Sinking ship

PHOTO PROMPT © Roger Bultot

The painting caught her eye on her first day of work at the museum. Art always spoke to some part of her, but this was different. The sinking ship was vivid and disturbingly familiar, although it was hundreds of years old.

That sense of familiarity stayed with her long after she left work at closing time. Following her into her dreams, where people beside her leapt off the sides of the sinking ship into icy waters. A little boy cried as she tried to soothe him in a language she shouldn’t have known, while icy fear turned her skin pale.

100 words

I’m not a believer in past lives or reincarnation. They make for interesting stories though, don’t they?

Written for Friday Fictioneers hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. The challenge is to write a story in 100 words or less.

Click the blue frog to read more flash fiction by other authors, or to submit you own.

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Responses

trentpmcd

Oct 28, 2018

Interesting. I did notice the paintings of the ships around the skylight, but the funny thing is that my first thought on seeing this photo was the skylight in the Titanic, at least as shown in the movie.

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Abhijit Ray

Oct 28, 2018

It is more of a nightmare. Sad!

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neilmacdon

Oct 28, 2018

Or she may just have an active and suggestible imagination. Nicely done, Fatima

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Dale

Oct 28, 2018

That would be a scary thought…

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jillyfunnell

Oct 28, 2018

You have a good eye for detail, Fatima, and the ideas so well set out in your story are fascinating.

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the dark netizen

Oct 28, 2018

Nicely done! 🙂
Reincarnation makes for a really interesting topic to write and read about!!

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Björn Rudberg (brudberg)

Oct 28, 2018

I can also imagine this… some of those paintings are very very vivid…

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Iain Kelly

Oct 28, 2018

Good take Fatima. I feel the same, don’t believe in reincarnation but it does make for intriguing drama.

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pennygadd51

Oct 28, 2018

Oh wow! That is a terrific story. And what a final sentence “A little boy cried as she tried to soothe him in a language she shouldn’t have known, while icy fear turned her skin pale.” It makes my hair stand on end every time I read it!
Kudos, Fatima!

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Susan A Eames

Oct 28, 2018

I wonder if she believed that she was reliving a past life? Well written tale, Fatima.

Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos

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granonine

Oct 28, 2018

Fear, sinking ship, little boy, unknown language—perfect! This is really good 🙂

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rochellewisoff

Oct 29, 2018

Dear Fatima,

Reincarnation does make for interesting stories. Nicely done.

Shalom,

Rochelle

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michael1148humphris

Oct 31, 2018

Not reincarnation but just maybe she experiencing someone else’s life..

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