The Last Dragon Slayers

Sunday Photo Fiction is a weekly challenge to write a 200-word story based on a photo prompt. This week’s intriguing photo is courtesy of SPF contributor, C.E. Ayr. 

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Photo Credit: C.E. Ayr

They called themselves the Last Dragon Slayers. The geriatric group of six men living at the senior home met every day in the common room, between checkers and the lunch special. Most days, they relived the details of glorious battles, bloodier and more dangerous with each re-telling. The staff and other residents took little notice of their bragging. Everyone knew dementia and delusions were expected as one grew old.

The youngest in the group was Harry, a spry 87-year old man who showed no sign of senility. Which is why he understood the urgency of the broadcast in the evening news.

“The fools think it is global warming,” he said. “Don’t they realize a dragon has awakened.”

The old men hung their heads; there was no one to take their place.

On Sunday, Harry’s son and his family made a dutiful trip to visit Pop as they called him. Harry noticed his 15-year old grandson spellbound by a book.

“What you reading?”  Harry asked.

“It’s magna, called Fairy Tail. Its about a dragon, but you wouldn’t understand.”

Harry smiled. “Oh I understand more than you think.” Leaning closer, he whispered, “How would you like to be a real Dragon Slayer?”

 

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Thoughts on Growing Old (Sunday Photo Fiction)

Photo Credit: C.E.Ayr

She had forgotten it was her birthday. It was early morning; not much sleep the night before but her internal alarm clock was set for the hour and not the on her need for sleep. She opened her iPad as she did every morning; a bad habit from a productivity point-of-view but one that she had yet to break. That is when she realized it was her birthday; the notifications popping up from Facebook. Someone had written on her timeline.

Nothing seemed different from yesterday.

Birthdays are for reflecting your life so far, she thought to herself.

Humm….

She had a good life, if not the life she imagined 40 years ago. She had all the things that anyone could want. She was living the American Dream.

Except…

There are dreams yet to be realized.

I am not that old, she thought. I still have time. I’ll create a bucket list and start checking off all the things I want to do….

Before it is too late.

She sipped her hot coffee and listened to the crows cawing in the woods behind her house.

Life was good.

She would start on the bucket list tomorrow.

 

I am not sure there is much connection with the photo, except that we all have our personal battles to be fought, if only in our minds.

Sunday Photo Fiction is a weekly challenge to write a 200-word story based on a photo prompt. Thanks to C.E. Ayr for providing this week’s challenging photo.