WINDOWS - a story in 100 words

WINDOWS

     Looking out of this window I am twenty again, in my first flat, swallowing tears and trying not to admit I’m homesick to Dad, who is fixing my aerial. I might stay here all day.

Yesterday’s window was open to Mediterranean air, the rattle of palm leaves in the breeze and click of cicadas.

Tomorrow – who knows? As long as my memory still functions I can be anywhere I choose. Anywhere other than here.

I always imagined my last sight on this earth would be my children’s faces, not bare white walls, zigzag lines on a screen, and masked strangers.

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I'm still here, still fighting, still writing - though not as much as I should, but this pandemic seems to have frozen some of my brain! One bright note is that I am now in a bubble with my daughter and granddaughter, and was able yesterday to pick our five-year-old up from school, bring her home with me, and dig potatoes. Simple joys make life worth living.

This week's photo prompt took me to a darker place, somewhere I hope not to experience personally, but I know people who have been there.

Thanks to Rochelle for the photo and for hosting Friday Fictioneers on her blog  https://rochellewisoff.com/

BLACK MARKET

BLACK MARKET

“How much? It’s only a cabbage!”

“Suit yourself - it’s no skin off my nose.”

“I’ll take it, but it’s daylight robbery.”

“It was moonlight, actually. How are you off for spuds?”

“I could use a few kilos.”

“I’m rationing them – I can only let you have two.”

Danielle scuttled indoors before the neighbours saw her buying black market vegetables, but if her husband didn’t get his meat and two veg her life wouldn’t be worth living. She turned on the television, hoping to hear better news about the virus.

Self-isolation with a bad-tempered man was worse than a prison sentence.

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Roger Bultot's photo of empty shelves is chillingly apposite in view of the reported stock-piling some people are doing right now. Even I bought a carton of long-life milk 'just in case'. And we're being careful to wash our hands more often, but we're not panicking - more people died this week from a dozen other causes than of Covid-19.

MORE EXCITING in my life this week is that the third book in my LIVING ROCK series is now published. You can buy LANDSLIDE on Amazon in print or ebook by clicking on the cover image on the right. If you haven't read the first two books yet, A VOLCANIC RACE and WOLF PACK are still there waiting for you!