The Unicorn Challenge.
A magical new weekly writing opportunity from her – Jenne Gray – and me.
Visit her blog every Friday to see the photo prompt, and post your amazing story in her comments section.
Or on your own blog, and stick the link down in her comments.
The rules are:
Maximum of 250 words.
Based on photo prompt.
That’s it.
To hear me read my story, just click here:
The Wrong Direction
While ambling along la Route des Cochons in the foothills of le Massif des Albères, an eastern extension of the Pyrenees, with the Mediterranean Sea practically under my feet and Spain only a few kilometres to the south, I’m slightly surprised to see donkeys, and not pigs, in a field.
I linger awhile to commune with these strange grey floppy-eared creatures, who have been domesticated and used as work animals for more millennia than we have fingers on one hand, and I wonder if they’re happy with the lives they lead.
I suppose that their lifestyle choices are somewhat limited, but that like us they look forward to spring, probably with the same twinkle in their soft brown eyes.
When I have no more grass and other leafy plants from what is clearly the greener side of the rickety fence to offer them, the docile beasts lose interest in my conversation and wander off in apparently random directions.
As I watch their rather ungainly departure, I realise that much of my own life has been like that, so many moments when my selection on where to go next was based on not much more than a momentary whim.
But I now believe that it doesn’t really matter how such decisions are reached, whether by lengthy and logical analysis or by the casual flip of a coin.
No, it makes little or no difference which path I take, because, regardless of how hard I try, no roads lead back to you.
I read nostalgic melancholy here, and the image of donkeys nibbling and wandering off was a perfect touch. Sometimes we do wait too long, and there’s no going back, even in memory!
All too true, Liz, I guess most of us have a few regrets, hmm?
I believe you’re right. A slightly bitter taste for what’s lost. But tastes change and when we do re-experience, we wonder what was it in the first place…😉
Oh, a lovely story… until that last line. Shouldn’t I have realised that would happen?
Just fab😉
Thanks, Chris, glad you enjoyed up to ‘that last line’!
And yes, dear lady, you should have realised that something would happen, you’ve read enough of my stuff!
‘… ambling along’ set the scene for this gentle observation of the world around your ‘I’.
Up to 250 words that are packed with information and references and yet still manage to convey that ‘ambling’ – such impressive use of strong words, but so natural to your style that they blend in, don’t stand in the way of the flow of the story.
And the donkeys that lead your ‘I’ back to his own life and the final line that slaughters.
Brilliant.
You’re very kind, Jenne, but donkeys are such gentle creatures that they seem to slow the pace of life just by being.
As for the final line, well, you should have been ready!
Lovely story with a truly beautiful ending.
Thank you, I’m happy you enjoyed it so much.
This was so loving and tender, CE. The genuine curiosity about the donkeys station in life segueing into your own path. Perfection.
High praise, Violet, thank you.
I might struggle to live up to ‘Perfection’, but it is much appreciated.
I am liking from my iPhone newly gotten. 👩🎤
Thank you for sharing that wonderful news, dear Lady, I am liking from my computing machine thing, which I gotten many and long years and hours ago.
(Sorry, I don’t know how to make a wee photo picture image cos I’m not as smarter as you might be)