Copyright – Jan Wayne Fields
I escaped in a boat steered by faith, until the hostile shore faded into a memory.
I breathed in the ocean’s salty exhalations as if it were the last air on earth.
I longed for the simplicity of the sea…
Actually, I longed for home.
The city spoke in a language that was alien to me.
There, they twisted the world to fit the shapes of their fantasies.
I thought it would be different–brighter, better…
The sky purpled to the color of suffocation.
Distant city lights blinked obscenely like fireflies’ sex calls…
Sick of it, I dove towards liberty.
© 2013 K.Z. Morano
PS: OFF THE KUF is an anthology of stories of different genres. it’s non profit, but if you’re looking for exposure, of maybe just for fun, or if you want more readers to read your work or if you wanna direct more people to your blog… whatever, they take previously published drabbles! i submitted one of my old FF stories to them and it’s gonna be featured in the anthology 🙂 they also take longer stories. i know, i know, never write for free.. but come on, they’re just lying around on my blog anyway! if you wanna join http://www.davidwailing.com/2013/06/off-the-kuf/ god, i knew i forgot something >< but there’s still plenty of time.
deadline: September 30
The Eclectic Eccentric 
“Fireflies’ sex calls”. Funky! Enjoyed the language in this piece KZ – painted a very clear picture.
haha well that’s what they are anyway..mating calls. pretty though 🙂 lol
ps have you read the news at the end of my story? it’s an invitation for an anthology that takes 100word stories. even previously published. 🙂 they took mine. non profit but if you want, for exposure, maybe? or for fun?
Sounds interesting. I’ll check it out this evening. Thanks!
I had a vision of a mermaid there – it’s wonderful how you create a story from your gorgeous ‘maitrise’ – French for mastery, but more, of the English language: a whole mood created in a few words.
one of those stories that’s left open for readers’ own interpretation and i’m delighted to know that you saw a mermaid! 🙂 thank you
ps. the ending used to be “Donning my sealskin, I dove towards liberty.” but i hope i did the right thing in leaving it ambiguous. the whole thing seemed to have a different meaning when i read it twice then thrice… but i hope i didn’t make the mistake of of turning it into a nonsense piece, lol
It’s hard to say which is best there, the sealskin is an interesting concept. It is very, very hard for you to beat your diary entry piece.That was just so stunning. Nothing can be nonsense after that. And if it is it is deliberate.
on the second reading, i felt that it was a smalltown girl who got fed up with the city and decided to commit suicide. then on the third, it was an immigrant who decided life there isn’t half as good as life at home and on the fourth, it was just a girl simply wanting to take a break. 🙂 haha though i like the selkie concept the best ^^
The sky purpled to the color of suffocation… that’s beyond vivid… excellent.
And seeing this as an escape is so well done to the picture
thanks Björn.:)
ps have you read the news at the end of my story? it’s an invitation for an anthology that took one of my old FF stories. non profit but if you want, for exposure, maybe? or for fun? just in case you’re interested. i mean, i know it’s not great to write for free. but for me, since it’s an old story from my blog, i’m like, hey why not… 🙂
Indeed… have to think about which one…
yup there’s still time ’til September 30. i believe Helena has stories in this anthology too 🙂
I liked the form you used and the message… nice to see you again,kz.
thanks ted! 🙂 the ending used to be ‘Donning my sealskin, I dove towards liberty. ‘ but then i read the whole thing again and it changed its meaning, then again, then it changed it’s meaning. lol so i thought it’d be better to leave it vague. hope i did the right thing.
Some really good lines here. Your writing is so poetic. Always a treat to read. Ron
thank you, ron 🙂
posted it a little too late but i have an announcement/invitation at the end of my story, in case you’re interested 🙂
Brilliantly imagined and seriously intense. Your writing always hits hard. I like it!
thanks EA! check out the news at the end of my story? it’s an anthology by KUF that takes 100word stories. even previously published. 🙂 they took mine. non profit but if you want, for exposure, maybe? or for fun? i dont wanna be presumptuous, i mean, there are people who dont like writing for free. but well, in case you’re interested…
Most cool! I will look into that. It could be fun. Thanks for the tip!
I love the line “I thought it would be different–brighter, better…”. Pretty much sums up my thoughts about every big city I come across.
The sky purpled to the color of suffocation – what a great line!
you have an awesome imagination. i look forward to reading your first full-blown fantasy novel. by the way, who is your favorite author?
hi. thanks so much. so happy to hear that, at least now i know someone’s gonna buy a copy of my first book (which will probably still take a few years) aside from my aunt. lol ^^ i grew up reading plenty of sidney sheldon and jude deveraux–romance novels, really. 🙂 but for fantasy, i don’t think anyone can beat ursula k. le guin 🙂
What a great poem. “color of suffocation!” Wonderful. And I liked that she was sailing away and that it wasn’t so great after all. Such a fresh twist! I loved it KZ!
Great, KZ. You’re really going for it. Keep going!!!
I have been working on another blog, but I’ll be back to FF. Here’s the address. Short stuff.
kentbonham.wordpress.com
“…fireflies’ sex calls…” huh? good stuff.
Scott
Very dramatic imagery – and I personally was amazed by “the sky purpled to the color of suffocation”. Great writing as usual.
Dear Kz,
I get the feeling this was written from first hand experience of sorts. Well written and evocative.
Aloha,
Doug
Dear KZ,
I loved purple suffocation and her swimming to freedom. Good one.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Once again, top-shelf writing. Beautiful language.
It was different from the usual and well done, kz
I found this to be very poetic; sex calls and all.
A fantastic story full of the senses – loved the smell of the sea and ‘The sky purpled to the color of suffocation.’ Great descriptions and imagery.