The Unicorn Challenge: The Summer of Love


Ah. Those funny coloured days of yesteryear. Gone. Wasted. Frittered away like last night’s chip paper, discarded without a second glance.

I recall we never spoke to each other. Words weren’t needed with the connection we had through our tunnel vision, as our eyes locked when we passed each other in the corridor.

I recall I held my breath. Or stopped breathing, one or the other. Everything else disappeared, merged into the weird mist that surrounded the depths of your deep brown eyes that grew bright as we stole those few special seconds from reality.

We never spoke. Only stared. Gazed. Once or twice a week, then, inexplicably, we found ourselves pressed together in a crowded room, where we couldn’t speak, couldn’t stare. Heart pounding, that physical connection lasted far longer than the actual time that passed, a breathless moment straddling the gateway to eternity.

Now, looking back from the other side of eternity’s abyss, through fragmented memories and forgotten names, I still see your eyes through that tunnel, and imagine that, even through all these discarded years, you still see mine.

Better that than the reality of throwing it all away, wouldn’t you say?

The Unicorn Challenge from Jenne Gray and C E Ayr. To write up to 250 words using a picture as the prompt.

🦄

27 responses to “The Unicorn Challenge: The Summer of Love”

  1. ceayr avatar

    What a sad, sweet tale, Tom.
    But I have to say that I’m more a ‘Better to have loved and lost’ kind of guy…

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Tom avatar

      Thanks, CE. Yes, sometimes life has other plans!

      Like

  2. The Sicilian Storyteller avatar

    Stunning write, Tom!
    I recall the Summer of Love; it was quite something!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Tom avatar

      Thanks, Nancy. The Summer of Love, I think, was before my time… but it’s something I’ve definitely heard of!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. The Sicilian Storyteller avatar

        And I was a wee bit young for it.
        We created our own a few years later! 🥰

        Liked by 1 person

        1. Tom avatar

          And why not‽ 😁
          I’m still in Spring.

          Liked by 1 person

  3. ladysighs avatar

    Advantage of growing old: those sad summers of love have all faded.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Tom avatar

      Aw… just don’t dwell on the sad bits, Ladysighs, and they’ll spring back into life! Hehehe! See what I did? Spring… Summer!? ‽ 😏🤔😊

      Liked by 1 person

      1. ladysighs avatar

        Amazing what you did. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

        1. Tom avatar

          😊🤣

          Like

  4. Keith's Ramblings avatar

    Like ships that passed in the night. A poignant piece indeed.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Tom avatar

      Thanks, Keith. This story may not have ended yet, though! 🙂

      Like

  5. clark avatar

    Who was it that said, “To the helplessly romantic, the air is always scented with a touch of the bittersweet. “?

    Mostly the music*

    *The summer of love.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Tom avatar

      Is that the rose-tinted air, Clark? It’s only a time I’ve heard about, and if it’s a music quote, I’m not the best person to be asking… 🤔

      Like

  6. msjadeli avatar

    Such a poignant story. Sometimes it’s enough to wonder. I hope so.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Tom avatar

      Thank you… yes, I agree. It’s the what ifs that add that touch of needed expectancy at times. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. msjadeli avatar

        You’re welcome, Tom.

        Liked by 1 person

  7. jenne49 avatar

    We lay claim to the Summer of Love, but there are countless summers of love that become, for the individual, the Summer of Love. Beautiful story, Tom.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Tom avatar

      Thank you, Jenne.
      There’s always that one special one…! 🙂

      Like

  8. europasicewolf avatar

    Fingers will pick up the pieces from those discarded years….he’s good at putting letters together…bit like fixing Tombie up is fixing the Summer love, for Fingers! Easy peasy!🫛 The years .aye be discarded but the shared moments and the meeting of the eyes 👀 ✨️ ♥️ sidestep into another eternity….and if not, the they are pushed unceremoniously into it by Fingers and Tombie! At the Royal demand of Tomtoria!😉😄👍

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Tom avatar

      Of course! There’s nothing like an Inner Queen to have anything go into another eternity. It’s when those eternities overlap things become more interesting.
      We know all about overlapping realities, Icewolf, don’t we‽

      Liked by 1 person

      1. europasicewolf avatar

        Oh yes! We are experts when it comes to overlapping realities, Tom! I guess I have an Inner Queen or even a king stashed away somewhere, too, ensuring all realities that are supposed to be overlapping do so correctly!😉

        Liked by 1 person

        1. Tom avatar

          Well, overlapping as correctly as overlapping realities should overlap, Icewolf. Some of them have frayed edges.

          Liked by 1 person

          1. europasicewolf avatar

            Overlapping realities never did go in for “present and correct” Tom! They shift dimensions so frequently it’s little wonder they are a touch frayed around the edges given the frequency with which this happens!😂😁

            Liked by 1 person

            1. Tom avatar

              Even more so when they shift into two or more dimensions!

              Liked by 1 person

  9. europasicewolf avatar

    😆😂That’s when the very fabrics of space-time rip and fray into full on unravelling mode, Tom!😄💯

    Liked by 1 person

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