PHOTO PROMPT © C. E. Ayr
The hiking trail had been a refreshing interlude but he always came back to the same place. Facing the dehumanizing blocks of motel rooms, Richard sagged wishing he could stay among the trees with a roof of clouds and sky.
But she didn’t like to camp, said sleeping bags made her itch, and motels served a free breakfast.
“I can’t face it all again and especially her.” He stopped to glare at the suite of prison cells. “Hell with it.”
He turned around. The sun would set soon and he would be alone. Richard wondered who would find his bones.
It’s Wednesday and time again to participate in this week’s edition of Rochelle Wisoff-Fields’ Friday Fictioneers. The idea is to use the image at the top as a prompt for crafting a poem or short story no more than 100 words long. My word count is exactly 100.
Cover image for my novel “A Wobblegong and His Boy”
The photo reminded me of many summer vacations I’ve taken over the years, driving for hours and hours, eating at chain restaurants, and staying in lifeless blocks of motels. Of course there were the good parts of the vacation too, but sometimes it really is the destination and not the journey itself.
In this case, Richard had finally had enough and decided to walk away from it all.
To read other stories based on the prompt or to contribute one of your own, visit Inlinkz.
My YA science fiction novel A Wobblegong And His Boy is up to twelve reviews/ratings on Amazon with 88% of them being 4 and 5 stars. Don’t forget you can also review my novel at Goodreads.
I was interviewed for the book for the fifth time last Saturday. I’ll let you know when that and other podcasts are available for viewing.
Happy Wednesday.
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Walkabout takes on more ominous aspects in this story. I hope he changes his mind out there on the trail.
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I think he keeps walking until he can’t go any further. Thanks, Lisa.
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You are welcome, James. Maybe a pack of wolves will befriend him. I’ve heard of worse fates.
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Or eat him. >:-D
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Oh no – that is drastic tell him to turn around go back and tell her he’s leaving. He can then go do whatever he wants 🙂↔️
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He doesn’t want to face her again. He knows what she’ll say. This is a portrait of a man who has put up with compromises for too long and he’s finally had enough.
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Things must be bad to wander off like that.
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He thinks so, Sandra. Thanks.
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All I can say is don’t even think about doing that in Alaska Richard- or we will likely never even find your bones. Some know it all tourist wanders away every summer never to be found….
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He doesn’t want to be found, Violet. Thanks.
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hopefully, he’d change his mind and turn around at the sight of bigfoot.
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I think he’d want to hang out with Bigfoot, maybe go hunting for grubs together or something.
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Oooooo this has a sadly dark end. I hope he finds what he needs. I wonder what she’ll do when he doesn’t come back
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My guess is that she’ll be clueless about his disappearance, maybe thinking he just got lost and it was a tragedy but nothing that had to do with her.
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An interesting read. The search for peace with life and nature is not always an easy choice.
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I think a lot of guys don’t express themselves, sometimes for years, and then finally pop.
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At least he’ll end up where he wished to stay, albeit under different circumstances.
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I think he knows what’s going to happen, hence the query about who will find his bones.
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Ooh, that was a strange ending. Good though.
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I suppose or the ending of someone who finally gave up hope. Thanks, Chris.
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He should have dumped her long before he came to this drastic conclusion.
Maybe during his walk, he will find enlightenment…
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I’m sure he’ll find something, Dale. Thanks.
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I like to think so.
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A dark tale, James. A lonely way to go, but maybe that is exactly what he wanted.
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I don’t think it’s what he originally wanted but in the end, it’s all he had left. Thanks.
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It would be hard not to choose that path. Wonderful story!
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Thank you, Helen.
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Is anything really worth what he’s decided to do?
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He thinks so.
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A man who has snapped. It might end badly, but you never know. He might live and have an adventure to tell.
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He just might, Brenda. Thanks.
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