It Has To Be Different

129-11-november-8th-2015

You want so badly for it to be different this time.

It will be different, you keep saying.

Different different different. Like a mantra.

For one thing, it will be morning. For another, you’re older now.

The longest journey begins with a single step.  You saw that once, on a poster at school.

Or maybe it was drops of water turn the mill.

You’re putting it off. You said you want to go, want to finally face it.

You don’t want to go.

You have to go.

Look at you standing there in front of the mirror, practicing what you might say, trying out new words, trying anything.

Anything.

The sun breaks over  the horizon, spills its light over the valley and the town.

It won’t be morning long.

If it’s not morning, it won’t be different. Not as  different.

You can’t lose the morning. You mustn’t.

Why are you like this? You ask. It was a tough time. You got through it. You will get through this too. 

You are not convinced.

You look at the clock. You look at the mirror.

It’s time to go.

 

 

 

 

Sunday Photo Fiction

6 comments

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  1. paulmclem

    Nicely paced. With this sort of work there is a chance you can get repetitive and not really advance the story i.e just keep delaying. However, I felt this kept moving quite well. Being greedy I’d have liked a small clue as to what lay ahead, but that’s a minor quibble. Thanks for sharing.

  2. patrickprinsloo

    Not sure of the backstory but the narrator is feeling like a lot of us do from time to time. Hard to take the plunge, pick up that phone, step out of the front door.
    Great portrayal.

Don't just stand there.