Crosses to bear. Some are heavier and more visible than others. Some of the heaviest are invisible except for the tracks they leave behind. We all carry something.
This 100 word story for Friday Fictioneers was inspired by the photo prompt below from Ted Strutz. It was written from the edge and is a plea for you to shade your eyes and peer into the darkness beyond the circle of light in which you stand. The people out there that need a hand don’t always know how to ask for help. You may even find yourself out there sometime. Do what you can. It matters and it helps. Aloha, D.
Carnival in town.
Ruth stood in impenetrable shadows watching happy people silhouetted against the glare of tent lights. She used to be happy there, too.
Darkness embraced her as she washed down a handful of pills with warm beer.
Take these, the doctors said. Better? Try this instead.
Haphazard prescriptions held no keys for the locked doorway to her troubled mind.
Let them hone their skills on someone else. Tonight she was going to show them what dosage the cure required.
A song from a brighter past wafted across the midway. She smiled ruefully. Downed a few more pills….
Post Script: I want to share something that Valerie Davies shared with me in the comments section. I’d never heard of Don Ritchie before I wrote my story but I can’t thank Valerie enough for telling me of him and the way he helped those in need. (Valerie’s story is pretty amazing, too. Check out her ‘about’ page to read about a life well lived.)
ironwoodwind 