Welcome to the Wakefield Doctrine (the theory of clarks, scotts and rogers)
This is the Wakefield Doctrine’s contribution to the Unicorn Challenge. A photo-prompt bloghop hosted by jenne and ceayr it boasts one rule: a story involving the week’s image must not exceed 250 words in length.
[beginning]
The father of the two boys, manifesting the confusion commonly observed in puppies when being scolded for soiling a rug or nipping in impatience, spoke with a contrived calmness. The softness of his tone more a dull reflection of his lack of imagination than any more socially desirable attribute.
“When you’re older, you may find you feel differently about her. I got us here in her and you can’t imagine how I had to struggle.”
[middle]“It’s all broken and yucky…”
The boy’s younger brother nodded with more enthusiasm than understanding. Still in the throes of sibling imprinting, he looked at his brother rather than their respective parent.
[conflict]The younger of the two boys’ mother nodded. A lifetime of cowering had tied her shoulders to her eyes, vision confined to the immediate path ahead. The man’s voice, jagged with the brusqueness that the intellectually-limited don as social armor, rose in volume. Because as some fathers bestow upon their progeny, loud makes proud.
“You and your mother should thank god that I had the skill and bravery to land us here!”
The older boy nodded, hearing the call of brotherhood, the younger turned towards the woman.
[resolution]The moon cultivates its disciples, whereas the sun threatens them. Wars are grounded in obedience while magic springs from being true to oneself.
The End
About clarkscottroger
Excellent critique of parenting and scathing condemnation of war.
I’d say you were true to yourself when you wrote this, Clark
thank, c
My favourite line is the last one, Clark, but there’s so much in your story – and that apart from the perfect following of the form.
An image that tells a whole story: ‘A lifetime of cowering had tied her shoulders to her eyes, vision confined to the immediate path ahead.’
The relationship of the two boys, the older only having brotherhood as a refuge, the younger one still with his mother.
I can’t be bothered talking about the bully father – he’s had enough attention.
Let’s hear it for the ‘magic (that) springs from being true to oneself’.
hear, hear*
*said in a voice grateful for whatever the not-really-understood process of drawing emotion on a blank page but then again, there is so much in the myths and fables and fairy tales that admonishes us not to put too high a value on understanding… hey! maybe that’s the true lesson of the Garden (nah, the ancient Diety didn’t have the imagination for that… wait.just.a.minute
maybe we are not seeing the characters as they play their true roles… maybe it was the serpent who was testing the new lifeforms!
… gotta think about that one
Indeed, indeed — “magic spings from being true to oneself.” Life is so hard.
ikr?
Broken people break people.
tru dat
Skillful crafting of a story that is both insight and commentary on the human condition.
thank you