Friday Fictioneers is hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields who provides us with a photo prompt. Each week’s challenge is to write a 100-word story inspired by the photo. Click here to play along or just read more stories.
Free
The highchair was the last thing to join the pile. It was next to the car seat, the crib, the diaper caddy, and playpen. Marie taped the tear-stained “Free” sign on the highchair.
Inside, Marie sat in the former nursery and sobbed.
Rodney ascended the stairs. “I got the last of the… Oh, baby.”
“Everything’s out there now.”
“I would have done it.”
“I just needed it out. I can’t look at it anymore.”
“It’s gonna sit out there. Nobody’s gonna take it.”
“I know. Maybe the garbage man will.”
“We can try again.”
“They’ll just take that one, too.”
NobbinBlog 
That’s sad. It’s going to be a reminder until the baby stuff is gone. Life can be so cruel.
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Somebody told me once, “Life’s not for everybody.” It seems harsh, but sometimes, it’s true.
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Do you need a hug?
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Usually.
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Such a sad story. All the constant reminders about the place.
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Yeah, I don’t think getting rid of the reminders helps much.
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Some things are taken, others not
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I guess that’s true.
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People take what they want. Seldom what they need.
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True indeed. Thanks for reading.
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That last line was a twist! Who is this “they” that would rob them of the will to “try again”? Sad and threatening at the same time.
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I know like it wasn’t enough that it was sad I had to leave you with that creepy ending.
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That’s a tough read that one, a parent’s worst nightmare to lose a child, whatever the cause.
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I can’t imagine going through that, and I don’t even have kids.
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Dear Nobbin,
A rather ominous twist at the end. You left me wanting to know more. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I wanted to write more, but alas, that pesky word limit stopped me in my tracks. That’s all right. I kind of like the ambiguity.
Thank you.
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We went down the same road this week.
I understand her so very well…
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Oh, Dale. I’m sorry. My mom had a miscarriage. I’m doing much better now, though. I know it’s not a laughing matter. Jokes are how I deal with everything. I was reminded a few times growing up that I almost had an older sister.
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Haha! You card
My boys know there was a boy before them and they wish they had met him but I don’t go on and on about him. Life and its challenges …
And humour works for me!
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This could be “the state” removing an infant from a neglect/abuse situation in the present or it could be aliens or other fascist agents that take all children in the future. Scary and sad at the same time. This week’s furbaby pic looks like a picnic for them?
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I thought of a lot of scenarios including those last two. Neglect/abuse didn’t occur to me, but it could have been a good way to go. It wouldn’t make them sympathetic though. I wasn’t sure where I wanted to go. I decided to leave it ambiguous. Saved by the word limit.
That pic was a few days ago. We got brief reprieve from the smoke. I’m in Reno just across the California border. That smoke rolls in like fog. We’re in the mountains, so we’re right in it. It’s been a month. Reprieves have been few. The wind was right to give us a day we could actually go outside, which meant walk for the dogs. They were so excited. “We should do this more often.”
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Hope things calm down with the burning and glad you got some reprieve for a bit.
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Thank you.
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Good story. If I only ever took what I needed, I’d be adding to the pile, not reducing it. 🙂
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I used to be taker. “Hmm… It’s free.” Now, hell no. Thank you.
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Fantastic last line, leaving me wanting more!
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Always leave them wanting more. There was going to be more, I’m not exactly sure what, but that word limit hit like a brick wall. Thank you.
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Sometimes fate can be so cruel.
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Yep, and it only gets worse when we help it along.
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The last line was quite disturbing. Someone is taking their children away or she thinks they are and both scenarios are disturbing. Good one, Nobbin!
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I wasn’t sure what it was going to be, but I was saved by the word count limit. I’m happy with ambiguously disturbing. Thank you, JJ.
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I want to know who the “they” are who will take that one too. Interesting and heart-breaking. Sorry to mention this but there was a typo of “our” when it should be “out.” Good story–as always. 🙂
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I thought up a few scenarios for who “they” are but ran out of words before I had to decide. Saved by the word count.
Don’t be sorry. I appreciate you pointing out my typo. I want to know about and fix all my fixable flaws.
Thank you, Sascha.
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lol I’d love for someone to point out and suggest a fix for all of my flaws too…and even those in my writing. 😉
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😄 You know what I mean.
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