Thomas Charles Henry

The place where my writing lives.

Abyss – Friday Fictioneers

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Thomas Charles Henry

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Time for another Friday Fictioneers entry. The challenge is to write 100 words based on a weekly photo prompt chosen by our host Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. Check out her blog for more information by clicking here. Thank you to all who take the time to read, like or comment.

2016 06 10

PHOTO PROMPT © Douglas M. MacIlroy

Abyss

She had been instructed never to play with it (too valuable) and certainly never to wear it (too much weight for a young girl’s shoulders to bear). Yet once again Cordelia heaved her grandfather’s brass diving helmet out of the trunk and lowered it over her head. It wasn’t that she was deliberately disobedient, she just needed to escape sometimes.

Sat cross-legged on the attic floor, eyes closed, head and helmet leaning against the wall, Cordelia dived to that place where the arguing and shouting couldn’t follow her. Where her grandfather waited, hand outstretched, to lead her through the abyss.

20 responses to “Abyss – Friday Fictioneers”

  1. paulmclem Avatar
    paulmclem

    Lovely piece..thanks for sharing.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Thom Carswell Avatar
      Thom Carswell

      Thanks Paul

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  2. Björn Rudberg (brudberg) Avatar
    Björn Rudberg (brudberg)

    I think there are times when we have to go into hiding.. some more than others… lovely piece.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Thom Carswell Avatar
      Thom Carswell

      Thanks Björn

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  3. TraceyDelaplainMD.com Avatar
    TraceyDelaplainMD.com

    My favorite FF so far. Very touching and there’s more to this story.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Thom Carswell Avatar
      Thom Carswell

      Wow! Thank you very much. Glad you liked it!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  4. Sandra Avatar
    Sandra

    Nice one. I like the idea of the diving helmet providing a conduit to a better place. (I prefer ‘sitting cross-legged’ to ‘sat’. There’s a lengthy explanation in the grammar tomes which I won’t go into.) 😉

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Thom Carswell Avatar
      Thom Carswell

      Thanks Sandra. Glad you liked it. Thanks for the sat/sitting feedback also.

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  5. wmqcolby Avatar
    wmqcolby

    Seems like it can go two ways — she is pretending or it’s a death metaphor.

    Either way, terrific story, Thom!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Thom Carswell Avatar
      Thom Carswell

      Glad you liked it. I wasn’t going for a death metaphor – it was more that she was retreating into her imagination to escape the problems at home. You can read it how you like though!!

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  6. raesquiggles Avatar
    raesquiggles

    Lovely story. Having somewhere to go when escape is important.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Thom Carswell Avatar
      Thom Carswell

      Thank you!

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  7. michael1148humphris Avatar
    michael1148humphris

    I also saw death in this, Cordelia’s.. And the again…

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Thom Carswell Avatar
      Thom Carswell

      Thanks! It’s nice when a story can inspire different reactions in people!

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  8. Dahlia Avatar
    Dahlia

    Very nice

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Thom Carswell Avatar
      Thom Carswell

      Thank you!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  9. draliman Avatar
    draliman

    Poor girl, needing to escape all the arguing, locking herself away in her own world.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  10. rochellewisoff Avatar
    rochellewisoff

    Dear Thom,

    Everyone has their way of escaping, don’t they? Nicely done. I agree with Sandra about ‘sitting vs sat’.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Thom Carswell Avatar
      Thom Carswell

      Thanks Rochelle.

      Like

      Reply
  11. patriciaruthsusan Avatar
    patriciaruthsusan

    Good story, Thom. Poor child. I imagine there are many children trying to find ways of escaping constant fighting. At least she’s found an escape connected to a loving memory. Well written. —- Suzanne

    Liked by 1 person

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