PHOTO PROMPT © Jennifer Pendergast
It started when she was a child, on holiday at the cabin. When the others were out building snow people, cross-country skiing, or ice fishing in shanties, she sprawled on her belly in front of the fireplace and colored pictures. One afternoon, the crackling warmth and yellow light spoke to her in a language she transcribed. Symmetrical, repeating designs filled a page. What was it trying to tell her?
Next morning she opened her sketchbook to find a rainbow lotus. Nobody admitted to doing it. That night she secretly watched as the yellow light shared images of its world.
[99 words]
Note: I considered several directions with Jennifer’s interesting image. As I stared at the image I noticed what looks like a beam of light shining on the book and built the story around it.
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields is the traveling host of Friday Fictioneers.
Tao Talk 
A lot of magical colouring books turning up this week. Lovely idea 🙂
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Thanks much, Iain!
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A lovely idea.
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Thanks, Sadje!
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You’re most welcome
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I love where you took this. Before zooming in more closely, it does look as though someone may have colored with markers on actual script. Then I zoomed in to see they are designs, which could be a language, only not one we know. Love how you used “yellow light spoke to her in a language she transcribed”. Then the ending. The fire is alive.🔥
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Melissa, I like what you see in the image and in the story. Thanks!
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Wonderful – wish it would really happen. 🙂
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🙂 Me too!
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🙂 ❤
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“It started when she was a child,” this first line adds a sense of perpetual to the story and a deep sense of mysterious wonder.
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James, thank you so much for the feedback.
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Another mystery from the coloring book.
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I was going to try to spin something on the chewed up corner of it but then I saw the beam of light.
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That was a nice magical trip.
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Glad you liked it, thanks, Max 🙂
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The beam of light was well used. I hadn’t noticed it
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Thank you, Neil.
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I hadn’t even noticed what you saw. Really nice.
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Thanks, MrBinks!
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Perfectly mysterious, love this one, seeing what others don’t is the key
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Shrawl, so glad you enjoyed this one. Thanks 🙂
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Love this, seeing what others doesn’t is the key
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Imaginative and lovely.
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Thank you, Dawn 🙂
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I’m getting “Close Encounters…” vibes. Very cool idea of a way to communicate with the otherwordly.
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Thank you, I agree!
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Light invites magic. (K)
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❤
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I see the light now. Great take on the prompt.
Tracey
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Tracey thank you 🙂
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Wow, I didn’t see that light until you pointed it out. This has a great story, L!
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T, thanks!
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Delightfully different, Lisa. You spotted something most of us missed!
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Glad you enjoyed it!
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Beautiful language here for a mostly-drab photo. I love the idea of the fire showing her another world.
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Thanks much, Jen!
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Communing with the fire. I like that. Wonderful take on the prompt!
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Dale thanks and glad you enjoyed my take on it 🙂
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I did, indeed!
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believe in magic. sometimes it happens when you least expect it. 🙂
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Amen, Plaridel 🙂
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Fascinating story. Well done.
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Thanks, Athling.
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Dear Lisa,
I love that you took something as obscure as the light beam and built a story around it. Imaginative thinking outside the box. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Rochelle, thank you very much. Necessity is the mother of invention, they say, and I was at a loss for what to write — and then saw the beam.
Shalom,
Lisa
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Lovely.
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Thanks, Brit!
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I think a lot of us were drawn into that book (pun unintended!) lovely write Lisa 😊
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AJ, a nice crop of poems have sprung out of that book, you’re right. We fell in and they sprung out.
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Art and nature are both kind of magic.
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Yes they are 🙂
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very original take Msjadeli. reminds me of the tale the elves and the shoemaker, one of my all-time favourites. Thank you.
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Thanks very much and glad it reminds you of that tale 🙂
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Magical!
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❤ Thank you!
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Very cool. I love a magic colouring book! Beautiful
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Laurie, thank you!
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