In Keith’s words. “Using this photo (Below) as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really; even just a caption for the photograph. Either put it (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keithchanning@gmail.com before 6pm next Sunday (if you aren’t sure what the time is where I live, this link will tell you). If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to this page would be appreciated, but please do also mention it in a comment here – pingbacks don’t often work.

Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries, with links to your own blog or web site, next Monday.”

The photo

The Walk by John W. Howell © 2018

“What did you do?”

“Me? Nothing.”

“Where did all this steam come from?”

“How do I know? I was just taking a picture of that crawly thing when it came up from the grate. Wait. Don’t walk on it.”

“I wasn’t going to walk on it. I wanted to see if it is hot.”

“With your foot?”

“I don’t want to stick my hand in it.”

“Get back away. Of course, it’s hot.”

“How do you know?”

“I can feel the heat from here.”

“What crawly thing were you taking a picture of?”

“You didn’t see it?”

“No what did it look like?”

“Sorta like a centipede.”

“Ew. I’m glad I didn’t see it. Where is it now?”

“It jumped into the grate just before the steam came out.”

“Where do you think it went?”

“I’m sure I don’t know, but I’ll tell you one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“Where ever it went I’m sure it is dead. That must be a thousand degrees down there.”

“Should we be worried?”

“About what?”

“I don’t know. Maybe an earthquake or volcano?”

“Oh please. This is a little disturbance is all. Nothing ever happens like that here.”

“That’s a relief. How about some lunch?”

“I heard they have a great place around the corner.”

“Where did you hear that?”

“I bought a guidebook.”

“Let me see it.”

“Okay, here on page 45 starts the list of the top restaurants in Pompeii.”

“You feel that?”

“Whoa, I sure did.”