Once upon a time, there were two children who lived in the country. The girl, Mary, was 12 and the boy, Eddie, was 10. They were neighbors and became the best of childhood friends.
Mary and Eddie lived in the forest with their families. One day, their adventures led them to some steps that went up from the forest into a small clearing with the forest on either side.
Every day, they would sneak up the stairs to the clearing and play one of their imaginary games. They usually played a game they called Explorer. They would pretend to camp at the clearing and explore the forest.
One day, they discovered the remains of a campfire. They ran off into the woods to see if they could find the campers. The children stumbled across two hunters who warned them that it was hunting season and they should stay out of the woods.
They were disappointed but there were always other games to play.
Many years later, Eddie was ill. He sat in his recliner at his home and his wife tried to get him to go to the hospital. Instead of answering her, he fell into sleep or perhaps a meditative state.
He told her this story, but in bits and starts. She thought he was hallucinating and called the paramedics. Before they arrived, Eddie finished the story, fell into sleep, and then he was gone. He left with the memory of his Glory Days on his mind.
Thanks to Ayr/Gray for hosting the #unicornchallenge.
A beautiful story, Rosemary, sensitively told.
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Thank you so much, Jenne.
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Touching tale, Rosemary
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surely the best we can all hope for… and a convincing argument that Heaven (or Hell) are within us all and therefore a choice we have.
‘cellent story
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Thank you, Clark!
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A whole lifetime encapsulated in this. I like the circular structure of it, and the lovely, fairytale feeling introduced with the opening sentence and throughout. You hint at a touch of mystery or magic with the hunters and their warning, and then again with the altered state Eddie enters at the end. Very nice.
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Thank you, Margaret. There is an undercurrent of mystery.
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The happily ever after that was waited for, for so long. Timing is everything! 💞
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