PHOTO PROMPT © Fatima Fakier
I arrived in Cebu island, nursing depression and a gin-and-tonic. Through the airplane window, the island was ablaze with city lights.
On the first day, I met Imelda as I struggled to navigate my way through the city’s transport network of Jeepneys.
Imelda. Beautiful and young. She survived by pickpocketing.
We spent many days exploring the island together. Soon the days stretched into warm passionate nights.
One day, I awoke to find her gone. I had been expecting it really. Just, my heart ached at the emptiness when I realised she stole not only my wallet but my heart, too.
100 words
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So happy to have my photo for this week’s prompt! I took this photo as I wandered Cebu City in the Phillipines at night. Jeepneys are commonly used as cheap transport. These vehicles are converted to seat passengers along the walls of the van instead of in rows. And you simply jump on or off at the back. Hitching a ride in one is a must if you are a tourist.
Hope you enjoyed this story!
Written for Friday Fictioneers hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. Write a story in 100 words or less. Click the frog to submit your flash fiction and read others’.
Fajr, Books & That First Cuppa 
Though we know that ending is coming, it’s still a sweet and bitter tale
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Thank you, Neil.
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Yes, we did see that one coming. Lovely tale.
(By the way, the first “Imelda” is missing her ‘d’)
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Thanks for the heads up, corrected it. 🙂
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I’m sure that if he’s (I assume ‘he’ although it’s not stated in the text) resourceful enough, he can contact Imelda, and perhaps woo and win her.
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I did leave it open to interpretation, although I wrote it with a male in mind. He might be resourceful even if he isn’t in the best of mental states (depressed, unmotivated). That would certainly be an interesting direction to take the story. Thank you, Penny.
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Dear Fatima,
How discouraging to find that the love of your life is the thief of your wallet. You set the scene and told the story well.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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He was kind of asking for it in a way, seeing as he expected it. Thank you for the kind feedback.
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A nice tale of love and loss. Love the pic btw!
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Thank you, Russell!
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A loser on all counts then. We knew where this would end, but the journey was well-written.
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A tad predictable, but I was hoping the falling-in-love ending was the unexpected ending to a casual romance. Thank you, Sandra.
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It was going so well, what a sad conclusion. An interesting footnote too.
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Thank you, Keith!
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Ah, that’s sad. He probably hoped that he would be able to win her heart. Nicely done, Fatima.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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Glad it worked for you, Susan. Thank you.
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Sigh. No honor among thieves. A good story, and a picture leading to lots of other good stories 🙂
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None whatsoever. Thank you!
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It was fated to end that way. I like that he went on the journey anyway.
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i think she stole it because she saw the writing on the wall and it was the only thing that she’d be left of him.
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He knew she was a thief, but couldn’t help falling for her. A well-structured, bittersweet story.
Thanks for the great photo prompt! 🙂
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Leaving your heart open too soon ends this way too often.
Nice work
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One is more easily replaced than the other. Nicely written!
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I like your story. Your photo generated a lot of good stories, Fatima!
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