As She Swings

[InspirationMoonwalks]

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The crisp air sends her auburn locks flying along with her spirit. Her green eyes dance with the freckles on the bridge of her nose, laughing in the thrill of the swift, steady yet spontaneous motion.

Swinging is freedom, deliverance from the pain, the fear, the shell-shock of the day she’s since vacated. As she swings, she smiles, the gaps between her small teeth visible as her mind recalls how her father used to push her in the swing, whenever she’d needed it. Or how her mother used to bring her to the city park on days when he was swamped at work. Her push wasn’t as strong as his, but her radiant smile and encouraging words were enough energy to keep her legs agile and pumping.

Sometimes her friends would join her at the park, but they didn’t care as much for swinging as she did. They preferred to make castles and star and moon shapes in the sandbox or to show off their coordination on the monkey bars. As she swings, she wonders where they are right now. Some of them were present that fateful morning, when the bright, spring sun seemed to cruelly contradict the flames and the smoke of the bomb’s detonation.

As she swings, her awareness is not with the justified anger of a nation, the need to know how, why, the thirst for justice. It’s not with the President, the authorities, or the reporters asking all the necessary questions. She can’t yet comprehend the enormity of her family’s loss or the concept of eternal youth. As she swings, it’s with the light.

 

[Shannon]

Very nicely written, Tara. :8-26-03respect: A very short story compared to your other one, and I reckon it was slightly more difficult to get what this one actually was about. However, my view of the story is that if involved around a great tragedy... maybe how she tried to live her life afterwards without her friends, but I'm not sure. The last sentence also gave me a feeling that she was an angel herself now, in the light, that only her soul was left swinging... I don't know, lol. But it was a very sad story, perhaps with a hint of hope too. However, I got the feeling your heart was more into your previous story, Tara, am I right? :8-26-03fruits_apple

 

[InspirationMoonwalks]

Very nicely written, Tara. :8-26-03respect: A very short story compared to your other one, and I reckon it was slightly more difficult to get what this one actually was about. However, my view of the story is that if involved around a great tragedy... maybe how she tried to live her life afterwards without her friends, but I'm not sure. The last sentence also gave me a feeling that she was an angel herself now, in the light, that only her soul was left swinging... I don't know, lol. But it was a very sad story, perhaps with a hint of hope too. However, I got the feeling your heart was more into your previous story, Tara, am I right? :8-26-03fruits_apple

Thanks! I really appreciate (as always) you reading and giving such thoughtful feedback! :8-26-03fruits_apple This piece was actually brought about by a writing exercise assigned in my class, where we were to do a one page ("flash fiction") story. It's quite a challenge I must say (hell, I was just getting used to the short story format as it was! :lol), but I enjoyed it; it was a growing experience creatively, too lol. Yes, I must admit I felt even more inspired for "Thoughts to You at a Restaurant" (even more than I usually am...I don't know..it just sort of all fell into place at that moment, you know?), but I did feel inspired for this one too. Yes, there was a great tragedy involved (a very specific one was in my mind while writing it, but I'm not sure if I should say, as I want this left up for intepretation). But I will say you are very much on the right track with your observation about the last line..