Inspired by Leanne Cole’s A Photo that Inspires Words
Leanne put up a challenge to write something inspired by her beautiful shadowy photo. I use my photos as illustrations in my own tales and this is the first time I’ve written a tale based on another’s photography. Great fun Leanne. Thank you.
The old man sleeping on the bench suddenly awoke with a terrible sneeze. He heard something like a rushing wind in that place between waking and dreaming and he looked around the shady nook apprehensively. His son, Mick, always came this way on the way home from work and they would walk together back to the retirement home. He looked again, peering through the tunnel of twisted branches out into the green expanse of parkland. The dying light of a late afternoon cast bleeding shadows through the thicket. Everything seemed the same and yet something had happened. He was sure of it!
What had happened was very unusual. In some strange cosmic event, the entire universe had contracted in an instant – and there was yet another anomaly; a paradox, just as unusual!
It occurred during the rapid deflation in the first event, of the beginning rushing backward to the end; somewhere between alpha and omega. This place where he waited; this tiny capsule of time and space; this insignificant droplet of a counter expanding expulsion, had become stuck on the edge of the collapsing event horizon! Everything else was sucked into the vortex to be coalesced and reconfigured into some new and unknown incarnation.
The old man was blissfully unaware of all this. He looked at the face of his old wrist watch which had frozen at 4:40 PM; the moment he awakened. “Mick’s a bit late today, “ he thought. “But he will be here soon.” So, he continued to sit on the bench, patiently waiting for his son, and tried to suppress another sneeze.
And another Leanne Cole inspired story is here
the runes of the gatekeeper's daughter- dedicated to Nick 
This is definitely my kind of story and approach! One photo, one apparently obvious story to be told and… one totally unexpected development of the plot! Great job!!
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I thought of you when I wrote this Lizzie!! I think I am rather partial to the bizarre or gothic!! Thanks for your wonderful comment and for your inspiration too!!!
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Wonderful Cybele and proves again imagination is the most powerful force available to humankind.
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so glad you enjoyed!!! Thanks Michael!
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What a great collaboration, this is great Cybele! ♥♥♥ ;^)
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thanks Aisha!! Kind of fun little flight of the imagination!!
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A really imaginative take on the photo – not what I would have expected at all and you leave it intriguingly open as to what happens next…
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I know!! A bit quirky! That’s me :D. So glad you liked it!!! Thanks for taking the time to comment!!
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Does he sneeze again? Does his son come and take him back to the retirement home? Does…… Good job, Cybele! 🙂
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thanks so much Linda. It was fun to write this.
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Wow! Okay, now I also want to know more. I love time warp things. lol
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😀 Thanks Laura!! Hopefully he sneezes and everything goes back into place!!
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hahahaa
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Good work, Cybele. I like the part where the universe contracts. Have a great weekend!
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thanks Peter, you too!!!
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Very cool, some great touches eg ‘tunnel of twisted branches’ and ‘bleeding shadows’. I like it as this little blast of metaphysical bizarreness!:-)
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yes, it was a bit different for me!! But fun!! Thanks Stephen!!
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This photo certainly inspires words … a long and interesting story 🙂
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I hope it wasn’t too long lol. Sometimes I can get carried away with words. I have a few short stories on my blog that are longer! ( But not too long !!) Thanks Anica!!
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Just perfect 🙂
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Indeed, very inspiring photo from Leane. Many stories about how our earth and what comes with all contents, interested to know. Beautiful words Cybele. Thanks for share
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It was a fun story too!! Thanks Della!
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What a wonderful story, very imaginative!!!
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thanks so much!! It was a lot of fun!!
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It’s great Cybele, really like it, but I want to know more.
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thanks Leanne!!
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