PHOTO PROMPT © Fleur Lind
If you like my work, buy me a virtual cup of coffee at Ko-Fi.
“Screw it.” Sam’s aging body sat heavily onto the wrought iron chair. Long legs were stuffed underneath the matching table. The garden she had lovingly created looked like crap. He’d neglected everything over the summer. Now the morning air had the familiar chill of autumn.
No one had died. They just left him. He finally thought he’d gotten his life together, but they just left him. The divorce was quick and clean. Danny moved his family, Sam’s beloved grandchildren, to the middle-east for his dream job. The other two kids were too busy. Her garden was his life in shambles.
Another Wednesday and time for the latest edition of Rochelle Wisoff-Fields’ Friday Fictioneers. The idea is to use the image above as the inspiration for crafting a poem or short story no more than 100 words long. My word count is exactly 100.
The photo reminded me of how much work goes into cleaning up the yard for autumn. I actually don’t mind leaves on the ground and such, but the missus has other ideas.
It also looked very lonely and in keeping with my trying to write “non-fantastical” stories, I went in this direction.
To read other tales based on the prompt, visit Inlinkz.
To read more of my work, try the SciFi/Fantasy novelette ICE.
At the end of time, the world is hot and men travel the vast oceans in merchant sailing ships. Captain Ki-Moon Yong of the Star of Jindo has discovered a new horror at the bottom of the world. Can he and the Star escape disaster long enough to warn a disbelieving world?Addendum: I just found out it’s National Read-A-Book Day, 6 Sept 2023 in the U.S. I decided to post a photo of me reading here and on social media. Feel free to do the same.
© James Pyles
poweredbyrobots.com 
That messiness is a good manifestation of a life in shambles.
LikeLike
I thought so, too. Thanks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I loved the metaphor used here and the description of his hopelessness.
LikeLike
Thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hopefully he manages to clean it up.
LikeLike
Depends on whether he finds the motivation. Thanks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Such a lonely man. The neglected garden sums up his situation perfectly. Very good.
LikeLike
Thanks, Margaret.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lovely images to suggest his life in shambles. Well done.
LikeLike
Thank you.
LikeLike
Actually, I think the photo’d garden looks restful 🙂
LikeLike
So do I.
LikeLike
How sad! I like the messy garden as a picture of his messy life.
LikeLike
I like it, too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Shambles! Well now he has the serenity, a place to sit and think of a better future. Maybe do some work on the garden.
LikeLike
Maybe he’ll wait until Spring.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good idea.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hesitated on first reading because I thought Sam was the ‘she’ in the story (and the long legs belonged to the ‘he’ which led me to believe divorce hadn’t been the end of it!) Anyway, I suspect I’m just tired, on re-reading, I could feel his loneliness and regret at how things turned out.
LikeLike
Tragic story but nicely crafted.
LikeLike
Thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Best left alone, at least he has the memories.
LikeLike
True, but now he has to build a new life.
LikeLike
Life is full of challenges to accept or pass on. I hope he accepts and builds something for himself.
LikeLike
Or at least makes peace with the mess. Thanks, Dale.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is true. He has to do something so he doesn’t stay in a dark place.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That last line is stunning James 🙌
LikeLike
Thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Excellent metaphors at work here. Wonderful bit of flash!
LikeLike
Thanks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wonderful visual metaphor.
I enjoyed this one.
LikeLike
Thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person