Friday Fictioneers.
Photo courtesy of Priya Bajpal
Shell Shock.
Each morning I walk along the beach and find a shell, just one, like you did. I wash off the sand and place it with the others, counting the days, I miss you.
I write a message on different coloured paper for every day of the week.
When I lie in my bed, I can hear you unfolding the notes and reading. Yes, I need you to understand how much I miss you, love you and care.
No one knows where you are, or what happened. We do.
Sorry.
When I am ready, I’ll walk along the beach and join you.
James McEwan 
Counting off the days in shells like scratches on a pirison wall. Nice
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poignant and mysterious. Nice the way that it leaves questions unanswered.
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Beautiful
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So very nice!
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Lovely. And mysterious. Makes me wonder….
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Thanks Sharon, I see this as a ghost story – With a guilty conscience.
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Feels like he had a hand in her demise. Now he’s living with the memories and the guilt. Where’s a good detective when you need one?
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Where indeed, Watson.
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Yes, like Neil said… You’ve portrayed time passing so very well.
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A marvelous mystery!
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Thanks June.
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Well, you certainly left me wondering!
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Very mysterious…
gramswisewords.blogspot.com
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Thanks Marian, life is a mystery indeed.
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So mysterious, really had me wondering what happened. An element of guilt there…
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Thanks Fatima, I provide the words, readers determine the story.
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Sounds like there’s been a fatal accident or something. Very intriguing
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Thanks for your thoughts.
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Beautifully written, James. My interpretation: the title leads me to believe that something happened to the spouse so that they are experiencing something like PTSD. This is echoed by the fact that the narrator can actually hear the notes being read. Although that flips on its ear with the last line about when the narrator is ready. A mystery wrapped in…paper!
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My initial thoughts covered the guilt of someone who failed to save his wife from drowning and was lost to the sea. He couldn’t swim. His notes are written to her ghost. Many thanks for your insightful comments.
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This certainly has me wondering…
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Whoa! Good piece. A lot to unpack here. I fear he knows more than he tells people. But did he have a hand in it or just knows what she did to leave? There is sadness here.
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Guilt consumes his failure to save her,,perhaps.
Thanks for reading. Hope your new book is doing well.
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Thanks so much James.
Yes it’s going great. I’m still on a high haha
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Wow, a beautiful many-layered piece. There is sadness and longing here and so well expressed.
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Thanks Brenda.
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The layers of storytelling and emotion here is amazing, James! So many questions: how did she die? What’s the significance of the shells and letters? Did he have a hand in her death? I wish you had more space to write more, but this was a fascinating take!
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I admire your enthusiasm for this. You are right 100 words is never enough, that is why I try my best to fill in the mystery between the words, where the reader can dig deep into their own imagination. Perhaps enjoy creating their own interpretation and story. Thanks for reading and commenting.
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