Promises Broken

Posted on by Louise Bunting

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Promises Broken

The day had promised so much.

Bright skies and a clear forecast meant their shift at the lifeguard station should have been pleasant – with only the usual idiots and accidents to worry them. The crystalline sea had lapped at the beach as if no dangers lurked in its depths. It was a postcard perfect scene.

But they shouldn’t have been surprised. They’d known to always expect the unexpected.

Perched in their tower, they’d watched the holiday-makers frolic below, chatting idly to pass the time – conversations that fled from memory soon after the words were spoken. Their hands had occasionally touched, sparks flying. After months of unresolved tension, the words had finally been spoken. Tonight would be the night.

Their shift had been nearing its end when the screams began. They hadn’t hesitated before running to help.

Afterwards, only the memory of blood in the water remained, events blurring into an incomprehensible mass. All she knew was they’d gone into the water together. And now she was alone.

But the day had promised so much.

Word count: 175

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This post is for Priceless Joy’s Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers challenge. This week’s prompt was provided by TJ Paris. Thank you, TJ.

15 thoughts on “Promises Broken”

  1. Eeee…tragedy at ever turn…a fabulous, yet disturbing read….but mostly fabulous! I understand that lifeguards are able to distinguish between dolphins and sharks by the difference in the swimming patterns…sharks move in a zigzag…like snakes…dolphins move forward in straight lines… so the guards jumped in the water knowing they would be dealing with sharks…very brave. 🙂

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    1. Ah, but, you never know, it might not have been a shark in there with them…
      I’ll admit, I didn’t actually know that about the differences in swim pattern. 🙂 I’ll also admit that this post was actually partly inspired by your post about the aquarium. It got me thinking about the things that could lurk within crystal clear water. Thanks for visiting. 😀

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  10. So sad and frightening. They were dedicated to doing their job even though they knew the risk. Life, can indeed change within seconds or end within seconds in this case. Great story and I learned about the swim patterns of sharks and dophins. 🙂

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