This is day 35 of @mydivathings' #365daysofwriting challenge

Every day @mydivathings invites you to write a short story based on the image she chooses. Today's image (below) is a Photo by Jonatan Pie on Unsplash

Find out more about the challenge (you can join anytime!) here @mydivathings/day-35-365-days-of-writing-challenge

His boots were heavy with thick snow, and he was so tired.

Jake wanted - more than he’d wanted anything before - to lay down in the deep snow and let sleep, and perhaps even death, take him. But, he had come so far - too far - to give up now.

And what was going to happen, well, it was going to change everything.

Why here? he thought again. He had asked that question so many times. The coordinates had been precise, the instructions very clear. He stopped for a moment, looking up at the night sky for a sign that they were there. That when he reached the rendezvous spot they would be there. But all he could see was stars above the snow covered mountains.

He checked his GPS device once more. He was a mile away. He could do it. He took a bite of a chocolate bar, savouring the way it melted in his mouth.

He trudged on. He thought of his wife, and his children. He checked the time, and did some calculations. Alice would be up now. She would be preparing breakfast, maybe shouting up the stairs, “I won’t tell you again! Get up!”. David would be down first, hair uncombed, teeth unbrushed, face unwashed. Alice would kiss him, tell him she loved him and then send him back upstairs. Kat would be down, after David had come down a second time. She would scowl when her mother tried to kiss her, and complain that she wasn’t hungry when her mother put her breakfast plate in front of her.

Jake smiled. He was doing this for them. For all the children on the planet. The thought gave him energy: it strengthened him.

It was here! Jake checked his GPS three times, and stared up into the night sky. He stomped his feet, needing to keep moving, and ate another chocolate bar. He wished he had a coffee. He could kill for a nice hot cup of coffee.

He didn't hear them arrive.

When the beam of light took hold of him he felt warm, and safe, and loved.

He was going home.

...

Some more of my short stories

“Ending”
A relationship ends
@felt.buzz/ending-an-original-work-of-fiction-for-the-365daysofwriting-contest#@mydivathings/re-feltbuzz-ending-an-original-work-of-fiction-for-the-365daysofwriting-contest-20180120t082238861z

“Impulse buy”
A man shows off his purchase to his less than enthusiastic wife
@felt.buzz/impulse-buy-an-original-fictional-story-for-the-365daysofwriting-challenge

“A Good Friend”
Some people are too nice and need a break!
@felt.buzz/a-good-friend-an-original-work-of-fiction-for-the-weekend-freewrite

“Misunderstood”
A wannabe writer struggles to get the space he needs
@felt.buzz/misunderstood-an-original-work-of-fiction-for-365daysofwriting

“Treasure”
Two people work together to try to get to the “treasure”
@felt.buzz/treasure-an-original-work-of-fiction-for-the-365daysofwriting-challenge

Very short stories (stories told in exactly 50 words)

“Puddle”
Time Travel
@felt.buzz/puddle-an-original-fictional-story-in-fiftywords

“Not Worth Fixing”
Relationships and broken watches
@felt.buzz/not-worth-fixing-an-original-work-of-fiction-in-just-fiftywords

“Sick”
An ill man at a dinner party. What could go wrong?
@felt.buzz/sick-an-original-fictional-story-in-fiftywords

“What did they know?”
Just a holiday romance?
@felt.buzz/what-did-they-know-an-original-fictional-story-in-just-fiftywords