After staring at this picture for awhile a story finally came to mind. Sorry, it turned a bit bleak in the end. As always, thanks to Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for hosting our Friday Fictioneers’ party each week, and thanks to my fellow attnedees for reading and leaving comments.
Photo by Marie Gail Stratford
Just like the yarn in Grandma’s weaving basket, the threads of Lilliana’s life were all tangled up.
Used to be she knew precisely where she was headed and what waited at the end.
Used to be nothing, nothing could get in her way.
Yeah, used to be.
But now she couldn’t see beyond the thin, grey line of her new life.
Sure, people tried to help, said reassuring words, promised the moon.
She listened, straight-backed and graceful.
Even smiled – sometimes.
But Lilliana knew, absolutely, that women without feet were never asked to join the ballet.
Up From the Ashes 
Those kinds of experiences are always seemingly impossible to bear. I hope she learns to deal with her broken dream. Unfortunately it happens quite often too.
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I’ve been listening to too much news lately, hearing about the landmines left by soldiers in order to blow up returning civilians.
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The land mines and bombs from WWI not only are still there, but will remain active, capable of exploding and killing people, for another eight centuries.
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Oh such an ache in this. On the second read, I got to savor all your judicious word choices. Beautifully done.
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Thanks, K, I didn’t mean to go “dark.” I appreciate your noticing my word choices. As you know, sometimes it takes a few rewrites to come close to what you mean to say. I always appreciate your input.
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that’s tragic if she’s really lost her feet, but clever if that’s a metaphor. Perhaps she’s just learning where her threads can lead
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The title says it all. Thanks, Neil.
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I didn’t know whether to interpret that metaphorically too,. Once you release a story, you lose control of what it does and how readers reconstruct it
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I know! I like how you reconstructed it, I just couldn’t let myself claim to be that clever. 😉
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Such a painful life, well told. That last line is absolutely heart breaking. Well done Lish
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Thank you. I had a hard time with this prompt. Started to write, left to teach my aerobics class, came home, stared at it some more, then thought, “What the heck!” That’s what it’s all about, right?
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You can’t always feel connected strongly to every story – I don’t anyway! The fact that you can write something so good when feeling that way means you’re a pretty cracking writer, Lish
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You are very kind. Thank you.
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Sad story.
Unfortunate reality for many…
May Lord bless us all.
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There are so many people in danger from landmines. A very sad state of affairs.
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I missed the title on first reading, a shocking ending.
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Sorry! I didn’t mean to shock. The ending just sort of happened. My muse went a little rogue today.
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Very effective.
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Dear Lish,
You went straight for the jugular with this one, but did it so well.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle, Thanks very much. This is what happens when I stare too long at dead plants. 😉
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I think Liliana is a very strong woman. She has a broken dream and a broken heart right now and is even bearing the natural and artificial pity patiently but I am definite she will soon dream a new dream, one that she can realise in this life, despite the odds.
Wonderfully written story. I really liked the way you constructed the second and third sentence with’ used to be…’
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Thanks for your thoughtful comment, Moon. I’m so pleased you liked the repetition in those sentences. Regret seems to have a way of doing that – repeating things in your mind.
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I actually read the last line as a metaphor for lacking the thing which would make your dream reality, but great either way!
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Thanks, Ali. As I told Neil, I would love to claim I meant it to be that way, but evidently, I’m not that clever. Thanks for seeing that side of it.
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Beautifully written, even the sad ending. Life does happen.
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It sure does! Thanks for reading and commenting.
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Oh my, that really did turn dark in the end! Lovely bit of writing.
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Thanks, Joy!
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OMG. That is a dark but fabulous take.
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Glad you liked it YS. Thank you.
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Beautifully sad tale. My hope for her is this: She will get out of her funk and find a purpose. She sounds like she had too much gumption to just waste away…
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Thanks, Dale. I think having that strong, straight back might help. Cheers! And stay warm.
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I think so too… It’s warm-ish, sorta… yeah. No.
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all’s not lost. those who can’t dance came becoming critics.
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er, i mean, can become critics.
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Ha! your response made me laugh. Sometimes those typing fingers get one step ahead of us. Thanks for reading and commenting.
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“She listened, straight-backed and graceful.” This is the key sentence. She’s straight-backed and graceful through years and years of tough disciplined training to realise her dream as a ballerina. All of that has been stolen from her.
That’s really good, clever writing, Alicia.
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You have such an eagle eye for catching the small nuances. Thanks, Penny. I hope I learn to do the same someday.
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Awwe, that’s so sad.
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I would think so. Thanks.
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I have faith that she will achieve greatness another way.
Beautifully touching story, Alicia.
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Thanks so very much, Dawn.
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Gosh this is well told. Such terrible terrible things land mines
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Thank you, Laurie. Many times I think I should stop listening to NPR so much, but it’s kind of the backdrop to my life so I end up with dark stories. Glad you stopped by.
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That last line is so effective and so heart-breaking. You get a real feel for her tenacity ‘straight-backed and graceful’, and I hope that she is strong enough to find a new love in life. Beautifully written.
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One can hope. Thanks very much for stopping by!
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After reading the last line i realized that it was all in the title… so many dreams crushed… the scars of the wars stretch over generations.
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It’s a never-ending cycle, isn’t it, Bjorn? Thanks for reading.
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Now, what to do with those 300 pairs of shoes in the closet?
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I know, right? Happy Sunday, Russell
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A hard punching truth.
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Thanks for reading and commenting. Alicia
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Beauttifully done, such a quirky last line and yet it pulls you right in.
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I love that word ~ quirky! Thanks so much for reading!
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Love the images of tangled yarn. This is so sad, and you lead us so well to that crushing end.
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Thank you, Sarah Ann.
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Such a powerful last line that gives meaning to the whole piece. It’s so true that sometimes there are real problems that can’t just be ignored or untangled. Not sure if it was literal (no feet) or figurative, but regardless a powerful point well painted.
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