PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields
“I’m getting too old for this.” Jack wanted to put on a pair of sunglasses to beat the desert glare as he drove but he didn’t wear contacts anymore and needed his regular glasses to see pretty much anything.
“Up and down this damned freeway,” he complained. “I was raised in the desert.” He eased his car around a curve keeping an eye on his speed. “Buried Dad’s ashes here like he wanted but that was ages ago. Why am I still here when there are greener places?”
“It’s almost over.” The voice in his head was strange yet comforting.
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 up top as the prompt for crafting a poem or short story no more than 100 words. My word count is exactly 100.
That image (looks like a painting) reminds me of certain stretches of Interstate 15 in Utah. My parents retired to St. George which is at the extreme southwestern part of the state. When they were both alive, my family and I would travel that long stretch of highway from Idaho to visit them. After Dad passed (he did want his ashes buried in the desert near where he went fishing) and my wife and I moved Mom up to be nearer to us (she passed a few years back), we had absolutely no reason to make that drive again.
I used to love road trips and don’t mind the desert even though, as my fictional Jack mentioned, I was raised in one (Las Vegas specifically). Now, I don’t travel too well and was delighted to give up that trip.
Cover image for my novel “A Wobblegong and His Boy”
In this instance, the image seemed more metaphorical than literal and Jack experienced his life as a desert. However, that “comforting voice” promises something better than this when the time comes.
Oh, I borrowed the title from some of the lyrics to “Hotel California” as covered by The Eagles.
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 thirteen reviews/ratings on Amazon with 89% of them being 4 and 5 stars (slowly gaining traction). Don’t forget you can also review my novel at Goodreads.
Happy Wednesday.
poweredbyrobots.com 
I hear that same voice at times myself. I loved this.
LikeLike
Thank you, Violet.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ominous.
LikeLike
Not necessarily. Thanks, Dawn.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like the voice…
LikeLike
well, such is life.
LikeLike
Indeed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Road trips always bring up too many memories. I like Jack. 🙂
LikeLike
Yes, they do and I remember many of them fondly. Thanks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A grey atmosphere pervades your story. The MC is at a crossroads.
LikeLike
At the signpost up ahead…the Twilight Zone (cue creepy music).
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLike
The voice in our head can be a saviour, sometimes.
LikeLike
In this case, it’s the literal truth. Thanks.
LikeLike
Great read – I hope the voice is of comfort to him
LikeLike
I think so. Thanks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The Eagles will sue! Good piece.
LikeLike
Thanks and I hope not.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ooooo that’s not a great voice to listen to. The highway to the end… creepy. Nicely written James
LikeLike
That’s one way of looking at it but maybe the suffering will end as well and he’ll go to someplace “greener.”
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like where the picture took you. Nice one, James.
LikeLike
Thanks, Keith.
LikeLike
Fab read, James. I don’t mind the voices now.
LikeLike
I’m glad. Thanks, Nancy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hmm, most interesting, James.
LikeLike
Thanks, Chris.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear James,
Warm smell of colitas rising up in the air….Thank you for the earworm. He should get photogray lenses for his regular glasses. Evocative piece.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
That doesn’t sound like the ending Jack wanted…or maybe it is.
LikeLike
He’s ready to stop the running back and forth in the desert.
LikeLiked by 1 person