FFfAW: Imaginary Friends

Posted on by Louise Bunting

This post is for Priceless Joy’s Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers. This week’s prompt was provided by me.

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Photo prompt – © The Storyteller’s Abode

Imaginary Friends

“It’s just your eyes playing tricks on you,” everyone always told her. “None of it’s real.” Even her grandmother – who told the most wonderful stories – had always waved a dismissive hand and said, “Your imagination is running away with you again, my girl.”

She hadn’t believed them. Not as a laughing five-year old who watched fairies dance among the wildflowers. Not as a twelve-year old who’d befriended a scarecrow and had adventures with goblins. And not as a twenty-year old forced to sit on the shrink’s couch.

Her ability to see a world invisible to other eyes was no longer viewed as childish imagination – now the words ‘hallucination’ and ‘delusion’ were frequently whispered.

“No,” she told the psychiatrist. “I’ve not seen a thing in months.”

Tonight she’d wash another jar of pills down the sink – she knew her mind better then any doctor ever could. Tomorrow she’d visit with her friends.

Old Aubrey the scarecrow waved from his field as she walked down the long path home. Smiling, she waved back.

Word Count: 175

To view the other entries, click the blue frog.

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In case anyone is curious, the photograph was taken in Cornwall in the little village of Lizard on the Lizard peninsula, the most southerly place on mainland Britain. There were several scarecrows around the village – the result, we discovered, of a recent scarecrow festival. Unfortunately I only managed to photograph three of them as I only spotted the rest from the car as we drove away. Here are the other two:

38 thoughts on “FFfAW: Imaginary Friends”

  1. I love this story! She tells the psychiatrist, “I haven’t seen a thing.” She washes the pills down the sink and enjoys her imagination – or rather, all the wonderful worlds her mind can see! Great story! Thank you, Louise, for our photo prompt this week. I love the photo!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks Jenn. 🙂 Wild imaginations are not to hobbled! On the other hand, if she is delusional, let’s hope she doesn’t place herself or anyone else in danger…

      Liked by 1 person

  5. This brings back the wonder and thrill of an older Alice being kept from Wonderland (depending on which version). And of course your own twist and style. Both familiar and fresh. Excellent job with the story and pictures!

    Like

  8. sometimes trauma encourages the most amazing imagination, but somehow this beautifully crafted story tells me, its not all in the imagination, she is lucid and doesn’t want to lose her fiends that understand and comfort her.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. You might be right. 🙂 I was curious how many people would wonder that! I always like to leave a story open so the reader can interpret it however they wish but not all the possibilities are always picked up on! Thanks for visiting. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

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  12. Lovely story. I would wash the pills down too – as long as she is no harm and who is to say what is real and what is not, after all, it is all in our heads.

    Great photos too

    Liked by 1 person

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  15. Ooh, I love this! So creative. I love that the character embraces who they are and won’t let how others label her affect the way she feels about herself. She’s happy in her own little, private world 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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