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 © PENNY GADD
Before my journey
It will soon be time for my long journey, but I couldn’t leave without visiting the river one last time.
I have watched it in all its guises; spate when it is beaten to a cappuccino froth, and roars like a locomotive; a quiet trickle after weeks without rain; best of all, full but tranquil, with fish hiding in the shadows. I have seen kingfishers, and, once, an otter.
Today I have been blessed with warmth from dappled sunshine – but now it fades.
It will soon be time for my long journey.
I shall go gentle into that good night.
Autumn Leaves 
A great sense of peace here, Penny
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What a lovely thing to say, Neil. Thank you!
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Penny,
First thank you for sharing your lovely photograph with us FFs. Reading your story made me thankful for all such moments of “warmth from dappled sunshine” that come to us by grace and which lead us to a new horizon. There is no room for rage here,”against the dying of the light.”
pax,
dora
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Dear Dora
Thank you for your comment, which is full of insight. A heart full of gratitude for grace has little room for rage, and we only lose the light of this world to have it replaced by the greater light of heaven.
Pax
Penny
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It’s like saying goodbye
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Thank you for commenting, asarpota. Yes, a permanent goodbye.
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Beautiful prose, Penny. ❤
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Thank you for such a kind comment, Jade. I’m glad you feel the prose is beautiful.
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You’re very welcome.
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Great photo, Penny and I really enjoyed your story. In the busyness of life, it’s always a blessing to have those tranquil moments where you can just enjoy nature.
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Thank you for your lovely comment. Nature has a way of soothing us, doesn’t it?
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You’re welcome 🙂 And, yes, it certainly does.
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This was a gentle and comforting good-bye. Lovely write, Penny. Thank you for the use of your lovely photo!
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Thank you for your appreciative comment, Dale. I’m glad you enjoyed the picture, too.
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Both were lovely!
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What a lovely, peaceful, moment you create here. Thank you for the photo – it’s inspired such a range of stories today.
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Thank you for your kind comment, Elmo. It’s fun to see the different stories that the prompt has inspired.
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A lovely piece, reflecting acceptance and gratitude. Well done. And thanks for the photo.
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Thank you for such an appreciative comment, Sandra. As you say, acceptance and gratitude are at the heart of my story.
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Dear Penny,
As others have already said, a lovely peaceful piece with a sweet and telling last line. The final journey. Your wonderful descriptions put me in the moment.
Shalom in the truest sense,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle
Thank you for such warm comments. I’m glad my story moved you.
Shalom
Penny
xx
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Your story is as peaceful and warm as the photograph. Accepting of what must be can bting calm. Mind you, I don’t know if I could be so accepting facing approaching death, unless I’d be, say, 111 or so. 🙂
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Dear Gabi
Thank you for such a thoughtful comment.
I don’t think any of us knows how we will face approaching death until it happens. One of the advantages of writing fiction is we can try out different approaches to situations, isn’t it?
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relaxed and reminiscent. Beautiful, Penny.
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Thank you for your kind comment, Mason.
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You’re welcome.
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Simply beautiful Penny. What a lovely way to say goodbye. Thank you for sharing your delightful picture with us.
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Thank you for your lovely comment, Keith. I was happy to share the picture. It’s my local river, and I walk beside it pretty much every day, rain or shine.
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How lovely Penny. For me it’s the seashore, day in, day out.
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When a place is so special as you describe, it must be hard to say goodbye.
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Thank you for your insightful comment, James. It would indeed be hard to say goodbye.
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Beautiful images and yet, a scary end. Well done.
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Thank you for your kind comment, Athling. I understand why you find the end scary, but the woman in the story has had a full life, and feels gratitude for her life. She consciously accepts what is happening as being natural and inevitable, and as a result she is at peace.
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The story has a Sunday feel to me. A peaceful afternoon by the water met with the evening, going home and getting ready for Monday. Great atmosphere.
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Thank you for your kind comment, Tannille. I’m glad you liked the atmosphere.
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There are worse places to be for your final moments. Lovely 🙂
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Thank you for your appreciative comment, Ali. I’m glad you enjoyed the story.
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i wonder where she’s going but hopefully it would be an ideal place for her.
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Thank you for your kind comment, Plaridel. Her long journey is death; she’s terminally ill and has only days to live. However, she has lived a good life and is tranquil, because she is grateful for all she has experienced.
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I felt a calm sense of acceptance within your story, at peace with where their journey was going. Well written Penny.
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Thank you for your helpful comment, Francine. You caught exactly the mood I was trying to evoke.
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Beautifully descriptive!
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Thank you for commenting, Mags. I’m glad you enjoyed the descriptive writing.
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Oh this is so lovely. The imagery and sense of peace. Of time passing, slowly but ever forward until the end. Well done.
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Beautiful writing, to match a lovely photo. Thank you Penny
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A peaceful wisp of sadness as she says goodbye to a place she has fond memories of and takes with her to that long good night. Great writing, Penny. Loved your photograph. Thanks for sharing it. ope you get to read my lil story. Stay Safe 😷 Isadora 😎
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