A Loaded Question [Ana's Scavenger Hunt Challenge]

by [pens&feathers]

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The sound and the fury of the thunderstorm boiled on the edge of the horizon line, a lonely storm out to sea. Tyler and I sat on the edge of the Fairhaven hurricane barrier to watch, like we always did in those days.

Seven years ago we’d met on the playground, and here we were, nearly nineteen, telling ourselves that we’d be friends until we were eighty-nine, but knowing at the same time that it would probably never happen that way.

The waves crashed against the rocks, and if you listened closely, you could hear them cry.

He looked at me, water streaming through his hair, “Mary, what do you want?”

It was a loaded question, and language is an art.

I want to feel the earth stop, I thought to myself.

I looked out across the boiling ocean.

“I don’t know,” I said as the beam from the lighthouse swept over us with its startling luminescensce that reminded me, for some reason, of the field of poppies behind his house and the way the sun lit on each flower, like every one was special.

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Comments

Average Reader Rating: 5.0 stars out of 5

  1. A Loaded Question [Ana's Scavenger Hunt Challenge]

    Ana Cristina's Buddy Icon Ana Cristina

    Posted 3 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Hauntingly beautiful, like so many of your pieces, pens, and what’s amazing is that this is a response to my silly challenge. I could spot just a few of the clues (i.e., The Sound and the Fury), but the rest are very well disguised.

  2. A Loaded Question [Ana's Scavenger Hunt Challenge]

    [pens&feathers]'s Buddy Icon [pens&feathers]

    Posted 3 months ago

    Thank you, Ana! And yes, The Sound and the Fury is definately my favorite novel.

  3. A Loaded Question [Ana's Scavenger Hunt Challenge]

    John Perkins' Buddy Icon John Perkins

    Posted 3 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    If your song is Existential Blues, then you just jumped up 200 notches in my book.
    This is one of the best entries I’ve read. I now feel ashamed for posting that tripe of an entry.
    This is probably the coolest line I’ve read in a very long time: “The waves crashed against the rocks, and if you listened closely, you could hear them cry.” It’s just an amazing image.

  4. A Loaded Question [Ana's Scavenger Hunt Challenge]

    PyroPunk 51 (PPP LoA)'s Buddy Icon PyroPunk 51 (PPP LoA)

    Posted 3 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    The clues are very well hidden.

  5. A Loaded Question [Ana's Scavenger Hunt Challenge]

    Jenunique's Buddy Icon Jenunique

    Posted 3 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Very very beautiful ficlet! Excellently hidden clues..

    I am guessing: Born in ‘87, favorite number is 7, city of birth is Fairhaven, best friend is Tyler, favorite subject is language, sitcom is Friends?

  6. A Loaded Question [Ana's Scavenger Hunt Challenge]

    [pens&feathers]'s Buddy Icon [pens&feathers]

    Posted 3 months ago

    @ John – Alas, Existential Blues is not my song. Thank you for the compliment!
    @ Jen – Everything you guessed is right except my birth year.

  7. A Loaded Question [Ana's Scavenger Hunt Challenge]

    John Perkins' Buddy Icon John Perkins

    Posted 3 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    @Pens, Oh well. It’s an amazing song though. I prefer Mr. Bungle’s version to “T Bone” Stankus’s though. Was I at least correct that “field of poppies” related to your song choice?
    Also, I think Jen meant to type 1989 as your birth year, but got confuzzled when thinking about 7 as your fav. number.

  8. A Loaded Question [Ana's Scavenger Hunt Challenge]

    [pens&feathers]'s Buddy Icon [pens&feathers]

    Posted 3 months ago

    Actually, Poppy was my pet’s name.

  9. A Loaded Question [Ana's Scavenger Hunt Challenge]

    thebetweenspace's Buddy Icon thebetweenspace

    Posted 3 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    This was written so well that I forgot I was supposed to be looking for clues.

  10. A Loaded Question [Ana's Scavenger Hunt Challenge]

    Mistress Elsha Hawk's Buddy Icon Mistress Elsha Hawk

    Posted 3 months ago

    I agree with tbs, I forgot and had to go back and look too! Excellent job! You put me to shame, I was too obvious! :)

  11. A Loaded Question [Ana's Scavenger Hunt Challenge]

    Jenunique's Buddy Icon Jenunique

    Posted 3 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    I’m not sure where the ‘87 came from, because when I re-read the ficlet.. I actually “saw” it as eighty- nine… weird. My brain is on override today. :/

  12. A Loaded Question [Ana's Scavenger Hunt Challenge]

    Stovohobo's Buddy Icon Stovohobo

    Posted 3 months ago

    Wow. If I didn’t know better, this could stand alone perfectly and no one would ever know it was part of the challenge. I, for one, am too afraid to enter, just because I really don’t think I can hide them that well in 1024 characters.

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