Mandy Eve-Barnett's Blog for Readers & Writers

Today’s writing prompt is a view of a pathway. What story or poem does it inspire in you?

I wrote this response for it. I hope you enjoy it.

“What’s down there, Mummy?”

“I don’t know, sweetheart. Shall we go and look?”

“Yeh, an adventure – follow me into the jungle. I’ll protect you.”

 The irregular shaped stepping stones draw us into the unknown depths of his imagination. With a stick for a sword, he leads the way. He is a Commander and fearless leader of an army, searching out the enemy.

It feels pleasant to be under the shade of the tree’s canopy, out of the hot sun. As I watch Sebastian dart back and forth taking cover behind tree trucks, my heart warms. He is the miracle I never thought would be mine. So many years of trying to get pregnant and then the indignity of numerous medical tests had made life so difficult. Gerald tried so hard to comfort me, and accompanied me to all my appointments and endured tests of his own. It was only when I caught him unawares on that fateful evening, that I knew I would have to stop pressuring him to carry on. The total despair in his voice; as he had spoken to his mother; had chilled me to the bone. He was blaming himself and truly believing I would leave him or worse. I had crept away unnoticed and walked for hours along this very path, deciding our future. My decision made, I  surprised Gerald with a candle lit dinner the very next evening and announced.

“I cannot struggle any more, Gerald, let’s enjoy life again. Put all this behind us.”

“Are you sure, Claudia? You have so wanted a child.”

“Yes, I’m very sure. It’s obviously not meant to be.”

I had to ‘eat my words’ three months later, when my stomach upset was identified as ‘morning sickness.’ Our specialist was not surprised. He told us it was quite common for women to conceive once the stress was absent.

“Mummy, come on. Keep up.”

“I’m coming, Commander. Have you found the enemy yet?”

Please leave your response in the comments.