Photo Prompt (c) Sarah Potter
She stuffed the last things in her case and closed it.
Bending down, she kissed his head.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, absent-mindedly brushing his fringe out of his eyes. She couldn’t remember the last night of unbroken sleep. Her head felt so grainy.
She heaved her luggage outside and asked the driver to stop at a cashpoint en route.
***
She shivered as the plane taxied to the runway. Her heart was hammering. It wasn’t only the cold she was escaping.
She felt a tear spill from her eye as the last image of her dead son flooded her mind.
Word count: 99
Written for Friday Fictioneers hosted by Rochelle. Read the other entries here
Clare Hempstead 
she left her son’s dead body and took a plane? Wha? Why? you have to write the prequel now, Clare
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Thanks Neil. Maybe I will write the prequel. Depends on the next photo prompt!
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Like this photo, absolutely chilling. Very well done. My skin is crawling.
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Thanks Kecia. I appreciate your comment.
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I’m with Neil – what the …? Maybe he died of natural causes and she just couldn’t face her old life without him. And maybe he didn’t. Kind of creepy, but very well told, Clare. You have us all guessing now
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I’m glad it’s left you guessing! I had a certain scenario in my mind when I wrote it, but I love that people see different situations!
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Funny how different people interpret things, isn’t it? It really does mean a story has a life away from you, almost beyond your control
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Shocking last line, a powerful and chilling flight.
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Thanks Iain glad it shocked!
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Dear Clare,
It seems this story could be taken two different ways. Chilling if she murdered him or just plain sad. Either way you left the reader hanging in midair. Nicely done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks Rochelle. I had a definite story in mind when I wrote it, but love that people have different ideas about what happened!
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Oh, how horrible an experience. Story well told. Sniffle, sniffle.
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Thanks Jellico.
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Oh man! No way in hell I could do that. Of course, if she was easing his suffering illegally, she just might have to hightail it out of there…
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Thanks Dale. Not what I had in mind when I wrote it, but I love hearing what other people think when they read it.
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I kind of like when people see stuff that I didn’t intend!
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Me too. It’s interesting to see how others perceive what you have written 😀
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Oh dear gods…yes I am wondering what happened as well. I couldn’t imagine any sane mother fleeing the scene of her child’s lifeless body.
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Thanks Rommy. I appreciate you reading and commenting. 😀 I think she is very scared and ran without thinking.
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I just tried to comment on yours, but couldn’t. Probably because I am on holiday and only have my phone. Will try when I get back to England! Comment was that the last line tells us so much.
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I’m joining Neil’s and Lynn’s voice here, I want to know more. My heart is pounding anxiety into my rib cage. I want to know what led her to this last moment with her boy–who she obviously loves very much, but had to… I don’t want to say it. Because it hurts too much. Poor woman.
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Thanks Magaly. Unfortunately she did and ran without thinking. But you’re right she loved him very much and can’t cope with what she did.
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I’ve just tried to comment on yours but am on holiday and only have my phone. I will try when I get back. Lovely story of friendship.
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Enjoy your holiday!
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And you leave me wondering how her son had died… yikes.
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Well, I could tell you…!
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Either chilling or sad – depends how the son dies. Tragic either way. Nice piece!
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Thanks Draliman.
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You leave us with so many questions, very intriguing. Was he sick, on drugs, nasty, or was she a bad mother? Hm…
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Glad it intrigued you! 😀
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Very chilling. Hope you’re chilled in a different way this week and the sun is shining for you 😎
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Very chilled thanks, Louise. Cyprus is lovely!
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A dagger straight into my heart. Well done.
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Thank you.
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Hmmm. Poor lady. Open-ended and intriguing. You nailed it!
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Thank you very much 😀
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What a stunner of a story and the endind…wow! Post natal depression at it extreme can lead to thoughts like that – only a tiny step to acting on them. Poor woman.
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Sorry reply sent when I was in middle of a sentence. It should be a happy time, but reality is it can be very tiring!
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Great write. A lot of questions here. How did her son die? Did she have anything to do with it? Is that why she left an is flying to a new place? Why did she kill him? If not her who? Lol.
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Too many questions to answer lol!
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Oh damn Clare. I thought it was a break up. Sheesh, that hurt!
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I’m glad you read it that way. I wanted the beginning to be open to interpretation.
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This could go either way, don’t let us hanging like that. 🙂
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