The next photo is the PROMPT. Remember, all photos are property of the photographer, donated for use in Friday Fictioneers only. They shouldn’t be used for any other purpose without express permission. It is proper etiquette to give the contributor credit.
PHOTO PROMPT © Sandra Crook
Genre: Current Fiction
Word Count: 100
BY THE DAWN’S EARLY LIGHT
Standing on the ship’s deck, Marissa enjoyed the warm sea breeze and glittering city lights as they approached the famous bridge.
Her boyfriend’s breath heated her neck. “Marissa, may I ask you a question?”
“David, can’t it wait?”
“No.”
She turned to see he’d dropped down on one knee, holding an open velvet box. The diamond sparkled. Her heart thumped.
Two years later, cradling her infant son, her heart thumped as the image of that same bridge collapsing into the Patapsco River crossed her television screen. Her stomach sank with it. “David, come see this!”
“Marissa, can’t it wait?”
“No.”
And for the good news! My book LAST DANCE WITH ANNIE is available for ebook preorder on the following sights: HERE, HERE and HERE! Release Date is June 4!
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple 
The video clip was quite shocking to watch. You wove a heart-warming and heart-breaking story out of it.
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Dear Joy,
It was quite a shocker to watch. And the news media played it over and over again for at least three days. It was a miracle more lives weren’t lost. Thank you for your kind words.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A very sad event.
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Dear Sadje,
Very sad, but miraculously, more lives weren’t lost. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Take care
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Your story has a geometry as perfect as that of the undemolished bridge
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Dear Neil,
Your comment makes me smile. Thank you very much.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Well expressed. True story.
Sad to see anything collapsing…
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Dear Anita,
This week the truth is more impacting than fiction. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A true tragedy and like many, we may never know the full story.
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Dear James,
A terrible tragedy indeed. Thank you for reading and commenting.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Such a tragedy and could have been so much worse in terms of loss of life. I’m sure the city will take a long time to recover. I like how you made this a story about somebody else, but took us right there to Baltimore as you did so.
I’m hoping Annie will be available in paper form eventually too, but if not I may just have to get a Kindle!
Jen
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Dear Jen,
Any life lost is a tragedy. However, had it happened a few hours later, it would’ve been a holocaust. And you know it’s going to take years for a full recovery.
As for Annie, it will be out in a hard copy. However only the ebook can be preordered. Not everyone has a Kindle or wants one. 😉
Thank you
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I watched that video several times, each time urging the cars to hurry across. Awful accident. Lizy
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Dear Lizy,
We can be thankful it happened at 1:30 in the morning and not a few hours later during heavy traffic. Still a tragedy.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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This was such a horrible accident. Who knew bridges were so fragile. It’s surprising these things don’t happen more often–or do they and we don’t know it because the structures hold?
Anyway, a lovely story despite the sadness, and congrats on your book.
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Dear Gabi,
It was a tragic accident, but certainly could have been much worse had it been later in the day.
Thank you re my story and my book. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A situation and story, that is almost to sad to use the like button
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Too bad WP doesn’t have a sad button like FB. 😦
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A shocking event and one that could have been so much worse if more people had still been on the bridge.
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Dear Iain,
If a ship had to hit the bridge, better at 0130 than 0800 during rush hour. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
See? I knew you had a new one in you… and a very relevant one, to boot. It’s still shocking that it didn’t take much to make that bridge collapse. Like Iain said, thank goodness it was not rush-hour because I can’t even try to picture that.
Well done, Madam!
Shalom and lotsa sturdy love,
Dale
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Dear Dale,
It’s for sure and certain if that ship had hit at rush hour the losses would’ve been astronomical. Thank you for your kind words. Yeah, sometimes I surprise myself. 😉
Shalom and lotsa steadfast hugs,
Rochelle
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No kidding!! Isn’t that fun when that happens?
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Gracefully done.
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Thank you, Kathy.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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You told that just right. Congrats again on the upcoming release of your book.
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Dear Lisa,
Thank you re my story and my book. ;D
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Rochelle, you are welcome. I have pre-ordered it through kobo. ❤
Shalom,
Lisa
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You brought home the horror of that terrible event. As a boater who often negotiated those type of bridges, that footage brought back some scary navigational memories. Never as scary as that though.
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Dear Sandra,
Thank you for such validating comments and for the lovely photo.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Their memories of that bridge will be impacted forever with the disaster that occurred there. Nice use of balancing events at the start and finish, and the blending of the personal with the wider context.
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Dear Margaret,
I appreciate your taking the time to read and comment. Thank you so much.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I love how you wove time into your story. What a tragic event. I had no clue there was such a bridge and am saddened by the impact it’s loss is having on people. You captured that well.
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P.S. The above comment is NOT anonymous, it was written by me ~ Lish.
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Dear Lish,
Thank you for identifying yourself. I didn’t know about the bridge and would have remained blissfully ignorant of it had this tragedy not happened. Thank you for kind words re my story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Ok, my jaw is still dropped. How tragic. I hope no one was on the bridge. Sort of reminded me watching the twin towers live. I had no idea what I was seeing. Great story, R.
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It happened at 1:30 a.m. police managed to stop cars from entering the bridge, but there were workers on the bridge and they all perished. Horrible tragedy.
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Thank goodness for that, Michele.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Yes, it could have been so much worse.
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Dear Tannille,
Fortunately this was an accident and not a terrorist attack. Thank you re my story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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as fate would have it, the accident didn’t happen during the daytime commute hours. thank goodness for that.
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Thank goodness indeed, Plaridel. Thank you for reading and commenting.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Querida Rochelle,
Shocking to see all of that metal coming down like legos.
I like the way you wove it through the couples life. Bien escritoire …❤️
Abrasos y Carino,
Izzy 😎
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Querida Izzy,
It is unsettling to see something as strong as a bridge tumble like tinker toys. It gives one pause, doesn’t it? Gracias mi amiga.
Shalom y abrasos,
Rochelle
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Yes, it does give one pause … after all, innocent people trying to make a living for a better life for their children are, now, dead. Sooo sad!!! Hugs the ones you love, time waits for no one. 🤗
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I like how you wove the bridge collapse in Baltimore into your story. They were lucky this didn’t happen at rush hour. A major freeway bridge collapsed here 17 years ago during the evening rush hour and over 100 cars fell into the river or onto the riverbank. Close to 100 people were injured and treated and 13 people died. It’s weird to think about the things we take for granted…
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That is terrible! I used to travel over 2 bridges back and forth during my daily commute and it was something I pondered, especially after 9/11. The alternative was a tunnel but that seemed much scarier.
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Dear Michael,
So true. We do take things for granted until they’re taken away. To quote Joni Mitchell, “Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you got til it’s gone…” Thank you for your kind comments re my story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Hopefully, that’s not a sign of troubles to come within their relationship.
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Dear Keith,
I think it might bring them closer together. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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An interesting take on the prompt and on the recent tragedy. Structures might fall. Memories, thoughts, and feelings remain.
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Dear Thomas,
Tragedies can bring us closer together. My son’s fiancé was in the World Trade Center on 911. She made it out. They were married soon afterward. Thank you re my story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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More truth than fiction. Well done.
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Thank you, Connie.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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What an awful event. I’m so glad there were few people on the bridge. Elegantly woven story, Rochelle. Congratulations on the release of your new book. Exciting!
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Dear Brenda,
It was a terrible event. I feel for the families of those six workers who were killed but can’t help but feel relief that more lives weren’t lost.
Thank you re my story and my book. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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What a great story, Rochelle, despite the tragic topic. Just so polished and well-written. One of the best structured and executed flash fiction stories I’ve read in a very long time.
Congrats on the book too! I’m so happy for you. 🙂
-David
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Dear David,
Thank you for such a magnificent comment. You’ve made me smile and smile some more. Thank you re my book, too.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Keep smiling 🙂 Did you get any eclipse viewing in over there?
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That bridge collapse was something to see. I used to live in Baltimore and still live close enough that I go every 6 weeks to get my haircut and visit friends. It is terrible and tragic and that shipping company should be held liable for ever leaving port. I like how you created a personal story in connection with the bridge.
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Dear Michele,
I imagine it’s very sobering to see such a tragedy so close to what used to be home. Thank you for your kind comments re my story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Pre-ordered, check.
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Yay! Thank you, Dawn! 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I saw that collapse on the news in Aus. A terrible thing to happen. Very shocking.
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Dear Laurie,
It was a terrible thing to happen. One of those things you can never see coming. Thank you for reading and commenting.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Nicely done with tragedy mirroring the joyous occasion. Wasn’t that the craziest thing? I remember seeing the breaking news alert. I read it in the afternoon and imagined rush hour. It’s tragic, but it could have been so much worse.
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Dear Nobbin,
It was crazy indeed. I can’t imagine how the captain of the ship must’ve felt when he realized there was no stopping the collision. If one can be thankful for anything it’s that it happened in the wee early morning hours. At any rate, thank you for your kind words re my story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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