THE GRAVEYARD AT THE END OF MY STREET

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.


frost-on-the-tombstone-liz
© Liz Young

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.

74 responses to “THE GRAVEYARD AT THE END OF MY STREET”

  1. What a lovely little short story.

    Like

    1. Thanks Kim, a bit heavy, but then the prompt was a picture of a gravestone so…!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I didn’t get heavy from it. I saw a sense of history, belonging, acceptance – more like homecoming. Perhaps that’s my weird mind 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

      2. I like that you got this from it! Thank you 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

      3. I agree with Kim. This has an almost sweet side to it!

        Liked by 1 person

      4. Thanks Alicia, very kind.

        Like

  2. Peaceful and pensive piece.

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      1. You’re welcome.

        Liked by 1 person

  3. 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.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. 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!

      Like

  4. Short. Sweet. Simple 🙂

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    1. Thank you – much like your wonderful A to Z posts, in a different sweet way 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Aww, that’s sweet of you. Thank you 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  5. Why! This flowed like water. Well done. Lian.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lovely comment, thanks Neel.

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  6. Ah, you capture the voices here. The way the stones speak. Nice piece.

    Liked by 1 person

  7. I really enjoyed this! Lovely piece!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you, much appreciated.

      Like

  8. 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…

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you. Definitely potential for a series of stories.

      Liked by 1 person

  9. I destiny we all have… love the sense.

    Liked by 1 person

  10. I daresay we’ll all be there someday. Great writing !

    Liked by 1 person

    1. One of life’s certainties. Thank you.

      Liked by 1 person

  11. michael1148humphris Avatar
    michael1148humphris

    I have read some sad gravestone epithets, this tale joins them

    Liked by 1 person

  12. Graveyards are really fascinating that way. They have so many stories to tell to those who stop by.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. They certainly are. Whole lives and deaths all collected in one place, and peaceful too.

      Like

  13. Dear Iain,

    There is something very poetic about your story. In fact, I think it could be set to music. Very good.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks Rochelle, very kind words.

      Like

  14. Sad but so beautiful, and beautifully written. ❤

    Like

  15. Thoughtful, beautiful writing.

    Liked by 1 person

  16. That was a lovely read, Iain. It does seem that some have heavier crosses to bear than others but then, that is life.

    Liked by 1 person

  17. Beautiful. Last line in particular.

    Liked by 1 person

  18. 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.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Great place to walk a baby in a pram, very quiet and peaceful!

      Liked by 1 person

  19. I remember walking through the Crem and looking at the grave stones, they are so fascinating!

    Liked by 1 person

  20. “The ghosts of your imagination.” I like that, I like it a lot.

    Liked by 1 person

  21. 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.

    Liked by 2 people

  22. Really like this, botj the view of the historian and the acceptance of life and death.

    Liked by 1 person

  23. Graveyards are wonderful places to think, as I found when I took that photo. Your story uses the image with feeling.

    Liked by 2 people

  24. Very lyrical this one Iain. Great way to tell a story. Ghosts indeed haunt long after they are gone

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you Laurie, much appreciated.

      Liked by 1 person

  25. you did it again. this is one of your best. nothing fancy. the narrative flowed smoothly to conclusion.

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  26. Its almost like a song. So pithy and so simple word pic of a normal life!💐

    Liked by 1 person

  27. We are all heading that way to out own graves. Makes one ponder about their life and Life in general.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Graveyards certainly are places that make you ponder life and death. Thank you for reading.

      Liked by 1 person

  28. We keep graveyards away to forget about death but it is a truth to be remembered. Beautifully written.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you, very kind.

      Liked by 1 person

  29. Leaves the mind free to create lots of stories 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  30. The character’s thoughts have been penned so well. Loved it.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Very kind, thank you.

      Liked by 1 person

  31. I like graveyards and I like the simplicity and symmetry of your piece. Works well.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you very much 🙂

      Like

  32. Simple yet beautiful piece. I have always loved graveyards. Every stone has a story, the possibilities are endless.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Very true. Thank you Amie.

      Like

  33. 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.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. 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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      1. 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 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  34. 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.

    Liked by 1 person

  35. I like this, but then what writer wouldn’t?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you Dawn, very kind 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

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