Why?

Starlight makes it possible. I wouldn’t be here, bleeding on the beach otherwise.

Falling on one’s sword isn’t as easy as it looks. It goes through my side and misses everything but too many desserts. Starlight’s mercy gives me signal way out here. Grants me “911” before I pass out to the tangy smell of salt and seaweed and hearing ocean’s soothing whoosh.

You were my sunshine, but I sheathed you with hurled sharp rocks, pinches, slaps, and gaslighting. Your last word to me: “Why?” as starlight let you leave. Your tears rain on me each night in my dreams.

[100 words]

Note: I was at a loss on what to write beyond an Arthurian tale for the picture, and the phone threw me also. When I’m at a loss, I make a list of everything in the image to give spark. This time I took it farther and added impressions of each item. Below is what I started with. It was the last item that gave the muse an in.

helmet (protects)
sword (attacks, slices)
phone (communication, modern, digital, wireless)
beach (lake, ocean, place to recreate)
water (life force, drink, swim, relax)
rocks (hard, old, memory keepers, erosion control)
sand (silica, small, many, cubes, like sugar)
shore (edge, between land and water)
twigs (bits of trees, litter)
scabbard/sheath (holds weapon, covers)
sunshine (life force, light from a star)

Rochelle Wisoff-Fields is the host of
Friday Fictioneers.