This story was written for Friday Fictioneers. Check it out here: http://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/2013/09/11/13-september-2013/. Slightly over word count this week at 107. Also I had an extreme fascination with the film “Man on Wire” a few years back which also inspired this story. More on that: http://www.manonwire.com/ .
Leslie in NYC, visiting mother. She intensely disliked both.
Sitting on mother’s white sofa, drinking mocha, staring at the skyline from the penthouse.
“Cheerio” greeted Gregory.
Leslie raised an eyebrow.
“Don’t you see it’s an interesting day?”
She shook her head.
“There’s a man on a tightrope at the top of the world.” He leaned towards her.
Leslie looked in the direction indicated, toward Ground Zero.
“A hole” she said flatly. “A big hole.”
“You’re not looking hard enough.” Gregory adjusted his red bowler and flickered away.
Looking she saw a man on a tightrope between the towers. Their gaze met. The next instant he was gone.
Anecdote Love 
September 12, 2013 at 9:08 pm
Well done!
September 13, 2013 at 8:33 am
Thanks so much Jack!
September 12, 2013 at 9:34 pm
Interesting
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September 13, 2013 at 4:16 am
Dear Harvey,
Looking out from my tightrope. Intriguing.
Shalom,
Rochelle
September 13, 2013 at 8:32 am
Thanks so much Rochelle! I am really enjoying the challenges your photos give me so far.
September 13, 2013 at 5:41 am
I hadn’t heard of the film before, so it was interesting to read about it (although the link didn’t work for me.) That certainly wouldn’t be me, nor would going over the Grand Canyon on a tightrope! I really like this line: “There’s a man on a tightrope at the top of the world.” Sometimes I feel like that man. The story is interestingly cryptic, making me think of one of those films where you don’t know what’s real and what isn’t.
janet
September 13, 2013 at 8:29 am
Thanks for letting me know about the link issues! I am glad to hear you felt it was “cryptic” that was the mood I was going for.
September 13, 2013 at 5:57 am
Not sure how to take this. Feel the “hole” all too much. Remember the smoke that seared my lungs all too well.
September 13, 2013 at 8:32 am
Thanks for stopping by! I honestly wasn’t sure what to do with the photo prompt this week. I find it difficult to discuss recent real world events, which is perhaps why the story came out the way it did. I wasn’t sure how to take it either!
September 14, 2013 at 12:06 am
I think the first line says a lot – about history and her relationship with her mom.
September 14, 2013 at 9:39 pm
That would be quite eerie to witness someone on a tightrope. I really enjoyed this! I could feel the tension in the air as she sat on the white couch.