The Outskirts…

freeze-frame…

noun

a single frame forming a motionless image from a film or videotape.

verb

use a freeze-frame facility on (an image or a recording).

What image would spring to mind if I said the word ‘outskirts’ to you? To most and what came to me at first was a scene of a town or outer part of a city.  What I love about language however is how it is open to interpretation and can easily be manipulated and moulded to suit a creative purpose.

For my latest piece I have taken the prompt ‘outskirts’ and used it to tell a tale of a father lost in a childhood memory that soon fades to his periphery (the outskirts) following interruption.

freeze-frame 

I can still taste the saltiness on the ocean breeze, snapping a polaroid unbeknownst to the boy licking ice cream from his cone on the promenade.

Oh how I love walking barefoot.  Sandcastles; sediment squelching through fingertips and toes.  The water inviting, it embraces, cooling cheeks from suns warm kiss.

Content I watched days dulcet haze creep towards dusk as shells were pocketed meandering home.

“Dad?”

Interrupted in thought, a whispered smile brushed his lips; capturing the still frame in sepia memory.  It was that very moment the shutter called time; the image flickered and faded, fizzling to the outskirts.

If you want to try your hand at this month’s 100 word competition head over to the below link creating your own masterpiece using ‘outskirts’ for inspiration:

https://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/100-word-free-monthly-competition/

Happy clicking!!