Sunday Photo Fiction is a weekly challenge presented by Susan Spaulding, who has taken over this great weekly prompt from my old friend Al Forbes.
This week’s photo is once again provided by the lady herself
The general idea is to write a short story (200 word max) inspired by what you see in the picture (below).
Click on this link to enter your tale, and see what others have written.
© Susan Spaulding
Click here to hear the author read the tale:
Loneliness
Loneliness is a terrible thing.
It eats away inside, makes life unbearable.
The woman I love lives far away.
I don’t see her for months at a stretch.
We talk on the phone, and face to face, via hi-tech link-up.
We email often, exchange photographs, news and ideas.
We work on projects together.
She is an artist, I am a writer.
Sometimes she sees a piece I have written, and decides to enhance it with her amazing illustrations.
Occasionally I look at one of her images, and write a story or a poem to accompany it.
We have created some cool stuff together.
So why we don’t get together?
Well, I love where I am, being here is my lifelong dream.
She has family and friends where she is.
We are both happy with our situations.
We visit each other often.
She lives in a great city, where I always have a wonderful time.
She looks forward to the sunshine and the sea here.
So I guess I should explain where the loneliness fits into my story.
As I say, I love her.
She does not love me in the same way.
I am only lonely when we are together.
Sound Bite Fiction 
That is so terrible. I liked the story.
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Thank you, you are very kind
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Great Story! I enjoyed the finale. 😊
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Thanks, John, glad you enjoyed
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Brilliant ending sir.
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Thank you, sir
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A complex situation described well….
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Thanks, Reena
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Then long distance is the way to go.. Very nice CE.
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Sadly, Violet, it didn’t work
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Yes, great last line, ceayr.
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Thanks, Neel
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Great last line CE. Nicely done.
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Thanks, Iain
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The love that lasts the longest is the love that is never returned. Actually, I didn’t write that, some guy called William Somerset Maugham did!
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Yeah, he wasn’t a bad wee scribbler either
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For me this is one great story, full of pathos.
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Thanks, Mike, much appreciated
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Very sad, not to have our love returned in the same measure that it is given. Beautifully written.
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So true, Brenda, thank you
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So many points you made in this post. Yes loneliness can eat a person from inside. If the person you love, does not love you back in the same way why not look for someone else? If souls meet, do you still feel lonely?
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Lots of good questions, sir. I have no answers.
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