Friday Fictioneers: No Day at the Beach

Welcome to Friday Fictioneers where each week close to 100 people participate in a flash fiction challenge based on a photo prompt.

This week’s photo: Copyright: E.A. Wicklund
seagulls-wicklund

And now my 100 word story:

I sat on the beach, wrapped my arms around my knees, and put my head down. My salty tears dripped into the sand, returning to the sea. I looked up to watch the waves and let the breeze dry my eyes. This was calming to me, the feel, sounds, and sights of the beach.

I was tired of fighting. I was tired of slamming doors, yelling, and the sounds of our escalating arguments.
I might sit here for an hour.

My thoughts were interrupted by two squawking sea gulls. “They must be married” I thought and began my trek home.

41 thoughts on “Friday Fictioneers: No Day at the Beach”

  1. Hah – loved that comparison to the gulls.
    A minor piece of constructive criticism… I’m trying to visual her exact movements on the beach and they don’t quite make sense to me – she sits, hugs her knees, puts her head down (on her knees?) and then cries and her tears drip on to the sand. I know this is really pedantic, but how did her tears reach the sand if her head was on her knees? Somehow I need to visualise it as real to believe in the whole story…

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  2. “They must be married” that line was precious. to be honest, at first, i looked at the photo and thought of my mom and dad. haha

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  6. I have really an image of the protagonist – and I like her. Seems she makes this kind of “manifest” the first time in her life. And she is strong enough to go back – I like “began my trek home” this term was new for me (my first language is German) and it gives me an impression of her way to move – Hope I got what your idea was. And I like the humour in the end!

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    • Yes, you are right Rochelle. I guess I got stuck on the notion when I imagined myself as the young woman. I could taste the salt from the sea and it reminded me of tears so I supposes I was trying to make the connection. Perhaps trying too hard.

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  13. Poetic, and it made me think of times I walked on the beach and how calming the ocean can be. Sadness in the story, though, with her descriptions of all the fighting. Her remark about the gulls speaks volumes.

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  18. You capture that feeling of despair well. I could feel her weariness. I appreciated your twist at the end – she was able to see the irony of it and laugh a little at the comparison.

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