Children’s Echo

 

photo source

 

 

The morning bell pealed loudly for the call to breakfast.

They walked, some whispering, some crying, some yelling out.

Sixty – five children in all, dressed in blackened muslin nighties and bed bonnets, found their place along the wooden benches that provided them little comfort.

The surroundings, too ornate for them to merely single file into, three times every day, to eat their meals.

Tarnished spoons, steel cups and bowls filled with porridge were set in front of them, as they were every morning.

When they had eaten, they stood, silently, facing the front of the hall.

In unison, as they had done for the past seven-nine years, they thanked the cooks and mistress of the orphanage for preparing their food.  The great hall echoed with their frightened and feeble voices.

One by one, they walked bare footed, through the walls, waiting for the bell to peal again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

For the amazing photo challenge given by Angela Goff at VisDare.

VisDare 23: Ornate  Challenge – 150 words or less – My contribution 148 words.

Five Sentence Fiction – Abandoned

What it’s all about: Five Sentence Fiction is about packing a powerful punch in a tiny fist. Each week I will post a one word inspiration, then anyone wishing to participate will write a five sentence story based on the prompt word. The word does not have to appear in your five sentences, just use it for direction.

This week: ABANDONED

I stood, raindrops spilling from my eyes, down my cheek, into my mouth, I watched
you walk away, you thought I would not understand or be able to feel pain, I gripped
his hand, as I listened to your footsteps walk the gravel path, no backward glance.
Don’t leave me, don’t go, my nose began to run, this isn’t hard to do.
I’m three, mummy don’t abandon me… all I want and need is you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This was for: