Photo courtesy of Rochelle Wisoff-Fields
The bay window looks homey; a place to escape the world outside the walls. I imagine a warm kitchen, rich with the scent of comfort food – someone’s haven from the storm.
Word count: 100
The Way We Were
Craning his neck, he spotted their window on the fourth floor.
A snug apartment, it was where they were happiest, wrapped around each other, dreaming of their future. All their problems disappeared and worries were held at bay. He was her comfort, her shield, her hero.
Remembering that evening so many years before, the red police lights on the wet pavement alerted him to the crisis. A jumper, they said, DOA. Pushing through the crowd, he whispered “which window?”
The fluttering kitchen curtain waved in apology as his dreams vaporized into the rain, heroism a burden he no longer carried.
To see other stories, please visit the Rochelle Wisoff-Fields site here.
© Erin Leary
erinlearywrites 
Tragic and well written. I especially love the ending “a burden he carried no longer” how bittersweet that is.
Thanks for reading!
Love the visual of the kitchen curtains waving an apology. And the line about the burden of heroism — whoa. Very touching.
Thank you – that line was in my head before I noticed the open window. 😀
Beautifully written. The vivid imagery adds even more impact to the tragic events.
Thank you, Jan!
Brilliant. I can say no more.
Wow – thank you for that! 😊
How sad, Erin. Your last line added a bit of a twist that I didn’t expect.
janet
Thanks, Janet. I sometimes don’t know what will come out and this line surprised me.
This has a strange detached quality about it. Maybe she felt that about him. Interesting.
Tracey
I imagine she had a lot of stuff going on that wasn’t what it should be. Poor guy.
Wonderful use of details to set the mood and scene. Such a sad story – I guess he’d happily resume his burden to have her back.
Thanks, Margaret. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Beautifully written Erin, terrific use of imagery with that ‘apologetic curtain’. Well done.
Thanks, Sandra! Always pleased when you like it.
Dear Erin,
‘…wrapped around each other…’ I really love that image. Wonderfully written,
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thanks, Rochelle! And a belated happy birthday to you and your two babies …er… Books! 😀👍🎉🎁
Bittersweet Erin, well done.
Moving story with a sorrowful ending. I had a story about death from a fall but a with different
perspective. The open window must have been calling us in that direction. Well written story for the prompt photo.Erin Leary.
Isadora 😎
So tragic, but beautifully written. The details drew me right in, they’re so vivid.
I take his view of the relationship and hers were totally different. It’s all about perspective. Beautifully written. I loved the line about the curtain waving apologetically.
Beautiful story with great description. No matter how hard you try you can’t shield people from depression. Sad but realistic. Well done, Erin. —– Suzanne
Sad and touching and lovely imagery in this one.