloha,
Doug
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Thanks very much, Doug 🙂
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Dear Joanna and Ron,
It’s nice to see both of you back in the fold this week. Although both pieces are nicely done, I’m particularly touched by Joanna’s. You could say it struck a particular chord with me.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks, Rochelle 🙂 Love the play on words!
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A perfectly contained, very moving vignette.
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Thank you! 🙂
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A couple of beautifully reflective pieces Joanna. I enjoyed them both.
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Glad you enjoyed them, Sandra. Thanks for reading. 🙂
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Thank you for these! I’m particularly intrigued by ‘don’t stop the music.’ What will happen next? Please continue!!!
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LOL, Nicky – you think I know what happens next?! You know I’m a pantser! 😉
Thanks for reading and commenting, much appreciated. x
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The story was very tender and sad.. a topic that touch my heart.. I love how the poem was done as a methaphor over the mending of a relationship.. the details of the wiring combined witht the end made it a fulfulling piece to read.
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Thanks so much for your lovely comments, Bjorn – always good to see you here. 🙂 I’ll be over to read yours shortly.
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I like both pieces this week but at exactly 100 words = Joanna wins. 😉
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Thanks for reading, and for your feedback, Dawn – glad you enjoyed them!
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That was a touching piece, Joanna and I enjoyed Ron’s poem too.
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Thank you, Madison! Lovely to see you here 🙂
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