Sia tapped an unsuspecting puddle with her toe. Startled it rippled away, gently distorting the realities reflected on its surface.
The ripples transformed her brother, straining to peer into the dark general store, to a boy scavenging after Christmas. Barren trees became crumbling sticks, not even good for fire.
The sky was falling.
“Something’s wrong.”
Marta’s back spasmed and her lungs burned as she coughed. Thin strings of blood stretched from her lips to the palm of her hand.
Only her son caught sight of the panic in Marta’s eyes.
“Nothing’s wrong Sia. Stop daydreaming and come on.”
Word Count: 98
For Friday Fictioneers courtesy of Rochelle Wisoff Fields. Thank you as always.
Marta coughing blood, Sia day dreaming of a dire future. A sad story. Nicely told.
It appears bleak! Thank you so much for reading
Sia perhaps has a skill of premonition of dark times ahead. Nice one.
Thank you!
Good writing …
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Thank you for reading!
Sia appears to have a gift – not that it is pleasant to foresee bad times…
Well done, Kelley!
Thank you!
This is descriptively written, and rather enigmatic. It would be possible to write off Sia’s thoughts as those of someone always seeing disaster – the Chicken Little of the title who expects the sky to fall in – except that Sia’s brother saw panic in Marta’s eyes. Perhaps you are contrasting a real emergency where Marta should be obtaining medical help with Sia’s imagined disasters?
I think that’s part of the mystery here. We don’t know whether or not Sia’s brother also saw the blood in Marta’s hand or only the panic in her eyes. Maybe he believes Marta is just worried that Sia’s over active imagination will get the best of her. Of course, what if Sia isn’t imagining? Thanks for reading Penny
Maybe Sia’s foresight will buy them enough time to change the future she sees.
Maybe, if anyone takes her seriously. One can hope. Thanks for reading Violet
That’s as graphic a description of a haemhorrage as I’ve read in a while. Thankfully it’s some while since I had lunch.
I’m glad I didn’t ruin lunch! Thank you for reading
All illusion? Crazy.
An illusion or the truth? Thanks for reading
Doesn’t sound like good things are coming their way.
Not at all! Thank you for reading
Wonderfully thought provoking little tale. Well done.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
Thank you!
That was a very creative interpretation of the picture.
Thank you!
Great story, Kelley! 🙂
Thank you!