FFfAW: Goddess Made Flesh

Posted on by Louise Bunting

This post if for the Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers (FFfAW) Challenge, run by Priceless Joy. This week’s picture was provided by Ady. The challenge is that you write a story of 75-175 words inspired by the photo prompt below. Here’s my entry.  I hope you like it.

Photo prompt - © PricelessJoy
Photo prompt – © PricelessJoy

Goddess Made Flesh

Some days the longing to be reunited was all-consuming. His existence lacked vitality. Even the air felt thin. Grey. He lost himself in memories of when life had pulsed with youthful possibility, with May his shining light.

Her chiming laughter still echoed in his ears, a joyous trail to follow. She’d loved the wild places, the forests and hills; revelling in the chorus of birdsong, the caress of sunlight on her face. She’d always wondered how people could feel close to God enclosed within four walls. The towering trunks of mighty oaks were the pillars of her church. A lake’s reflection shared the perfection of a stained glass window, depicting eternity’s harmony.

He had just worshipped her – his own goddess made flesh.

He’d scattered her ashes on the hillside. Sometimes he could sense her presence as he climbed, a phantom touch soothing the ache of old bones. The years since he lost her had not been kind.

Soon his time would come. He’d follow her laughter and bathe in the light of her existence again.

Word Count: 175

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37 thoughts on “FFfAW: Goddess Made Flesh”

  1. Louise, this is written so beautifully and yet it is so sad. He misses May and longs to be reunited with her in death. Such an excellent story and so very touching.

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    1. Thank you, Jocelyn. I enjoy writing emotional pieces and, with the extra few words it gives, this challenge is great for doing so. 🙂 I’ve been a little concerned as to how my very pagan take on a church would be taken, though!

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  4. An absolutely wonderful sad tale. I was crying by the end!
    So beautiful. I hope the reunion is soon.
    Thanks for making such a compelling tale.

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    1. Thank you, Phylor! I found this one very emotional to write. I’m strangely glad that other people are just as affected by it:)

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  8. This is a beautiful piece Louise. We all experience our own sense of loss. For some I know there is that feeling that their loved one is always with them. Excellent.

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  10. Very sad but there is hope for a reunion for him. I loved the way you put the feeling of the church also in the story.

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  12. A really heartwarming story. You can really get the feel of his love for her. The description of God’s “nature church” is easy to visualize and understand why she loved being outside so much.

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  14. A truly, truly beautiful story. I am choked up writing this comment…(.I had to take a moment.) Love and life with the one that made your life wonderful; the pain that one must feel loosing them has to be enormous. Louise, it is time for a book of your short stories. Here’s a book title prompt: “A Season of Stories.” Very, well written; images just flood the mind; the reader is a whisper of wind feeling his love and pain…WOW!

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    1. I’m very glad you enjoyed it. 🙂 This story has been in my head all week – I wrote a version of it originally for the Monday’s Finish the Story prompt! I actually had tears in my eyes several times during the writing process.
      And I am working on my short stories – unfortunately I tend to spend far too much time also working on things for my blog! I love the title prompt. Oddly enough, t’s actually very similar to several title ideas I’ve had myself. 🙂 Thank you for a lovely comment.

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  15. There is so much intensity packed within this story. Very well written and it connects with the reader from the start.

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