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Bill Ferguson 🇨🇦's avatar

An Untimely Call

Prompt by: Caro’s Writing Perspectives : One Hundred-Word Wonders : A writing prompt: GRAVE

The grave was located on the side of the hill. It looked like the backhoe had dug it out as there was a pile of covered dirt over from the site. It was the morning. The sun had just risen.

I am a planner. I plan my day. It keeps me balanced.

I slowly worked my way up the hill to where my father was to be buried.

“So this is where it ends,” I uttered as I reached the grave.

A voice replied, “Are you talking to me?”

As I screamed down the hill I never looked back once.

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Caro Henry's avatar

This leaves me wondering who spoke. Very nice!

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Scott MacLeod's avatar

Very sorry. Powerful.

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Scott MacLeod's avatar

Closing Night

Gavin got the call. It was time. The old man had lived a life consumed by the stage. This was to be his final exit. The boy eschewed the greasepaint for the ballpark. Was it simply a matter of taste, or conscious rebellion? The age-old question.

“How you doing, pop?”

“Ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find me a grave man.”

Gavin surprised him.

“Mercutio.”

His father grinned through the pain.

“You were listening all along.”

These would be his final lines.

They sat quietly together until the end came.

This time Gavin surprised himself.

“Good night, sweet prince.”

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Caro Henry's avatar

Thanks so much, Scott! Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is my daughter's absolute favorite play. I appreciate how you captured the word's double meaning by using Mercutio’s words and the lovely bond between father and son in just a few words. It’s wonderful!

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Scott MacLeod's avatar

Thank you. I was watching a cop show where his kid was Mercutio and practicing that line and I couldn’t resist. 😊

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Writer Pilgrim by So Elite's avatar

Thank you for the mention Caro! I appreciate it.

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Theresa Greene's avatar

It ends at a grave. It begins when legs open and out comes the beginning of

Life, love, boredom, excitement, yin and yang.

It takes a lot to make a life. When you are at the end and look back, it is a formidable distance one has traveled,even if they always stayed in one place. I am in in the land of many deaths. My mom was alive for ninety-nine years. She outlived everyone she knew. One of her five children has already died at 65.

The rest of us are in our 70s .

Through many evolutions I am here, far away from where I was born but living in the land of my ancestors .

The mountains are lovely in the springtime. We will decorate the graves of our forefathers next month.

Thank you, Caro !

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Caro Henry's avatar

This is beautiful and poignant, Theresa. My dad also lived for ninety-nine years. He used to tell us how much he missed his friends. He also joked that god was punishing him for his misspent youth by prolonging his life.

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Theresa Greene's avatar

My mom did not want to be 100 so she got her wish

Thanks , Caro!

Enjoyed this!

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