The harpsichord had woodworm, much of the ivory was gone and one broken leg was jacked up on bricks. Peter flicked out his coat tails, eaten into fine lace by moths, and sat.
Dressed in ragged petticoats and crinoline, Cara curtsied low and I took her hand, kissed it. As we danced I thought of those who’d played and danced before us; the people who’d worn these clothes when they were new. And as if from above I saw Peter sitting and us cavorting on the dusty floorboards, fading and turning, turning and fading until we too disappeared into time.
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A Friday Fictioneers 100-word flash fiction inspired by the picture above, provided this week by Jan W. Fields. Click here to join in and write your own, or here to read other people’s.
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If you live near Bath, England, you might like to know that Our Endless Numbered Days has been selected as The Big Bath read by the Bath Literature Festival. You can get a free copy of the book, read it and come along to open book clubs, and a couple of events I’m speaking at. More information.
Lovely. Just lovely 🙂
Thanks so much, Graham.
Really well written, you’ve shown a distinct voice in such a short piece. I loved it!
Thank you!
Dear Claire,
Although I’m not sure if the narrator is living or dead, you’ve created a tangible atmosphere and set the tone well in a hundred words.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thanks Rochelle. Living in my mind, but I like the idea that the narrator might be dead.
Great imagery Claire.
Thank you!
Very atmospheric… ‘broken leg jacked up’ places it immediately in a modern setting and again your imagery is wonderful ‘eaten into fine lace by moths’ and enhanced by one perfect rich word like ‘cavirting’ … fab! AND unusually, no hidden darkness as such but yes, can see why narrative could be perceived as ethereal.
Hah! Finally ‘no hidden darkness’! A first for me. I think this is for book 3
Trying to get back into Creative writerly habits I’m considering signing up for this Claire… how far in advance do you get the prompt photo?
You should! Rochelle posts it about 8.30am our time on a Wednesday, and you can write and post it for a week afterwards. Of course the sooner you write and post, the higher up the Linky you are, and therefore the more readers you get.
Ok… sounds good! Will add this to my writerly goals once back at the desk x
Beautifully done – so atmospheric.
Thanks, Sandra. Glad you liked it
Has the feel of a dead person’s memories. Haunting. Particularly like the turning/fading bit.
Ooh, dead person’s memories… I like!
So beautiful, one can really feel the atmosphere.
Thank you!
Lovely and haunting. I like the choice of words.
Thank you very much.
So many lovely little details adding up to a palpable mood, well done!
Thanks Joy. For some reason this one came easily today.
I really liked this. To me I feel you filled the past with life. I do not really mind if they are dead or not… Ambiguity just put an additional tension to your piece..
Thanks Bjorn. I really appreciate your reading it and commenting.
Woodworm and “coat tails, eaten into fine lace by moths”; “ragged petticoats and crinoline,” and dusty floorboards. This is so well done with the photo. Takes us back in time….Just lovely.
Thanks Lillian. Glad you liked it.
Great scene. I can feel the dust rising from the floor. Well written.
Thank you
That’s beautiful, Claire. What a wonderful, enchanted scene.
-David
Thanks David. Glad you liked it.
Delightful yet decadent portrayal of the ephemerality of life.
Superb.
Thank you. I can imagine that the people who owned those clothes didn’t often think of their own mortality. None of us do that often.
Love it.
Such a great take on transience.
Well done re Bath. We’re in Ethiopia that week so not thinking of being there, but have a wonderful time and sell lots of books.
This is beautiful. Setting a scene and creating an atmosphere: you are an expert with this. To me this reads like a blending of present and past, for a moment, time stands still, and the narrator and the spirits of dead people are one: at the same time acting and watching.
So glad you got that feeling from it. Lovely to hear. Thank you
Beautifully written Claire. Some wonderful sentences that conjure up all sorts of images. As I read it I could picture them dancing and fading away. I loved the way you started with your description of the battered old harpsichord and then that hint that Peter, in his moth eaten clothes, would once again bring it to life.
A great read.
Thanks Mike. Glad you liked it.
Dress up, make believe, grow up, remembering, gone. A lifetime in 100 words.
Hauntingly, beautiful.
Nicely put. Thanks Lynda
I could actually hear this.
Thanks, Dawn.
Nice ghostly stuff! 🙂
Thank you!
Dreamy piece, Claire. Very nice!
Thanks, Amy
“…fading and turning, turning and fading until we too disappeared into time.” Heartbreakingly beautiful, Claire. You are a true master of words.
Ahh, you’re very kind. Thank you!
What a way you have with words, Claire – I could see them and hear the music.
Thanks so much Liz
Such ghostly images you have conjured in so few words. Very well written indeed. Congratulations too for the selection in the Bath Literature Festival.
Thank you for reading and commenting
Mysteriously ambiguous. Wonderful atmosphere and very engaging storyline and characters.
Thanks Margaret
Beautifully written. I loved the descriptions and could see it all…
Thanks Dale
They’ve all disappeared perhaps to the time in which they were meant to live. And they owed me money!
Hah! I saw them as in this present time, but wearing someone else’s clothes, and so becoming aware of how fleeting all lives are. (Especially when someone owes you money!)
I may be wrong but I see a deserted house, long deserted, with children who found a way in. I know of property disputes where this can happen. The land can’t be sold until the legal rights are settled. I’ve probably taken this too literally. You’ve painted a memorable mind picture with these few words, Claire. Congratulaitons on the continued promotion activities available for your book. 🙂 — Suzanne
Sorry for the typo misspelling. 🙁
Yes – a deserted house – there are / were many in the UK, but not children. I see them as adults. Thanks for reading and your comments – always interesting.
Awesome – I saw these people as ghosts, briefly returning for one last dance then fading – …but I going back over it, I can see the ‘alive’ POV too. Haunting piece, regardless of interpretation.
KT