by M. J.
Joachim
There in the
shadows, deep within the cold, damp woods of this dense and overgrown forest,
Elsa wept silently so Angelo couldn’t hear her. She wasn’t sure where he was,
or when he might come back. All she knew was that when she least expected it,
he’d be there pleading with her to understand.
Elsa’s mind
raced to a happier time in their lives, a time when Angelo would smile and talk
to her as they sat on the park bench, or he walked her home from school. Life
was so blissful then. She was open and honest with him, telling him all the
teenage drama, exaggerating about how hard it was living at home.
Angelo
listened patiently. Sometimes he’d put his arm around her shoulder and pull her
close. Angelo was so supportive and understanding. Elsa wondered why he never
said much. What was he thinking when she told him how unreasonable her parents
were, and how angry she always was with her siblings?
The course,
heavy rope that tied her to branches overhead singed her skin as she inched
further away from the tree. “In time the rope would wear down,” Elsa thought,
“I might even be able to escape before Angelo gets back,” she whispered aloud. Before
she finished speaking the words, Angelo appeared before her. He tied another
rope to her other arm, attached the end to his truck and slowly drove away.
©2012 All
Rights Reserved
Photo
Credit: Wikicommons, GNU Free Documentation License
bone chilling!
ReplyDeleteSpot on, M,J,
ReplyDeleteThis was so well written M.J. Such a tough subject matter, you brought out the fear that is for sure!
ReplyDeleteThank you all for stopping by and commenting on my story. One of the things I truly enjoy doing with ff is tackling tough topics that are difficult to talk about. It's important for writers to use their skills in different ways that contribute to the betterment of society - even if it means writing the details that most people probably don't want to think about. Stories are good for that - they've been used throughout history to subtly change the unspeakable. Our task (though a might bit intimidating at times) is not to be taken lightly, good people. Carry on!
ReplyDeleteWow! Very strong story! You really had me feeling it was going one way and then flipped the script. Great job.
ReplyDeleteNot a happy ending at all, but you got there with good writing.
ReplyDeleteLee
A Faraway View
Some social issues are brutal, which is why I like to use flash fiction (and other things like poetry or artwork) to express my feelings about them. In my mind, there's simply no excuse for children to be abducted and so many perps to get away with it.Too many families face the daily horrors of wondering where their loved ones are. If only we could have happy endings all the time...giving peace to the families whose lives have been so boldly torn apart.
ReplyDelete