Across the lawn from us the Radcliffes sat draped on their chairs and loungers, wilting like neglected flowers in the heat.
Now and then I’d look up and catch Emily watching me, her white dress gleaming, her skin the colour of toffee, and sometimes I would wave to her. Sometimes, if her father wasn’t looking, she would wave back.
In those days the sun seemed angrier than it does now, and the shadows that it printed on the porch were sharp and unforgiving. It was as though it knew what we were planning, Emily and I, and it disapproved.
This is a 100-word flash fiction story, prompted by the picture you can see up there, as part of Friday Fictioneers (yes, I know it’s late).
Click here if you’d like to take part, and click here to read other pieces.
Simon John Cox 
Love the use of the shadows on the porch. Now I want to know what they did.
Thanks Margo!
One of the strengths of flash fiction, I think, is that the author rarely has the space to explain everything, so some of the ending is necessarily left to the reader's imagination…
Dear Simon John,
First let me welcome you to Friday Fictioneers. I see that you're no stranger to a one hundred word challenge. ;)
I sense forbidden love between the MC and Emily. I'm guessing they're planning to elope. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
I hope your young lovers got away from that angry sun. I'm guessing that it wasn't just the sun that was going to be harsh and unforgiving, yet you hint that in later years, the anger diminished. Subtle writing, if so. I've just downloaded a sample of Restoration Man/Pelissier Scroll. We live in Rochester, btw. :)
Thanks for having me, Rochelle!
Eloping is one interpretation, sure, and that's pretty much how I wrote it…but I enjoy it when it's not entirely unambiguous. Maybe they were going to kill her father…
Hi Ann – I'm going to say that if you thought it was subtle writing, then it was 100% intentional ;)
I'm guessing you mean Rochester Kent rather than Rochester New York…in which case hello, neighbour.