Alastair’s Photo Fiction: I wonder what I should be like then?

April 11, 2013 by Addy 7 Comments

Many years and lifetimes ago I was a prolific and once-published writer of fiction. Today, I am but a man who struggles to remember what it was like to write and create, let alone allow himself the pleasure of doing so.

Recently, the quite magnificent Alastair of Alastair’s Blog began a new blogging project in which every week he publishes one of his own photographs as a prompt for short fiction. In the hope it will cause my dormant writing desires to resurface, I have decided to play along.

© Alastair

I wonder what I should be like then?
~ by Addy ~

Any glass of mysterious translucent liquid that came with its own neatly hand-written card instructing ‘drink me’ should be approached with caution. Or at least that’s what Alice had taught him when he was younger.

When he had decided on this course of action, he had not expected to remember the smell of his mother’s eucalypt hand lotion as they turned the pages of his favourite book.

When he’d exchanged his hard-earned money, he’d not expected to remember the passionate night of life making that followed his girlfriend putting on an Alice costume.

When he’d signed the contract admonishing the company of any possible side-effects, he had not expected to remember his daughter’s giggles as he shared with her his Wonderland for the first, and only, time.

As his trembling fingers curled around the glass every mistake, regret, cock-up and calamity flashed before his eyes. Drink me…the card accompanying the glass said…and you will forget everything.

As the glass touched his lips, all he could see were her wide green eyes, glistening from hours of laughter and smiles. A tear trickled down his cheek.

“But if I forget you,” he whispered, “I wonder what I should be like then?”

[Word Count: 200]

Other interpretations of this week’s image:

• Sympathetic Magic (sharingmemyselfandi.wordpress.com)
• Photo Fiction: April 07 2013 (kattermonran.com)
• APF 150: Weighted Choices (julesinflashyfiction.wordpress.com)
• The Little Pint of Milk That Couldn’t (rarasaur.wordpress.com)
• Alastair’s Photo Fiction – So What’s In The Glass (thewhyabouthtis.com)
• Another Man’s Poison – Alastair’s Photo Fiction (anelephantcant.me)
• Sleep (lovelyladyblogger.wordpress.com)
• Absinthe – Alastair’s Photo Fiction (unbuttonedorundone.wordpress.com)
• Photo Fiction ~ Life Moves On (silentlyheardonce.wordpress.com)
• Photo Fiction Entry For 04/07/2013 Confines Of Freedom (silverliner98.wordpress.com)
• …Complete You! – Alastair’s Photo Fiction (bananagoesbananas.wordpress.com)
• Alastair’s Weekly Photo Challenge 4/9/13 (musingsfromtheturnippatch.wordpress.com)