DARK MEMORIES

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Photo Copyright: Dale Rogerson

Here we are this week sitting under palm trees in the courtyard of some west coast apartment buildings. We’re gathered to discuss our original stories for the week. This is the Friday Fictioneers group. Our hostess for the gathering is the talented and gracious author and artist, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. The challenge for each of us this week and every week is to write a story with no more than 100 words, not counting the title. It’s supposed to have a beginning, middle, end, and follow the picture prompt for the week. This week’s prompt was provided by Dale Rogerson. Thanks, Dale.

To read the other stories by group members, just click on the link given below, then on the little blue frog in the blue box.

The link for this week’s stories is as follows:

https://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/2017/06/14/16-june-2017/

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Word Count: 100 Words

DARK MEMORIES by P.S. Joshi

I’d promised myself never to come back here again. Then I heard Jenny was dying.

The place hadn’t changed. The six-story, scruffy buildings surrounded by palm trees closed in on me. I wondered if the crummy elevators ever worked.

I could still see the old man leaning over me, his t-shirt stained with sweat. He was my father but that’s as far as it went. This was a man who hit me whenever he felt like it, good reason or bad.

Jenny, my gentle stepmother had somehow outlived him and her time was up. I’d felt sorry for her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

46 thoughts on “DARK MEMORIES”

  7. Pingback: DARK MEMORIES | Matthews' Blog

  11. I’m so glad your character was able to go back -however hard it was for her – so see Jenny before she died. She would have regretted it if she hadn’t. A powerful description of the dad too. Well done

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    • Thanks, Isadora. That’s true about funerals and weddings. She was good-hearted to go back for Jenny. Jenny deserved it. It was sad I know. The picture seemed to suggest that mood to me. I’m glad you liked the story. —- Suzanne

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    • Thanks, James. You’re right. The last time I went home was my mother’s funeral. We took her ashes from North Carolina where we were living to Ohio to bury in the plot beside where my dad was buried. That may be the last time I have reason to back though as I don’t travel well these days and I’m not close to anyone still there. I’m glad you liked the story. 🙂 — Suzanne

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      • Yes, my Dad died in April, and although I don’t consider where they retired as “home,” I did spend a lot of time there and will probably be going back more frequently.

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  22. Even the character development for our unnamed narrator has an interesting revelation: that she has, due to her upbringing, carried with her into adulthood that there are “good reasons” as well as “bad reasons” for physical abuse. And while her connection with Jenny brings her back, it’s also clear that, while Jenny seemed “kind” in comparison to her father, Jenny also did nothing to stop the abuse. And this is not mentioned, again implying that our main character’s perspective has been permanently damaged as to what is normal and acceptable within a family.

    Once again here, Patricia, you’ve captured a lot — something real — in few words.

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