This week’s photo prompt for Friday Fictioneers comes courtesy of © Douglas M MacIlroy
Friday Fictioneers prompt for October 17, 2014 ©Douglas M MacIlroy
Time and Motion
Ecterine watched Roberto come up the path. He greeted her kindly and lifted her latest tile denoting the sun setting among the islands.
She was glad of his help but it pained Ecterine that she could no longer climb to the sacred wall to place it herself, as the women of her tribe had always done.
“Will you ask again in the village, Roberto?” said Ecterine anxiously. “I must have an apprentice.”
“The young do not understand,” he sighed.
It amused Roberto that his batty old neighbour thought she alone made the sun rise and set. Still, the tourists loved her quirky artwork, so it paid to play along.
©Siobhán McNamara
To read other contributions, click here
To find out how to get involved in this group challenge to write a 100-word story from a weekly photo prompt, click here
siobhanmcnamara 
I feel for the woman.
LikeLike
She has the weight of the world on her shoulders
LikeLike
Ah the old customs gone lost to tourists
LikeLike
Sadly it happens a lot, and so many of us buy into it 🙂
LikeLike
What a charming tale! And poignant too. Well done.
LikeLike
Thank you Sandra 🙂
LikeLike
I hope she finds an apprentice if only to set her mind at rest. Lovely story!
LikeLike
Thank you:)
I hope so too
LikeLike
Dear Siobhán,
A tender and poignant tale. A bit of a female version of Don Quixote and her Sancho Panza. I sensed much more story between the lines. Nicely done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Thank you Rochelle 🙂
LikeLike
Dear Siobhan,
I love the name Ecterine. Fantastic story from an amazing imagination.
Aloha,
Doug
LikeLike
Thank you Doug, and thanks for the photo prompt. As a coast-dweller who never leaves the shore empty-handed I really loved it.
Re the name Ecterine, I was looking (i.e. googling) for a name that meant ‘innocent,’ as that is how I saw the female character. Of the many that I came across I chose this one because it sounded a bit unusual, and also meant ‘aspires to responsibility’ so I thought it was perfect for her. Glad you liked it 🙂
LikeLike
A truly moving story, Siobhán. Growing old and watching important traditions fade away is tough.
LikeLike
Thanks Lisa, so many things are lost for want of someone to pass them on to. It was only when my mother died that I realised just how much I had learned from her, and from the generations that went before her
LikeLike
I liked the “twist” ending – Unexpected but in a very poignant way.
LikeLike
Thank you 🙂
LikeLike
I don’t like Roberto!!!! But I love Ecterine. May she prove him wrong.
LikeLike
I like Ecterine too:) Thanks for reading 🙂
LikeLike
Something tells me it would be the end of Ecterine if Roberto ever stopped playing along. And I’m sure that for someone, at some time, the sun really did rise and set all because of her.
Beautiful tale this week, Siobhan.
All my best,
Marie Gail
LikeLike
Thank you Marie Gail. It does seem that she needs Roberto more than he needs her. The truth would be too much for her to bear 🙂
LikeLike
I think she does control the sun. Feed her vitamins! Get her an apprentice!
LikeLike
You might be right Patrick! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
LikeLike
There’s so much in your story. Very touching.
Marg
LikeLike
Thank you Margaret 🙂
LikeLike
I’m with Patrick on this one. How wonderful if she did control the sun? How sad that no one knew. Lovely story. Fabulous imagination. Thanks for sharing.
LikeLike
Thank you so much. I feel that Ecterine has really come to life thanks to everyone’s comments 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a beautiful, tender story! I loved that old woman. Glad that Roberto humored her, and didn’t openly mock her.
And your imagination is brilliant — I didn’t see the rising sun in that picture, until you mentioned it in your story! Lovely!
LikeLike
Thank you, glad you liked it 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Siobhan, Good story. Apparently her mind may be fading but not her talent. Well written. 🙂 — Susan
LikeLike
Thank you Susan 🙂
LikeLike
I really loved the pay-off here, though I wouldn’t be surprised if the joke turned out to be on Roberto.
LikeLike
It would serve him right!
Thanks for stopping by 🙂
LikeLike
A marvelous tale!
LikeLike
Thank you 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person