If it is Sunday then it is time for Alastair’s Photo Prompt. We are allotted between 100-200 words to make the picture have some meaning. This is so much fun to do and if you have not tried it you just don;t know what you are missing. I love the opportunity to use photos as a jump off and hope you enjoy!
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Hugh stood stock still as his eyes found the form in front of him. For 632 long days and nights the mere thought of such an abomination approaching the shores of his beloved country sent shivers through his spine. Relentless training honed his skills to the stuff of legends. Without fail he answered the call every time the alert sounded, piloting his Spitfire into the sky through sunshine, clouds, wind, rain, sleet or snow to oppose these demonic birds of death.
Now one rested perpetually on his soil as a monument. Decades had passed since those dark days, but his feelings remained strong. His old friend silently slid in by his side and commented about the new attraction.
“I know what this means to you.”
“It was a different time and very different meaning, my friend.”
“Ja, but I know.”
“We are friends now Heinrich. Time makes all the difference.
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I invite each of you to visit my entries to the Summer 2013 Blog Shorts:Dog Days of Summer challenge hosted by Blogdramedy. We write for 10 days about 10 famous dogs with 110 words or less that tells part of their non-public story. You can find those here.
Lovely ending. Lovely story.
Lovely story Joe. I loved the ending.
I was just reading in my daily of a reformed ‘Skin-head’ (quoth the paper do I) and a gentleman from a Mosque that was tarketed for a hate crime where his father got killed – have teamed up to teach that ‘hate’ is not the answer.
I like this, promoting peace. Hard to do even today when there are so many who lack respect.
Thanks for your visits.
Oh, what’s in the envelope… you’d have to stay tuned 🙂
The after of these two meeting says a lot. If only the world could see this before going to war.
Awesome. There are many tales of old aerial combatants from ww2 finally meeting each other and becoming good friends. Such stories always bring a tear to my eye. You story did no less. Well done!
Thanks. I think the amazing contrast of these warriors meeting after at some point wishing no less than the other’s death is just so amazing. The photo seemed to evoke that treatment.
I’ve studied military history since my early teens. What amazes me most are the stories of warriors when…they do NOT fight. The humanity of such tales is deeply moving to me. These men at one time tried their damnedest to kill one another. How they become close friends afterward, sharing in an experience few can understand, is very powerful to me. If the photo brought this out of you, that’s wonderful. Thanks much for sharing your thoughts.
It’s amazing what a difference time can make. One day an enemy; the next, an ally.
Are wars ever forgotten? Interesting question.
They shouldn’t be. I sometimes feel that the real meaning of remembrance day is forgotten. Yes, the soldiers who died for our freedom are heroes, but the point is that there should never, ever be another situation where such a colossal, disgusting number of lives are wasted because of political greed.
This was really good! I enjoyed your last line especially.