The Envy of the Village

Posted on by Jennifer Kennedy

Old Mrs Bergman’s roses were the envy of the village. The bushes bloomed in a congregation of scarlet and coral, sun-flare yellow and delicious tangerine. They spilled over the walls and lit up the pavement with their scattered petals, like delicate wishes skipping along the breeze, destination unknown.

Mrs Bergman plucked and preened, watered and fed. She whispered sweet nothings. She told the roses all that she would have told him if he were here. And they bloomed.

At night she would take the fading telegram from the drawer: Missing in action.

And she waited to meet him again.

FF - 21.02.18 - Roses
PHOTO PROMPT © Marie Gail Stratford

***

This piece was written for the Friday Fictioneers hosted by the lovely Rochelle Wisoff-Fields – Addicted to Purple.

Each week a photo prompt is given and the challenge is write a flash fiction piece of no more than one hundred words.

Find other Friday Fictioneer stories here.

41 thoughts on “The Envy of the Village”

  6. Beautifully written story. I loved the play of colours and the vivid petal carpet on the walls and pavement and how the ‘delicate wishes’ and ‘destination unknown’ relates to the sad ending.
    Very well done!

    Liked by 2 people

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  8. Oh, this was so touching! Wonderfully vivid description of the flowers, and then to realize that she’s throwing all her energy into them as a tribute to her lost love, and still holds a torch for him — made me choke up.

    Liked by 2 people

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  9. Lovely descriptions – I could just picture the colours in the garden. Nothing worse than missing in action. Death is easier to deal with than the unknown. Beautifully done.

    Liked by 1 person

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  11. You tell that moving story with such delicacy and poise. The descriptions of the roses are a delight. The way you show how she pours all the love and care that her missing lover would have received into her roses is masterly. Beautiful writing!

    Liked by 1 person

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  15. Oh this is just beautiful! Lovely descriptions …just bursting with colour and love. It’s so poignant how her love helps her flowers bloom – she places it in other places until her time comes to be with her love again. I love how we the readers are let in on the story behind the beautiful Roses 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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  17. spilled over the walls and lit up the pavement with their scattered petals, like delicate wishes skipping along the breeze, destination unknown Oh! what a delicious line among so many. I do believe this might be my favorite story this week. Thank you.

    Liked by 1 person

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Published by Jennifer Kennedy

Mother, teacher and writer. I love all my jobs but writing holds a special place in my heart. I hope you enjoy reading my short stories as much as I enjoy writing them!