Photo by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields 
Rochelle’s photo prompt this week suggests old stones and history. Where does your imagination take you ? Are you inspired to write a 100 word story?
I’ve had a holiday, and it’s good to return to the Friday Fictioneers challenge.
THE TOWER
Fear coils around my ribcage. I must hurry towards the tower. Each footstep sucks me down, legs like lead. I see only dank shadows. I’ll disappear if I don’t reach the light. I feel urgency – dread or hope ? See a rosy glimmer ahead – my heart lurches with relief – a mirage of home where I belong. The me who is here isn’t real is she ? Deep down I know things will be ok if I reach this warm, bright place of love, I’ll be mended.
The alarm jolts me awake. It’s that dream again with the tower, constant presence in my growing up.
October 14, 2018 at 8:53 pm
Wonderful imagery.
October 15, 2018 at 3:37 pm
Thanks so much Lisa – pleased you liked the imagery.
October 14, 2018 at 3:38 pm
Reading your story I could tell it was a dream, your imagery was wonderful. I wish there were an explanation as to why we have re-occurring dreams. I’ve had my share. Maybe we just have overactive imaginations (as my mom used to say). Nicely written! =)
October 14, 2018 at 4:53 pm
So pleased you liked the story Brenda – overactive imaginations indeed ! I have wondered about my dreams- where does this stuff come from ?
October 14, 2018 at 5:39 pm
There was a time, a few years ago, my daughter and I had the same dream several times over a year or so. It only happened with this one dream. We didn’t know it until later when I was talking about a vivid dream I had had a number of times and she said, “Me too!” Freaky.
October 13, 2018 at 3:47 am
Intriguing take on the prompt. There is a story within a story here, especially when she talks of being ‘mended’.
October 13, 2018 at 8:21 am
Thanks for your comment – yes you’re right, there is a story within a story- tempting to write more than a 100 words.
October 12, 2018 at 4:59 pm
When I finished the story I felt sad for the girl and I didn’t really know why. The emotional mending she needs is quite profound, I fear.
October 13, 2018 at 8:23 am
Thanks so much for your comment Penny, sounds like you were touched by the story.
October 12, 2018 at 1:53 pm
Repetitive dreams… argh! Hate them! I have three that reappear at times… all scare the bejeebers outa me.
October 12, 2018 at 3:04 pm
Not fun for you ! Weird how some dreams keep on coming back, isn’t it ? If only there was some magic spell to make them fly away.
October 12, 2018 at 12:08 pm
I too was intrigued by her “mending” – I don’t have recurring dreams. I feel a bit left out!
October 12, 2018 at 3:11 pm
Thank you for your comment Jilly. A mystery I guess as to why we do/don’t get these dreams. The ‘mending’ I had in mind is to do with events in childhood that cause damage and can be healed/ repaired.
October 12, 2018 at 3:38 am
I’ve had that dream.
October 12, 2018 at 3:21 pm
Weird how we can share types of dream. I used to teach, & just before term started, I’d dream of having leaden legs and trying to hurry !
October 12, 2018 at 6:13 pm
I had those dreams – both the tower and the leaden legs – as a student. Haven’t had much of either since graduating.
October 11, 2018 at 9:40 pm
I had a recurring dream once; I was a white line zooming above swamps, I have no idea what it meant.
Good stuff, very atmospheric
October 12, 2018 at 3:27 pm
I appreciate your feedback. Intriguing dream of yours, a mystery.
October 12, 2018 at 4:04 pm
Yes it is indeed
October 11, 2018 at 8:48 pm
Dreams are our way of working out problems. This one sounds as if it is weighty and will not easily be fixed. Nicely done.
October 12, 2018 at 3:31 pm
Appreciate your feedback Jo, glad you liked the story.
October 11, 2018 at 7:03 pm
As I was reading, t felt like a dream… anything worse than recurring ones? Why do they always seem full of dread?
October 12, 2018 at 3:35 pm
Than you Dale, I appreciate your comment – pleased you felt ‘in the dream’ – that’s what I wanted. Do you think we have more dread dreams than happy ones ??
October 12, 2018 at 5:02 pm
For some strange reason, the recurring ones seem to have more dread. The happy ones seem to be stand-alone. However, I speak for myself!
October 11, 2018 at 8:03 am
Recurring dreams – tremendous scope for the imagination there. Nicely done.
October 11, 2018 at 4:32 pm
Thank you Sandra, so glad you liked the story. Agree that dreams are a fascinating area to explore.
October 11, 2018 at 7:01 am
A real tower revisiting her through her dreams, or a metaphor for something dark from her childhood days, I wonder? Nice one!
October 11, 2018 at 4:33 pm
Thanks Ali, I appreciate your comment.
October 11, 2018 at 6:10 am
What is with the tower? Why does it come in his dream?
October 11, 2018 at 4:35 pm
Thanks for your feedback. You ask good questions Abhijit. I think things like towers can have a sort of symbolic meaning.
October 10, 2018 at 10:50 pm
Dear Francine,
This leaves me wondering about the tower. Did something happen there? It’s almost like the beginning of a larger story. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
October 11, 2018 at 4:37 pm
Thank you Rochelle, I appreciate your feedback. You’re right, I can imagine this small story being the beginning of a bigger story.
October 10, 2018 at 10:24 pm
Who/what broke her so that she needs mending? This is really good writing. Makes you wish for more 🙂
October 11, 2018 at 4:39 pm
Thanks so much Granonine, so pleased you liked the story. Towers and dreams and being broken are fertile subjects aren’t they ?
October 10, 2018 at 8:00 pm
cool idea to have this be a recurring dream (one of my former recurring dream used to be driving through some housing projects – and the SWAT team is there – lol)
oh and my fav part here was:
“things will be ok if I reach this warm, bright place of love, I’ll be mended”
ahhhh
October 11, 2018 at 4:41 pm
Thank you, I appreciate your feedback. Recurring dreams are weird aren’t they ? I always wonder why we keep having the same dream. I’ve had leaden legs in one of my recurring dreams !
October 12, 2018 at 4:12 pm
Oh wow – and ironic to have the legs like lead when your blog handle is woman walking
October 10, 2018 at 7:13 pm
The dream in here worked so well, and I can see that there is something real in her past that is waiting to catch up.
October 11, 2018 at 4:43 pm
Thank you Bjorn, glad you liked the story. You’re right, I was thinking of something real which happened to the dreamer that needed mending.
October 10, 2018 at 6:37 pm
Easy to see that the tower represents something from her past, and one wonders what she is still running away from in her dream.
October 11, 2018 at 4:45 pm
Appreciate your feedback Iain. I do believe that our unconscious selves in our dreams are trying to sort things out for us, at some emotional level.