“Backtracking” – Flash Fiction – Mondays Finish the Story

The following story was written for Barbara W. Beacham’s weekly prompt on Mondays Finish the Story.  She provides the picture and the first sentence (this opening line from Martin C. Furman).  Then, writers must incorporate the picture and the first line into a story, using 100-150 additional words.  Click on the blue frog below to read more stories and to add your own.

Copyright Barbara W. Beacham 2015

Backtracking

 (1^st sentence + 150 words)

Delphine always wanted to pilot her father’s plane and when he forgot his keys on her tenth birthday, she knew that taking off would be easy.  

Unfortunately, a lone girl giddily approaching a plane attracted attention.

She settled for the field nearby, watching takeoffs.

“Why not try my plane?”

There was an old-time pilot with goggles and leather cap, standing by an antique plane.

“Looks old.”

“Nonsense!” he cried.  “Get in.”

Delphine felt a wave of desire.  Before she knew it, she was strapped in, and the plane was climbing into the sky.  Delphine felt the usual thrill as her stomach flipped.  She looked down.  The airfield was different.  The neighborhoods had changed—fewer cars, smaller buildings, older.  She shouted, but the pilot didn’t respond.

Finally, the plane landed back in the field.  Delphine stumbled out, trembling.

“Again tomorrow?” the pilot asked.

She ran.  Entering her neighborhood, she saw familiar buildings and cars.  At home, she put her father’s keys back and crawled into bed, hugging the teddy bear who hadn’t felt her touch in months.