These
lights? They're for Maureen - she was afraid of the dark. I can hear her now; ‘Leave the
light, Mammy.’ She couldn’t sleep without.
She waved
from the corner that morning, like always. I’d just sat down with a fresh cuppa
when the whole bloody tip slid down over the school like lava.
It took them two
days to dig Maureen out. Tore my heart to shreds – my babby who was so
frightened of the dark lying in that black slurry
Fifty
years she’s been up by there in the cemetery with the other kiddies, and I
still keep a light burning for her.
............................................................................
This week's photo prompt for Friday Fictioneers linked instantly in my mind with the 50th anniversary of the dreadful tragedy in Aberfan, Wales, when a mine spoil tip slid down after heavy rain and buried an entire school full of children.
Thanks to Rochelle for posting her photograph on https://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/ from where you can follow a link to read other stories.
You can read about Aberfan here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aberfan_disaster
Oh God. I couldn't see the second image when I began reading and then I realised. That was heart-breaking to read. Utterly heart-breaking.
ReplyDeleteWatching that programme last night had me in tears.
DeleteI agree with Helen - heartbreaking.
ReplyDeleteFifty years on it still is.
DeleteYour words made me think about the terrible tragedy that befell the village of Aberfan.
ReplyDeleteShocking, and truly tragic.
Thank you for sharing.
It's still impossible to imagine the loss of one child, let alone over a hundred.
DeleteWhat a heartbreaking true story. I feel for those poor families.
ReplyDeleteThe entire country watched the news for days in horror.
DeleteWhat a sad story retold, I had never heard it, and the second image says it all.
ReplyDeleteAlmost all the village's children died in one minute - appalling tragedy.
DeleteDear Liz,
ReplyDeleteWhat a horrible tragedy. You depicted it well with the mother's keeping the light on for her.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Any parent cannot learn of this tragedy without heartache.
DeleteA mining tragedy ...... the wounds almost never heal.
ReplyDeleteThe pain softens in time but never truly goes.
DeleteOh, Lizy - that was a beautiful tribute which brought tears to my eyes. I was just a child myself when it happened, but Aberfan was such an enormous tragedy no one who saw those black and white news images will ever forget it.
ReplyDeleteSusan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
I wasn't even a mother fifty years ago, but I wept with the rest of Britain.
DeleteOh, what a great take on the prompt. And thanks for the wee bit of history.
ReplyDeleteThank you Alicia.
DeleteSuch a tragic tale. Heart breaking. Great take.
ReplyDeleteThank you Indira
ReplyDeleteThis is so well told, but what a tragedy. I hadn't heard of it before.
ReplyDeleteFifty years ago such stories stayed in their country of origin - the whole of Britain was devastated.
DeleteThis is so tragic...
ReplyDeleteTragic then and tragic now. Thanks for commenting, Dahlia.
ReplyDeleteI've read about that. That was a horrendous tragedy. Good writing, Liz. ---- Suzanne
ReplyDelete