Five Card Story: Five Card Flickr Story

a ds106 story created by csandy91

flickr photo by paulhami

flickr photo by ravnclaw89

flickr photo by paulhami

flickr photo by paulhami

flickr photo by leighblackall

I decided to go for a hike one sunny morning. I climbed along a mountain path for a while before discovering a gate I had never seen before. I unlatched the gate and as I stepped forward the sunlight softened and the air grew warmer. Suddenly all around me was the life of a city I had never known. I began to weave my way through the busy streets and sideways until I could walk no more. Trying to ask the strangers around me for help was of no use. If they didn’t dart past me in the constant flow of traffic, they seemed not to notice the girl obviously lost among them. Frustrated and close to tears I rested on an overturned bucket against a fence several paces back from the continuous stream of people and vehicles. Eyes closed and back resting against a iron fence that looked as if it had been there for quite some time, I thought about how in the world I was going to get home from wherever I was.
While I rested there came a noise from behind me. Turning around I saw a man with a white beard sitting on some brightly colored floor mats. Our eyes locked as he looked at me. He called to me to come closer. I saw no other option and so slowly approached the mystery man. As I opened my mouth to ask if he could help me he shook his head and handed me what looked like a post card. It read ‘to return to whence you came, seek what you desire on the other side’. I turned the card over to see a picture of my kitchen with my mom, dad, little brother, and little sister. Upon seeing the photo everything began to blur around me, colors and sounds and light all mixing together in a twisting vortex. The only thing that I could see was the quickly fading image of the man who winked once before disappearing. I looked down to look at the post card to find myself in my kitchen holding a kitchen towel and my family looking strangely at me as my mom gestured for me to hand it to her.
“Are you alright honey? You seemed to be looking at something far off.” my mother asked.
“Something like that. Here, sorry.” as I passed her the towel.