What Pegman saw – The failure

“What Pegman saw” is a weekly challenge based on Google Streetview. Using the 360 degree view of the location provided, you must write a piece of flash fiction of no more than 150 words. You can read the rules here. You can find today’s location on this page,  from where you can also get the Inlinkz code.

Plaintive sea birds soared over the ocean, cutting long arcs through the air as they rode updrafts by the precipitous wall of the fort.

Carlos sat in one of the fort’s crenellations. The chance of a lifetime and he’d blown it. Alright, Massachusetts was cold; he couldn’t eat his favourite cocina criolla; he missed his family and friends. But surely he could have coped for three years? Instead, he’d missed lectures, eaten too little, and slept for hours during the day when he should have been studying. He’d been weak and failed his family.

He swung his legs over the edge and looked down at the waves breaking on the rocks.

A girl approached and coughed. She eased into the space beside Carlos, and swung her feet over the drop.

“This isn’t the answer, Carlos,” she said. “Come home. We need you.”

Hand in hand, brother and sister walked home.