Nov 5, 2015 Friday Fictioneers, Original Flash Fiction

Wife-Earth-Mother

©November 5th, 2015

By Vijaya Sundaram

I walked in her footsteps.

Grace had tended our arid acre of land, pouring her spirit into it.  That which was infertile, she’d made fertile, and that which had died, she’d made live.  For twenty years she grew corn, beans, squash, tomatoes, pumpkins, peppers – enough for our family of three.  Her love fed and nourished us.

I had gone to work in the coal fields, and my lungs rattled and hissed.

My son had died in a war begun by evil politicians.  Then, Grace died, heartbroken.  With her gone, the land died.  I was alone.

I picked up a shovel.

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(P.S. Thanks to Rochelle, our beloved Fairy Blog-Mother as I dubbed her, for hosting Friday Fictioneers each week.  Thanks, also, to Connie Gayer …(Mrs. Russell) for her evocative and sombre photograph.)

(P.P.S I’m heading off to India tomorrow morning via Emirates, so I may not be able to read people’s posts today, unless I can find a few minutes (haven’t packed yet!).  Please know that I will check out your stories, and respond to anyone who makes a comment at some point before next Wednesday!
Love to all, Vijaya)

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Tags: #Death, #Dirty Energy, #Life, #Loss, #Love, Climate Change, Original short story based on photo-prompt, Politics, War