Last Day on the Island – Friday Fictioneers, July 2016

A two week idyll had stretched into a six week nightmare. They  should return home and wait, the police had said, for the sake of the other children.

Hills had been scoured, coves and coastlines inspected daily, and mountain roads patrolled.

Nothing.

She leaned into the shade of a doorway, the heat from the cobbles searing through her thin sandals, sweat darkening her linen dress, and gazed miserably up at the skyline dotted with satellite dishes and washing lines.

And there it was, pegged amongst fluttering shirts and dresses…her son’s yellow romper suit with the red teddy on the front.

I had no hesitation in deciding whether to repeat my previous offering for this photo, because I remember being absolutely delighted when the acclaimed Claire Fuller of the award winning ‘Our Endless Numbered Days’ and soon to be released ‘Swimming Lessons’ asked for permission to use it in a Flash Fiction master class that she was organising.  Of course, she might have been using it as an example of how not to do it…    😦

Rochelle, the genial hostess of Friday Fictioneers is steaming along to meet her publishing deadline with As One Can One Must.  Hope you’re making good progress, my friend.