“Tilly! Tilly!” Jane screamed, frantically trudging through the bush trying to find her lost daughter. Mind, body and spirit on the brink of collapse, Jane laboured up the hill, powered by a mother’s love. Worried out of her mind, Jane almost forgot that hundreds of locals had joined the search. That she wasn’t alone.
Then, she saw Tilly’s boots perched on the edge of the cliff. Empty. She was too late. Her anguished scream flew over Echo Point and across the Megalong Valley on the wings of a white cockatoo, while Tilly splashed in the creek chasing tadpoles in the sun.
…….
This is another contribution to Friday Fictioneers hosted by Rochelle Wishoff Fields. PHOTO PROMPT (above) submitted by Courtney Wright © Photographer prefers to remain anonymous. All other photos are my own.
The Three Sisters’ At Katoomba, West of Sydney.
While we were standing here, white Sulfur-crested cockatoos were swooping across the Megalong Valley. Unfortunately, I was too slow with the camera.
This story is set in the Blue Mountains, West of Sydney which is the home of the Three Sisters, a rock formation located on Echo Point overlooking the Megalong Valley. This is a rugged bush land setting where quite a few bush walkers have got lost and big search parties have been launched. This is not the sort of place you want your child to get lost, or to disappear when they’ve had a meltdown and have special needs.
Sulphur-Crested Cocktatoo at Katoomba.
Our family at the Three Sisters’ Lookout at Echo Point, Katoomba in 2011.
Like so many others, I am gravely concerned about the isolation of the individual in the modern world. While in so many ways the Internet has opened up new communities like Friday Fictioneers, we still need those connections on the ground. I wasn’t the most popular kid growing up, but I had quite a few people around me I could turn to and came from a close-knit family. My Dad was one of seven and there was always somebody at my grandparents’ house, and not just members of the family. The front door was never locked and that was symbolic of a general welcoming of the flotsam and jetsam which came and went.
These community connections still exist, and it’s often only in times of crisis that they come out of the woodwork. I guess I wanted people like the mother in my story to know that they’re not alone. At least, I hope not. I don’t want the village to become a myth.
I also wanted to share a song which has stayed with me all week. Mum was watching Britain’s Got Talent when she came across Irish priest, Father Ray Kelly, singing REM’s hit: Everybody Hurts It’s incredible and he concludes with a heart wrenching cry “You’re not alone”.
Best wishes,
Rowena
The child is blissfullly unaware of the panic
I love your turnaround here. I was extremely relieved that Tilly was safe. The message that you’re not alone is a good one, and a necessary one.
I literally let a sigh of relief after reading the last line. As a father of two little kids, I’m near paranoid about having them in our eyesight when we go out somewhere. This story resonated big time with me, Rowena.
I’ve watched the videos of Father Kelly at least five time now. He sings from the soul and the heart. ‘You’re not alone’.
This was a great take on the picture. It is true, we need to be cognizant of what other are going through and support their needs. I liked your story a lot…
Remember to give the photo credit when publishing a story for Friday Fictioneers… thanks! 😉
The child is so happy – how long before Tilly realises she has become detached from the others? Such a tragedy.
Oh, what a relief! Innocent child having fun, never realizing what she’d put her mother through.
You conveyed the sense of panic brilliantly. Fortunately for the reader we know it’ll turn out alright this time
Thanks very much, Michael.
Yes. I wonder how often that happens.
Unfortunately, Tilly is on the autism spectrum and in her own world. In the word limit available I couldn’t emphasise that too much but the reference is in the heading with “special child”. Unfortunately, she isn’t out of the woods yet.
Best wishes,
Rowena
Sorry about the photo credit. It was quite late and I uploaded it before finishing it off. I always provide a link back as well. I had a very scattered day yesterday. My apologies.
Best wishes,
Rowena
He’s just brilliant, isn’t he. He also does some great other songs including Danny Boy.
The child in this story is on the autism spectrum and hence a bit in her own world. These children and their families need a lot of understanding and support, which can be a real struggle to find.
You are right to be paranoid about your young children wandering away. My in-laws put us onto using wrist straps and these can be a real salvation if your child’s a runner or especially when they’re out with grandparents who may not be able to catch them when they run off. I’m also a huge fan of fenced playgrounds.
Best wishes,
Rowena
Thank you very much, Penny. I always like to have that twist at the end and it was getting difficult with this one.
I remember running round in the bush while our mothers were playing tennis as a kid and finding tadpoles in creeks and puddles.
Don’t think we were actually being supervised…
Children do that all the time and be blissfully unaware of the panic around them. You are right about the isolation though. You can live in an apartment in the city for years and yet not interact with anyone. Even in the burbs people don’t know their neighbours anymore. I was a bit fortunate to have older neighbours who interacted more than the younger ones. I actually miss the old folks (now long gone) who we lived next to when we first moved here. Including one who had an OAM and 5 Logies – I have visual confirmation 😉
Dear Rowena,
I breathed a deep sigh of relief at the end. Niely done
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thank you Rowena… I’m so sorry you had a scattered day. Hopefully today will be much better. Thank you for writing a story on the prompt! 😘
I hope it wasn’t too long before they realised what had happened. Delightfully different
My FriFic tale is called Jim and Jan!
Loved that Tilly was safe!
Gorgeously written. On a side note Father Ray was my former Parish Priest as I’m originally from Oldcastle. Heard him many times singing in the Church & was in the choir at a Christmas show in the Church he sang & said the Mass at too a good few years back. He’s incredible & I’m chuffed for him. Hoping he’ll be the first Irish winner of Britain’s Got Talent. 🙂
Wether it is in the supermarket or on a cliff edge a missing child is anguish, even though there is no harm done. A parent’s frantic panic, nicely done.
A stunning twist at the end!
http://thewritetypeofteacher.blogspot.com.au/
I liked the way you built the story. We could feel her panic. I didn’t ‘get’ that Tilly was autistic – I just thought she was special because all children are special to their parents. Well written story!
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
I felt her final scream down to my bones…and then your twist made me laugh with relief.
I’m not sure whether that’s an Australian expression or not. We use the term “special needs”. Then, it can become a bit of a joke among quirky people like myself, that some of us are more special than others. It’s intended to be a nicer, more inclusive way of referring to children with disabilities, and also suggesting they have additional needs, but that doesn’t make them any less of a person.
Thanks, Donna.
I’m so happy that it wasn’t the end, but I can feel the mother’s anguish… just hoping that she will find her daughter soon. I agree about meeting locally… we need both that and the wonderful connection in writing we have here.
Thankfully, it is more often the case that the child is blissfully unaware that he is being searched for. There are still too many where it is not!
Well done, Rowena.
Children often put themselves in danger. Good reminder to keep watching out for them! Good story!
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Thank you very much, Nan.
Thank you very much, Ms White.