Every week, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields (thank you, Rochelle!) hosts a flash fiction challenge, to write a complete story, based on a photoprompt, with a beginning, middle and end, in 100 words or less. Post it on your blog, and include the Photoprompt and Inlinkz on your page. Link your story URL. Then the fun starts as you read other peoples’ stories and comment on them!
PHOTO PROMPT © ROGER BULTOT
Roller Coaster
He sat in Nathan’s diner from two until three every day, stirring a coffee. Sometimes he would take a swallow, look across at the Steeplechase roller coaster opposite, and grimace.
Every five minutes the cars rocketed into the corner of the ride, the squeal of the wheel flanges against the track completely drowned by the shrieks of excited riders.
Every five minutes he saw again in his mind’s eye the car leaping off the track, the boy flying through the air, plummeting.
Every five minutes he heard the despairing wail, “Dad…”
It was even worse the days he didn’t go.
Autumn Leaves 
Great last line
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Thank you, Neil. I was pleased with it.
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Those flashbacks must be so impossible to handle
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Thank you for the comment. You’re right, ‘impossible to handle’ sums it up well.
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This was so sad, but so well written
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Thank you for the lovely comment, Michael.
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The despair of helplessness. Grim, but powerful and well written Penny.
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Thank you, Iain. It’s very bleak, and I’m not quite sure where it came from!
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Haunting!!!! Good story on a tragic subject.
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Thank you for your kind comment. To lose one’s child must be awful.
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You’re very welcome, Penny.
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Dear Penny,
How tragic. I truly felt for this man who most likely blames himself for living when his child didn’t. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle
Thank you for your thoughtful comment. I think you’re absolutely right that the man blames himself for living when his son didn’t.
Shalom
Penny
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So sad. Well written.
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Thank you for your kind comment.
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Wow powerful Penny. How traumatic. PTSD is terrible.
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Thank you for your insightful comment. Yes, treatment for PTSD might help this man come to terms with the trauma of loss.
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Oh that last line, Penny. Cleverly timed, cleverly constructed. Well done.
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Oh, Sandra, I’m blushing with pleasure at your approval. Thank you!
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Ouch, and here was me thinking it was a sweet little daily routine.
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Thank you for your comment, Ali. ‘Ouch’ – under the circumstances – is a great compliment!
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Oh, my heart! Penny, this is an outstanding write.
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Dear Linda
Thank you for that lovely comment!
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Incredible writing, such a good job!
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Thank you for your very kind comment!
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it looks like he has moved on after all these years. i wonder if he’d ever will.
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Thank you, Plaridel. He needs a way to forgive himself.
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The father seems to be punishing himself. Either way, he is certainly haunted by what happened. Great and tragic last line. Excellent story, Penny!
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Dear Brenda
Thank you for your interesting and thought-provoking comment. In a way you’re right; he is punishing himself. But it’s something over which he has no control. I think he probably needs to find a way to forgive himself for something that was beyond his control.
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Hi Penny, I feel for your character. He certainly does need to find a way to forgive himself. That is often the hardest thing to do.
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Shocking, how does anyone recover from such an incident.
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Thank you for your thoughtful comment, James. Recovery would be terribly slow, I fear.
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I can’t imagine what that must be like. So sad.
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Thank you for your heartfelt comment, Keith.
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What a tough loss, and the memory is even tougher. Well written piece, Penny.
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Thank you for your very kind comment, Russell. Yes, loss of a child must be brutal.
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Oh, the poor man. He really should see someone for some help with that. Reliving trauma does not resolve it …
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Dear Na’ama
Thank you for your thoughtful comment. I think it will be difficult to persuade him to see a therapist, don’t you? You are right (of course – you’re a professional, aren’t you!) when you say that reliving trauma doesn’t resolve it.
With very best wishes
Penny
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Yeah, I know that some cannot see themselves going to therapy, for whatever stories they were told (or tell themselves) about what seeking help will mean or say about them. And all the more the sorrow for it, for while pain and loss remain, trauma does not need to.
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Oh boy does that one sucker punch! Perfectly written. The poor man!
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