#FiveSentenceFiction ~ Distance

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Every day during the summer holidays, ten-year old Luke would sit on the beach staring longingly out at the island.

It seemed to shimmer in the hazy distance, a rocky outcrop inhabited only by a colony of sea birds who would dip and dive through the spray into the crystal clear waters.

He didn’t know how to swim so could only watch them, remaining tethered to the shore and wishing he could feel the coolness of the sea water against his sun burnt skin.

It was their freedom that he envied most of all, and when his parents asked “Are you looking forward to the new term, Luke?” he could only nod glumly at the thought of school.

A knot formed in his stomach, but he vowed then that he would learn how to swim, return to the beach and visit his island one day.

© 2012 Louise Hastings

Written for the 5 sentence fiction prompt ~ Distance @ Lillie  McFerrin’s site

Composure ~ #FiveSentenceFiction

After a shocked silence, he’d smirked from behind his red, burning cheek and threatened, ” You’ll regret this, miss.”

“Obnoxious thug,” I thought, watching his scruffy hulk lope from the classroom.

After 20 years of teaching, I fervently hoped I had enough standing with the school to survive this.

Biting my lip, right where he kissed me, I took a moment to compose myself and fling the moment from my mind like the poison that it was.

© 2012 Louise Hastings