Jess watched the children. Smiling, waving , spinning. Shouts of glee filled the air.
Behind the music and laughter the metal gears of the amusement ride clanked and creaked.
Hearing that mechanical jolt Jess froze, staring into the past and hearing the screams. A flash of twisted metal, upturned carriages, sirens.
‘You okay?’ her mother asked.
Jess nodded. ‘Let’s go.’ She had faced her demons. She had been one of the lucky ones.
Awkwardly she turned, fumbling the crutches. She grimaced through a spike of phantom pain below her left knee.
They left, passing the queue of expectant smiles.
- Copyright J Hardy Carroll
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.
Iain Kelly 
I love the arc of your story, Iain. It started bright and happy, and with each sentence, I was led to believe something tragic would follow. The ending–the realization of the fragility of happiness and the folly of our expectation–did not disappoint. Well done!
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Thank you Jan, very kind.
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