This week’s photo prompt is provided by Jessica Haines. Thank you Jessica for our photo prompt!
As I went to drive home from the school that day I noticed him. It was Fred, one of the boys from my class. It was almost as though it was the first time I noticed him as he took slow, shuffling, steps in the rain. His hood was completely covering his face and his hands were shoved deeply into his pockets as he moved along.
The bag he had strapped to his back looked incredibly heavy and I immediately felt sorry for him. I am not sure why but I just put the image to the back of my mind and carried on driving so that I could get home.
Looking back, I should not have been surprised when he did not turn up at school the next day. The rumour of the quiet boy’s suicide filled me with a dread that built into a crescendo until it was confirmed in the staffroom.
I could have stopped this if I had not been in such a hurry to get home.
Written for flash fiction for aspiring writers
AngieTrafford 
Oh my! Such a tragic story, Angie. Sadly, the young boy committed suicide and she feels bad because she didn’t stop on her way home. My niece committed suicide 3 years ago and there is always that thought at the back of your mind of what could I have done to stop it?
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I think there is always that question could you have stopped it? The answer, in reality, is probably not. Thanks for reading and hosting.
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Did you mean [ foot or hood ] -Suicide always hurts those surrounding the one who cannot cope with life. Such a sad story but important to tell it – well done.
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Thank you for reading it and making me look at my wedding 🙂
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A very tragic story.
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Suicide is always very tragic. Thanks for reading.
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Well crafted.
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Thank you very much for saying so 🙂
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That’s sad, but all to relevant at the minute sadly. Well written 🙂
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Tragically it is not the best time to be alive in the world. We all need to support each other. Thanks for reading.
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this is a poignant reminder that we are all part of a community and need to live like we are part of it , not just with our own busy lives, really touching story – lines that flowed like the water
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I am very flattered that you thought the words flowed like water 🙂 But, yes, everybody needs to come together rather than separate at this time. Thanks for reading.
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..but you weren’t to know. Sad, tragic and far too common.
Click to visit Keith’s Ramblings!
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It is certainly not something that you can predict very easily. Thanks for reading.
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Oh, such a tragedy! I can imagine how any teacher would feel having gone through a situation like this. The poor lad must have been desperately unhappy to do such a thing. It’s often hard to know, especially from a distance, whether someone is seriously unhappy, or just in a bad mood that will pass. But that teacher will always wonder whether she could have stopped him doing it.
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The question of whether or not you could have helped is one that would always be haunting. Thanks for reading.
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