FFfAW: The Lingering Ache

Posted on by Louise Bunting

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

Photo Prompt - from Pixabay
Photo Prompt – from Pixabay

The Lingering Ache

It had been years since he’d last ridden a bike.

Benjamin sighed, wishing the flimsy contraption leaning against the wall would simply vanish before his boys arrived downstairs. Their neighbour had offered him the bicycle after she’d heard Ollie and Lewis begging him to join them on a ride. His excuse that he didn’t have one had been neatly sidestepped by her generosity.

Anxiety coiled in his stomach and he rubbed at his aching temples as memories of blinding headlights and a dizzying, agonising impact overtook him. Six months of his life had been lost to unconsciousness. Over a year had been spent regaining full mobility after he’d finally awoken. The lingering ache of his injuries continued to bother him even now, years later.

He’d sworn to never ride a bike again.

The boys’ excited voices reached him long before they tumbled out of the doorway and he pasted a smile onto his face. Only one thing could persuade him to put his feet onto the pedals again.

He couldn’t bear to disappoint his boys.

Word Count: 172

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37 thoughts on “FFfAW: The Lingering Ache”

  1. Well written. It is a hard thing for him to do and I’m sure he is hurting physically but for his boy’s he is making a big effort. Good job.

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  2. This is wonderful Louise! He has such painful memories of his last bike ride but he is determined to ride again so not to dissapoint his boys. That is so sweet! I really love this story! I loved how the story flowed from the beginning and then, the wonderful ending. It was as though you wrote a whole chapter of a book in just a few words.

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    1. I think he’ll be incredibly tense at first but then realise just how much he’s missed cycling. Hopefully none of them will fall. I’m glad you liked it, Lynn. 🙂

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  4. I’m sure he’ll be just fine. Good for him for attempting to overcome his fear, even if is just for the boys.

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    1. I think he’ll probably take the boys along a cycle track, well away from traffic – maybe an old disused railway line. By the end of the outing he’ll have rediscovered his love of cycling. 🙂 I’m very glad you enjoyed it, Sonya. Thanks for visiting. 😀

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    1. Thank you, Michael. 🙂 ( I can tell how often I’ve responded to your comments using my kindle – your name was a suggested word on the predictive text!) Luckily I can only imagine how hard it must be to overcome such an accident. The few close calls I had on my bike were bad enough. I’m very glad you enjoyed the story. 🙂

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    1. Thank you. 🙂 I think he’ll manage the ride, if only for the sake of his kids. Maybe he’ll rediscover his love of cycling through them.

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  9. I loved this story and also your blog. I scrolled through some posts and they were really amazing…..I am actually new to Flash Fiction….looking forward to more amazing stories☺☺☺

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  12. Lovely story that made me think of all that I would be prepared to do for my children’s happiness as well.

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    1. I was always lucky back when I regularly rode a bike. I had a few close calls (cars pulling out of junctions without seeing me) and they were bad enough. They left me shaken but still willing to ride. I can easily imagine, though, how a full accident would have completely knocked my confidence. I would not have wanted to ride again! I hope your accident didn’t have any lingering affects.

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  14. Wonderful story….he has fears of riding again, but the love he has for his boys will out weigh any fear he has and in times like these, parents tend to go the limit. He wants them to be proud of him and that is a great incentive to do his best to put aside his fears and ride.

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