For years they had called him a freak because he looked different.
No friends, no relationships, cast aside by an uncaring society.
His mother’s love was the only one he’d known, caring for him, nurturing him, protecting him, until she was gone too soon.
Then loneliness in an unforgiving world.
He longed to join in the game. They never gave him a chance. So he watched from the sidelines, sometimes hidden, sometimes brave enough to reveal himself, only to be scared away by inevitable abuse.
He learned the sport, practised on his own. He became skillful, but only he knew this.
Until that day. The team were a player short. The captain, a boy his own age, approached him. ‘Can you play?’ he asked.
A reluctant nod. The offered jersey. Acceptance of sorts.
He still survives alone, he still hides his face from the cruel world.
But once a week he meets them at the playing field and pulls on a jersey and finds brothers who embrace him as one of theirs.
Written as part of Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers. The challenge is to write a flash fiction story in around 150 – 175 words, based on the weekly photo prompt. Thanks as always to the challenge host Priceless Joy. For more information visit HERE.
To read other stories based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.
Talent gets what looks cannot. Brilliant take!
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Thank you so much Reena 🙂
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Precious❣️
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Thank you Natasha
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Ganesha always brings the team good fortune!
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Thanks Liz 🙂
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A brilliant story. Loved this Kelly.
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Thank you so much Neel.
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His talents overcame his isolation…at least once a week. Excellent and heartwarming tale.
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Thank you 🙂
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Awesome take on the prompt, Iain. On my Reader your story unraveled first, then the picture appeared last as I scrolled. Brilliant.
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Thank you Annie, glad you liked it so much 🙂
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That is true he won the right of first worshiped over a pantheon of Hindu deities by competing with his elder brother in race around the cosmos. Great take.
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Thank you so much.
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Loved ths one, the story of an underdog
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Thank you Akshata 🙂
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Oh, the pain of rejection.
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Thanks for reading.
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Another lovely post Iain.
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Thank you so much.
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It’s so sad when a child is bullied and shunned by his peers. Thank goodness they made him part of the team finally. Wonderful story, Iain!
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Thank you PJ, a bit of positivity in the end 🙂
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Yes! Wonderful story!
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Just hinting of the film “The Elephant Man.” Actually, sometime ago, I wrote about a terribly disfigured person who could only go out one night a year on Halloween. Glad your character is able to do so more frequently.
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Thanks James, yes there was a hint of that film in my thoughts as I wrote this.
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The most depressing film I’ve ever seen. Not one moment of a lighter mood in the entire movie. I’ve only seen it once and will never see it again. Yes, it’s a cinematic and artistic marvel, but I don’t feel like being that depressed.
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This was truly touching. Happy, his talents gave him acceptance at least for one fleeting day in the week.
Beautifully written story.
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Thank you Moon 🙂
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What a touching and inspiring take on the prompt.
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Thank you so much 🙂
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