PHOTO PROMPT – Copyright-Björn Rudberg
On a wind-swept cliff overlooking the Pacific, a stone staircase is all that remains of an ancient cottage, long ago crumbled into the ocean. In childhood, the staircase fascinated her. As she grows old she carves messages in stone, beginning at the bottom step.
“Me & Yoshiro 4ever.”
“Am now Mrs. Steven Miller!”
“Our first child! Amber. A girl.”
“Lost Steven to cancer.”
“Soldiers took our two sons.”
“I cannot live like this anymore.”
At the very top of the staircase, if you look closely, you will see a few words in a tinier script. “Mom, I forgive you.”
…………….
My submission for Friday Fictioneers, where every week we write 100 word stories. It’s fun! Even when I’m sort of half-awake like today.
Anne Higa 
That’s so sad. The triumphs and tragedies of a life.
Very clever take on the prompt!
A life story in a short list.. this is so sad.. if you have time — I recommend to read this short story that exploit a list to tell a sad story..
http://etthalvtarkpapper.se/category/lasa/engelska-lasa/
Thanks Bjorn and thanks for sharing that story.
A moving family saga sensitively written.
Thanks Patrick.
Powerful story, Anne. Those stairs simply had to be written about, and you did a good job telling their story.
All my best,
Marie Gail
Thanks Marie Gail. I think you’re right. Some stories need to be told.
Staircase to heaven..maybe that’s where she went.
Lily
Lily, I like to think so too.
A sad and moving piece well written.
Thanks Maree
Dear Anne,
A complete story carved in stone. Very well done. I enjoyed this.
shalom,
Rochelle
Thanks Rochelle
A life set in concrete. Great idea.
Thanks Sandra. Thanks for visiting.
Such wonderful take on the prompt and a very said tale. The last line is very powerful.
Thanks Sarah Ann. I’m glad the last line worked. I really struggled with that one.
I like the creative but sad tale you’ve spun.
Forgiveness is difficult, but so important. It implies understanding.
In a child’s case, it is more than painful, it is overwhelming. But it implies a level of insight that only a fully developed individual can achieve.
That the pain of loss for a living person, in this case a mother, had become so unbearable, that it had overwhelmed the reality of the need to still care for other living people, in this case her daughter.
Randy
Randy, that’s a really interesting insight. In my mind, I was thinking it would be one of the sons, after coming back from war (having been forcibly enlisted.) It makes even more sense if it was her daughter and there was this process of thought for her – maybe even ending the same way as her mother. That is powerful and one of those accidentally on purpose things, where something works without meaning it.
Heartbreakingly beautiful story full of almost palpable sadness.
A really powerful way to tell a family’s story – wonderful. Until I read your response to The Writer’s Village I certainly read it as the daughter writing the last inscription. The line ‘soldiers took our two sons’ didn’t mean for me, that the soldiers had taken them to be soldiers, but they had abducted them and the boys disappeared. But, it works both ways. Lovely.
Claire
Thanks Claire. It’s interesting how things work out that way. To me, that means it really worked!
Indeed Anne, as so many others have commented, wonderful story with such a unique twist. I too, had read it as the daughter forgiving the mother, not as a “prodigal” son – but as you’ve said, it works both ways, and certainly leaves one captivated and held fast in the words. 🙂
Thanks Pat.
Dear Anne, I love your story and it has such a good twist. You are a wonderful writer! Nan 🙂
Anne, A sad, but well-written story. It progresses with the steps, a creative take on the prompt. I also thought it was the daughter writing on the last step, but it works even with one of the sons. Well done. 🙂 —Susan
That was so good. I am really impressed by it. Wonderful take on the prompt. Lucy
Thanks Lucy and thanks for dropping by. 🙂