There’s a graveyard at the end of my street.
I’ve walked round it since I could walk. I’ve read the tombstones since I could read.
Over the years I have written the life stories of the people buried there.
There’s one grave that memorialises three generations of one family. The father, son and grandson. They all died within ten years of each other. It’s tragic for them. It’s worse for the mother who has lost them all. How has she managed to go on?
One day I’ll lay down there and join the ghosts of my imagination. In the graveyard at the end of my street.
Written as part of the Friday Fictioneers challenge hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields (more details HERE). The idea is to write a short story of 100 words based on the photo prompt (above).
To read stories of 100 words based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.
This month I am taking part in the A to Z Challenge 2017 – a post each day based on the letters of the alphabet and a theme. You can visit my A TO Z CHALLENGE 2017 page here to read the story.
As this challenge will take up a lot of my blogging time I may not get round to commenting on everyone’s posts, but I hope to find time to read all your stories as usual, and still be able to participate in Friday Fictioneers each week.
What a lovely little short story.
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Thanks Kim, a bit heavy, but then the prompt was a picture of a gravestone so…!
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I didn’t get heavy from it. I saw a sense of history, belonging, acceptance – more like homecoming. Perhaps that’s my weird mind 🙂
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I like that you got this from it! Thank you 🙂
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I agree with Kim. This has an almost sweet side to it!
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Thanks Alicia, very kind.
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Peaceful and pensive piece.
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Thank you.
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You’re welcome.
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I wouldn’t want one of those at the end of my street, no matter how inspiring the inhabitants’ life stories might be. Like how this flowed.
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Thanks Sandra – that part is in fact true – I do have a graveyard at the end of my street in the house I’m in now. Thankfully it is far enough away it is out of sight most of the time!
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Short. Sweet. Simple 🙂
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Thank you – much like your wonderful A to Z posts, in a different sweet way 🙂
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Aww, that’s sweet of you. Thank you 🙂
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Why! This flowed like water. Well done. Lian.
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Lovely comment, thanks Neel.
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Ah, you capture the voices here. The way the stones speak. Nice piece.
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Thanks x
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I really enjoyed this! Lovely piece!
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Thank you, much appreciated.
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I wonder if when he joins them, he’ll get the chance to share all the stories he has written. I really love the premise of this story. It can grow into a never-ending tale…
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Thank you. Definitely potential for a series of stories.
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Fantastic!
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I destiny we all have… love the sense.
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Thanks Bjorn
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I daresay we’ll all be there someday. Great writing !
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One of life’s certainties. Thank you.
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I have read some sad gravestone epithets, this tale joins them
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Thanks for reading.
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Graveyards are really fascinating that way. They have so many stories to tell to those who stop by.
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They certainly are. Whole lives and deaths all collected in one place, and peaceful too.
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Dear Iain,
There is something very poetic about your story. In fact, I think it could be set to music. Very good.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks Rochelle, very kind words.
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Sad but so beautiful, and beautifully written. ❤
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Good stuff, Iain.
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Thank you.
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Thoughtful, beautiful writing.
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Thank you Sascha
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That was a lovely read, Iain. It does seem that some have heavier crosses to bear than others but then, that is life.
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Thanks Dale.
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Beautiful. Last line in particular.
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I found that quite peaceful and a little wistful. We had a graveyard near my street too, we used to walk around it on Christmas Eve.
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Great place to walk a baby in a pram, very quiet and peaceful!
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I remember walking through the Crem and looking at the grave stones, they are so fascinating!
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“The ghosts of your imagination.” I like that, I like it a lot.
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Thank you 🙂
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I agree with Ali, your story is peaceful and a bit wistful. Sometimes graveyards are the perfect place to think about the past and possibly the future.
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Really like this, botj the view of the historian and the acceptance of life and death.
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Graveyards are wonderful places to think, as I found when I took that photo. Your story uses the image with feeling.
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Thanks Liz.
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Very lyrical this one Iain. Great way to tell a story. Ghosts indeed haunt long after they are gone
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Thank you Laurie, much appreciated.
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you did it again. this is one of your best. nothing fancy. the narrative flowed smoothly to conclusion.
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Its almost like a song. So pithy and so simple word pic of a normal life!💐
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Thank you.
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We are all heading that way to out own graves. Makes one ponder about their life and Life in general.
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Graveyards certainly are places that make you ponder life and death. Thank you for reading.
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We keep graveyards away to forget about death but it is a truth to be remembered. Beautifully written.
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Thank you, very kind.
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Leaves the mind free to create lots of stories 🙂
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Absolutely 🙂
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The character’s thoughts have been penned so well. Loved it.
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Very kind, thank you.
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I like graveyards and I like the simplicity and symmetry of your piece. Works well.
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Thank you very much 🙂
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Simple yet beautiful piece. I have always loved graveyards. Every stone has a story, the possibilities are endless.
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Very true. Thank you Amie.
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It’s a feeling that used to be very strong in some communities, wanting to know where they would be buried. The sign of people who live for generations in the same place. We’ve lost that now. Not sure if it’s good or bad.
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There is something comforting about seeing several generations of families together in the same place, and for those left behind I imagine it is a nice thing to think of everyone remaining together.
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That’s it really, I think. We are afraid of death and having people around you you used to know is a comfort—even if they’re dead too 🙂
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Such an interesting view. A tragic time for a mother/daughter/granddaughter, yet seen from a different angle from the person on the outside looking in.
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Thanks John.
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I like this, but then what writer wouldn’t?
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Thank you Dawn, very kind 🙂
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