(100 word flash fiction)
He pushed open the rusty gate and walked calmly to the crumbling house.
He planned to overpower her when she opened the door, force her to open the safe and decamp with the loot.
But, the door was open. She was lying on the floor. Her breaths long and laboured. Each one like it was the last.
Should he run, or call for help?
‘Who are you?” asked the emergency call operator.
The woman in an old photo on the wall looked just like the one in a photo he had carried in his wallet for 20 years.
“Her son.”
~~~
The fiction high I get with Friday Fictioneers hosted by the lovely Rochelle, for the photo prompt below-
PHOTO PROMPT © David Stewart
The froggy button will take you to the links of the Fictioneering peeps 🙂
Just Joyfulness 
This is great. Sentimental without being saccharine, it’s well written & well structured with a kick-ass last line.
Nice.
Thanks 🙂
Nice twist at the end. I am glad he changed his mind.
Thanks Deborah 🙂
Ah, that was a nice one. Enjoyed that.
Thanks Sandra.
Moral dilemmas even in the darkness of us…. and often the light shines through.
Well told. Randy
Thanks Randy
Hi Mum!
Not the best of homecomings.
Good piece.
Thanks 🙂
Wonderful twist at the end. What a way to find a mother you hadn’t seen for years.
Thanks Irene.
That was quite a surprise – for him and me! Excellent.
Rosey Pinkerton’s blog
Thanks. I do try to surprise 🙂
Dear Jolly,
That was quite a twist at the end. At least he was there for her when she needed him even though it wasn’t his intention. Good one.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thanks Rochelle.
Neat twist
All grist
To the mill
Joyful
Thank I thee
where would I be
without praise
my ego to raise?
An excellent story, with a beautiful ending. I hope she lived. I hope the prodigal son who returned reformed his ways!
Thanks Vijaya. My original thought was that he was lost in childhood with only his mother’s photo with him and he lost his ways and found himself in that house. But, prodigal son is more powerful. Thanks again. 🙂
You’re most welcome! Both those scenarios work for me.
This sent shivers down my spine. I thought, maybe the thief does the right thing–which he did. But that he’s the son, who came to rob from his mother, makes this chilling and special. In a way, his mother saved him from a very bad path.
He didn’t know she was his mother having got separated long ago, but yes, she did save him 🙂 Thanks for dropping by and commenting.
There such extra added depth here considering their relationship. I wonder if he has regrets now about his actions. I imagine he would. Nice one, Jolly.
Thanks, Amy
What a great twist ending!
Thanks Jan.
Lovely story, Jolly. Looks like his memory, and the love that went with it, were stronger in the end than his love of money, and won out. Well written. 🙂 — Suzanne
Thanks Suzanne.
Awesome twist!! Loved it!!
Thanks Sajitha, for liking and commenting 🙂