Like A Bougainvillea Vine – Fiction

/ Ellespeth

This is a piece written for Flash Fiction For Aspiring Writers   Thanks to PJ   for hosting our challenge and to Graham Lawrence for our photo prompt.  Please click on the lil froggy, after this piece, for a link to other stories.

gardenLike A Bougainvillea Vine

Our little Kate.  She was just so beautiful.  So innocent.  Most days, when I’m painting in the courtyard, I’m thinking about her.  Those bright sparkly questioning blue eyes.  How did I ever let her escape?  I’m often trying to answer that question or change it somehow.

“Wait right here, sweetie, while Mommy gets Brother out the car.”  I squeezed her little hand.

I cooed to her baby brother.  Sweet little nothings.  Smooching my lips against his velvety skin.  He cooed and gurgled back.

When I turned around, she was gone.  I ran all around like a mad woman.  Holding the baby.  Screaming.  “Kate!  Kate!”

My mind’s memory heard her laughing and saying, “Here I am, Mommy.  I was hiding from you.”  I could see her little pixie smile.

We’ve never found her.  The way life goes on, sometimes it’s as though she only ever existed to her daddy and me.

Ellespeth

23 thoughts on “Like A Bougainvillea Vine – Fiction”

  3. Your story is definitely a tear-jerker this week, Ellespeth. As a mother, I can imagine the dreadful feeling of panic when a child seems to just disappear into thin air. It’s a heartbreaking situation for the parents, who would probably spend many years searching for their lost child. Very well written.

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    • I’m not sure how I’d emotionally survive such a thing. It’s so hard to believe that this actually happens so often these days…or maybe the newspapers carry it more often.

      I’m so happy to read about your being so involved with research for a future work. I want to pass by your blog to comment on this a bit more but wanted you to know I’m thinking of you and your works in progress.

      Ellespeth

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      • You’re right about such events seeming to happen so often, Ellespeth. But, like you, I think they’ve probably reported much more often, and widely, nowadays. It must be totally devastating for the parents.
        Like you, I’m finding it hard to keep up with things. I didn’t even get round to responding to comments yesterday. Not because of other work, I had a pounding headache all day – probably due to spending too many hour staring at a computer screen. Thank you for your kind wishes for my book research. I hope all is well with you, too. Our paths rarely cross on the FF challenges now, because I’ve cut them all out – apart from PJ’s. 🙂

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    • Sorry for this late response. I only have a couple of days a week on WordPress.

      I’m reading your comment and now remembering that young couple – I think from England – who’s daughter disappeared while they were on vacation:( When I was young enough to have had children (which I don’t), I would not have imagined such a story. Such happenings seemed so far removed from where I was living at that time.

      Thanks for passing by and reading this piece, Joy.

      Ellespeth

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  7. I felt my heart squeeze at the end at the idea of one of my own becoming lost to me, somehow magically transporting to another place and leaving only an echo of presence. Really poignant in idea and portrayal, Ellespeth.

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    • Sort of like a Persephone and Demeter moment. That’s how I see this story, now. I didn’t see that connection when I was writing but I think it’s there. A parent’s worst imagining.

      ***hugs*** your support is meaningful to me.

      Ellespeth

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    • I was having a conversation with my husband tonight that brought this thought to my mind. I realized that what we were discussing was possible. Probably unlikely but possible. My imagination usually gets the best of me in these instances. I don’t know what I’d do in such a situation…so I imagined this. Yikes!

      Thanks for passing by, Ameena. It’s always nice to see you’ve read and commented on my work.

      Ellespeth

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    • Thanks, Susan. I’m trying all sorts of things these days. I’m wondering how to expand to more words 😛 I hope to do something longer one day. Maybe not on this theme, though.

      I’m grateful for your comment and the time you took to read my work.

      Ellespeth

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  11. Such a hauntingly sad tale Ellespeth. It is really heart wrenching but so beautifully written. Thank you for participating in Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers Challenge and I hope all is well with you. 🙂

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    • Oh! Thank you for choosing this photo, PJ. So many directions this photo could have gone for me. It’s very loosely connected to a conversation I had earlier this afternoon. I just want to hold those I love closer and tighter today.

      I’m slowly better each day. Hoping to read a few other entries before bed.

      Ellespeth

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