It’s difficult now to remember the time before. Before war, before I knew the evil that humans can inflict–when my worries consisted merely of studying and passing exams. I was determined to prove that I was as brilliant as any man, smarter, in fact. But that day, the dandelion sun glowed, white seed clouds drifted in the azure sky, and reflections floated languidly on the river. Laura begged me to join the rest of the group for a picnic, and I’d agreed, even as she threatened me with the admonition, “and bring no book, for this one day, we’ll give to idleness.” How young and carefree we were, lolling on the grass like the figures in an Impressionist painting, but all clothed. Or mostly.
Laura, Keith, John—all of them gone, victims of war. And I’m left, still searching for answers.
And revenge.
A flash fiction piece for dVerse, Monday where Ingrid asks us to use the lines:
“And bring no book, for this one day
We’ll give to idleness”
— William Wordsworth, “Lines Written at a Small Distance from my House”
My spy series doesn’t seem to follow any order, but we’ll just say this is a part of it.
I couldn’t resist adding these photos from Grounds for Sculpture that recreate Edouard Manet’s “Le Dejeuner sur l’herbe” (1863).
Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings 
I love the little details that twist and turn this flash fiction in so many different directions: ‘the dandelion sun’, the nostalgia and regret, the ‘mostly’ clothed picnickers, and of course, the desire for revenge!
Thank you very much for your close reading, Ingrid!
Loved it, Merril, especially the ending!
Thank you so much!
Yes, I saw the little tinges and hues also, the cheeky/sexy ^mostly’….the beautiful description, and behind, tragedy…and revenge…..
Thank you so much, Ain, for your comment. Much appreciated. “Cheeky” always makes me laugh.
So many good parts. I’d love to read this in a short story. Good one !!!!
Thank you very much!
Excellent! And why not have her remember from before…
Love this!
Thank you! Why not indeed? 😀
😀
And REVENGE! Man, oh man, I want to read about the revenge already! You’re killing me here, Merril 😀
David!
That means coming up with an ending and actually thinking about the story!🤣🤣
well, couldn’t you give her just a tiny bit of revenge? 😀
Hmmm. . .well, I’ll have to wait for the next prosery prompt and see what happens! 😀
🗡️
A duel?
or a shiv in the back…
Oh! I thought maybe you were challenging me, and I’ve really let my fencing skills go. 🤣
She has a lot invested in her need for revenge. When such memories get tainted by the loss of betrayal it’s understandable.
Yes, you’re so right, Lisa. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Merril.
Nice meld of happy and sad carefree and cluttered. There should be a serial to this since you ended on a note of revenge. Where will that chapter take us
Happy you dropped by to read mine
Much love…
Thank you, Gillena. Yes, it’s part of my prosery series. 😀
I’m always so happy to see a new entry in the spy series. This had such a lovely, lanquid feel to it–until revenge! Just as an aside, my brother had a poster of “Le Dejeuner sur l’herbe” on his bedroom wall when we were in high school.
Thank you so much, Liz. 😀
I’m not sure what to make of that about your brother’s poster!
You’re welcome, Merril. I don’t remember the impetus for it, but he did take great delight in it!
I’m sure he did!🤣
😀
While others are focusing on your imPeccable Prosery, I’m fixated on the Manet painting, which has always fascinated me. It reminds me of some “scenes” I beheld in a memoir I read recently, Fifty Dates After Fifty, a glimpse into the erotic.
Interesting, Marian.
It fascinates me in a creepy way. But I do love walking around Grounds for Sculpture.
Make that “Fifty First Dates after Fifty”!
😀
That sculpture is quite creepy, but it fits your story. (K)
Thank you. 😀
The painting itself is kind of creepy, don’t you think? I love walking around Grounds for Sculpture.
Yes, I do agree. I was just discussing with a friend how I love to draw sculpture. There’s something about it…
Interesting. I don’t draw, but I can see how that would be satisfying–depending on the sculpture.
Enjoyed your beautiful prose, such as the description of t’he dandelion sun” 🌻☀️🌻 And your photographs are great, definitely added to the atmosphere of idleness in this! 👏👏
Thank you so much, Tricia. I appreciate your kind words very much!
Grounds for Sculpture is such a fun place to visit.
💓
Powerful piece of fiction! The one scenario in which the desire for revenge is truly justified. Love your style of writing! Nice twist. 💖
Thank you so much. Praise indeed! 💙
I love your flash back story. Loss of friends is very difficult! Interesting in the painting that only the woman is naked! :>)
Thank you so much, Dwight!
Yes, there’s lots of discussion about that Manet! At Grounds for Sculpture, this recreation is set back from the path, but I like that includes all the little details, too.
You are welcome!
The ending! I read innocently until I approached the end,which had me thinking on the lines of a quick paced crime thriller… 🔪🔪🔫 you could have given her a teeny, tiny bit of revenge… 😉
Thank you so much for your kind words. We’ll see what happens in the future. 😀
Indeed… 🔪🔪
🤣
This one works because the person speaking the line isn’t an anglophone. You start off with an advantage there 🙂
How do you know she isn’t? 😀
I’m re-watching Downton Abbey, and I sort of imagine someone like Rose (Lily James) saying the line because it doesn’t sound American (or present day).
Good point 🙂 Though I don’t know of any active members of the resistance movements who were native English speakers. There might have been some minor ones I suppose.
I picture her as English or American with a French parent, so she’s bilingual. This before scene is somewhere English-speaking because of the names.
Not sure how many US or UK nationals hung around in occupied Europe. They’d have been interned I think.
When you come to write all this up as a novel you’ll have to research that part 🙂
No–of course, they wouldn’t be walking around occupied Europe. She’s a spy. English/American passing as French with all the proper documentation, clothing, etc. No American dental work either. 😀
And yeah–way too much research.
Sounds feasible, in a Dan Brown sort of way 🙂 Would make a good story!
😀
Well done, Merril. I love the Wordsworth, too!
Thank you so much, Jill!
So enjoyed this Merril, I have come back to it a few times.
Wow–thank you so much, Paul!
A marvellously written episode
Thanks so much, Derrick.
“the dandelion sun glowed, white seed clouds drifted in the azure sky, and reflections floated languidly on the river” This image of the dandelion sun…and then following on the metaphor of a dandelion, with its seeds that blow and float in the air when it is spent and dried. Brilliant.
The twist at the end is heartbreaking….aching…and then the hard slap in the face with the desire for revenge.
Excellent jump from the quotation!
Thank you so much, Lillian. I truly appreciate your kind words, and I’m so pleased you enjoyed my story!
I think this is brilliant… and already when reading it I thought of Manet’s painting… and I can really see how this placed out in the years before the great war… (and revenge certainly followed)
Thank you so much, Björn!
Well done. Love your use of description.
Thank you so much!
Welcome
Well done, you word-woman! Really, you pack a lot into such a short piece, poetry and story, ending perfectly with a punch.
Thank you so much, Marie! That’s lovely. 😊
As always, I’m sinking into your words, your prosery, and the evocative scene of it all. At the start, I thought “Yes, I was like that too!” – those times in college when the biggest worry was papers and studying and date nights. Never had picnics in the nude, though. But as your story unfolded, I felt the sadness of the loss of innocence, and the pain of loss of life, and the destruction of what we humans do, making war.
Thank you so much, Pam. I’m pleased this resonated with you as a story on its own. (I may have to find out what you did do in college. 😏).
Ha, no fun picnics, but lots of dancing and hiking in the western PA woods. 🙂
😀
So perfect Merril. You leave us with wanting more.
Thank you so much, Linda!
great story and the pics compliment it well … most realistic!
Thank you so much!
Reblogged this on The Wombwell Rainbow.
Youth cut short, and twisted… What a creative (though painful) twist on the theme!
Thank you so much!
Adore your ongoing prosery tale!
What a fab idea. Recreate famous paintings, with modern abilities. Quite cool.
Thank you so much, Resa!
Oh, you mean Grounds for Sculpture. It’s such a fun place to walk around!
Beautiful
Thank you.