The painting for this week’s challenge, entitled ‘Lovers’, is by Felix Nussbaum. What intrigues me about it is the contrast between the title and the calm night sky, and the couple themselves who appear to be hurrying, leaning on one another, or is one leading the other? There’s an urgency in their movement and I wonder what they are hurrying away from, or towards. What is behind the long, stark wall, and what does the tower signify—a church perhaps, without a cross though?
Write a short (say 200 word) story based on this scene and post the link in the comments box. If you could get them in by next Wednesday that would be ideal as I might not be around at the end of the week.
Have fun!
Jane Dougherty Writes 
This is such a lovely painting. I’d never heard of the artists before, but I’ve just googled him and what a short, tragic life he led. Thanks for bringing him to my attention. I’ll post a story soon 🙂
His painting of the grieving couple is terribly moving. I’m glad you’ll be joining in 🙂
An absolute pleasure. You choose very good paintings 🙂
I’m glad you like the choice. I try to choose paintings that tell a story.
They certainly do 🙂
Yes, believe it or not, here is my story. One look, and I knew . . . .
https://myfrillyfreudianslip.wordpress.com/2016/09/30/champagne-love-jds-microfiction-16-the-lovers/
Phylor has moved to a new space — sharing with another one of my personae. Same, no better tales. Join us for a cup on tea at the My Frilly Freudian Slip.
https://myfrillyfreudianslip.wordpress.com is the address, if you’d like to take a look
I did and I left a comment but it hasn’t posted. I know my pingbacks aren’t working, looks like comments aren’t either.
Jane, just leave your comment at http://phylor.wordpress as usual, and we’ll see if that works. I haven’t closed my old blogs off til folks got use to the new space and glitches were ironed out. Just what you need right now!
My server can’t find it. Something funny going on at your end I think.
You could leave your comment here, or try Phylor — still active: http://phylor.wordpress.com or I can think it was the best piece of flash I ever wrote, lol. Sorry bout all these glitches. I’ll see what I can find out about the initial link too.
Hi Jane, have a lovely weekend:
https://summerstommy.com/2016/09/30/microfiction-challenge-16-lovers-felix-and-jane/
Thanks Michael 🙂
Another sensitive painting Jane. Here is my contribution
https://pensitivity101.wordpress.com/2016/10/01/microfiction-challenge-16-lovers/
Apologies for yesterday’s effort. It went all wrong. This is more like what I was wanting to write:
https://fmmewritespoems.wordpress.com/microfiction-monsters-and-maidens-for-jane-dougherty
I didn’t see yesterday’s effort. Now you’ve got me interested. Today’s is pretty good though.
This is a shade longer than requested, Jane. I was looking for some sense of fun, of loss, nothing major, but then I looked up the painter and came crashing down into a flash fiction hybrid of sorts. Nothing tragic; just a little lost. http://engleson.ca/?page_id=7868
Replying here so Akismet won’t snaffle it. The levity is only in the dialogue that makes the story more realistic. People in dramatic situations don’t always realise it, they don’t speak in dramatic monologues. There’s a lot of tenderness in the story, touching when you know a bit about the painter, and a lot about what was in store for so many old couples at the time of this painting.
My first entry in Microfiction Challenge. https://ramblingsofawriter2016.com/2016/10/03/microfiction-challenge-16-lovers/
Thanks for joining in, Elsie. I hope it’s the first of many stories 🙂
I wanted to get this in before the deadline. The story was both dreamier and more convoluted in my head. I hope this worked.
https://merrildsmith.wordpress.com/2016/10/04/a-wish-microfiction/
It did. And it made me cry.
Sorry?
Crying is good.
🙂
What goes on inside those walls?
https://rivrvlogr.wordpress.com/2016/10/04/life-sentence/
And, critique, please.
Just did 🙂
Hi Jane, Here’s my contribution. Tks, Neel
https://neelwritesblog.wordpress.com/2016/10/07/neelwritesblog-flashfictionlovers0207102016/