“Her Last Goodbye”
Author’s Note: This is a Take Ten to Write story and has not been proofread for errors. If I feel inspired or if there’s interest in the story, I’ll post a revised, edited, and extended version at a later date. Happy reading!
Prompt: Funeral.
The sparks spiral up into the sky, intertwining before exploding in a burst of light. A shower of colours rain down on the wide-eyed audience before a cheer erupts.
The leader walks up to the front, robes billowing in the wind behind him. Immediately, a hush falls over the crowd. They seem to lean forward, waiting eagerly for him to make his grand victory speech.
And so he does. Every single person hangs onto his every word. They cheer when he signals them to and they all turn and throw rocks when given the cue.
The leader makes one more, triumphant shout that’s echoed back at him. Then, he steps down and the festivities continue.
When night falls and the ground is strewn with unconscious drunks, the girl steps out. She had been huddled in the darkness before now, watching the proceedings.
Slowly, she picks her way across the field, careful not to wake anyone.
Finally, she reaches the pile of rocks. One by one, she picks them up and forms a new pile beside her.
Her fingers touch something new. Something soft and smooth compared to the rough, dust-covered rocks.
She continues her methodical process with renewed energy. It doesn’t take long before she’s finished her task.
She sits back on her heels as tears rise to her eyes. Reaching out with a trembling hand, she touches the soft skin on the pale face in front of her.
“Goodbye, Papa,” she whispers.
Final Comments: I feel like writing a revenge story now…
Overall Rating: 😈
