I’m back again on the Friday Fictioneers bandwagon after a one month break. Sometimes, the workload gets too much and I just lie low. I do miss the FF group. We are just too super to be glossed over. Anyway, this week’s prompt, the first for February is by kind courtesy of Claire Fuller, and as usual Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, is the able and fine captain of the ship. Please, find below my story. (102 words) Feel free to critique and comment. Thank you.
Janus
They say the beginning is like the end, like the two-faced god. I never understood this until Kwamena died.
The priest decreed that a son of the land would die to atone for the sins committed by the princess who eloped with the slave. But why must Kwamena die? Is there no mercy in the breast of the two-faced god?
But the beginning of the end of Kwamena came silently upon me and my dreams yielded a coffin. I did not see it clearly until they brought my son’s body home in a sealed box from the whiteman’s land.
To see what the rest of the Fictioneers are up to, do click on the little linky below. Thanks!
Reading Pleasure 
Kwamena, always a pleasure reading the romance of an African perspective!
Thank you, Charles. 🙂
I love it
Thank you, Boomie. 🙂
Celestine. This is fabulous and heart wrenching. You are gifted fiction writer. Wow.
Ow, thanks a million, Alice. 🙂 I’m honoured to receive such great compliment from you.
Of course there is is not mercy dear mother, he IS two-faced!
Hello Celeste, love it 🙂
Thanks so much, Nifti. 🙂 It’s nice seeing you here. Hope you are doing well. 🙂
Very sad and haunting. Good stuff, and welcome back.
Thank you, Writeondude. 🙂 I’m happy to be back 🙂
This tugged my heart. So poignant and gut wrenching. Beautiful.
Ow, thanks so much for your lovely comment. 🙂
😉
Glad you’re back. I’d missed your take on the prompts, and this one was well worth waiting for–universal in its appeal, colloquial in its meaning. Wonderful read.
Here’s mine: http://unexpectedpaths.com/friday-fictioneers/hephaestus-wedge/
Thank you, Maggie, for the kind comments.
That is a beautiful, but sad story. Was Kwamena the son that died? I interpreted it that way. The old folk tales or superstitions in a country can certainly have a strong bearing on one’s beliefs, or tell such convincing stories with real life implications. Your illustrations, names, and way with verbs and adjectives are used well in them. I can always get a good picture from it all. Very well done.
Yes, kwamena was teh son that died. Oh Joyce, I’m grateful for your comments. I didn’t think my expressions were that well written. Thank you. 🙂
They are for me. I am always interested in reading about the things that are a part of other countries’ culture.
Great story. Sad, but well told.
Thank you so much for commenting. 🙂
Beautifully told, though heart-wrenching.
Thank you, T. 🙂
Nicely done – wistful, with just enough left unsaid.
I like that we were on the same page with the prompt. Sometimes, the picture speaks loudly – other times, I have to listen really hard to hear what it has to say. This one was instantaneous for me.
You’re right. Sometimes, as soon as you see the prompt, everything clicks and falls into perspective for you. Thank you so much for commenting. 🙂
very well done – glad you’re back
Glad to see you guys. 🙂 Many thanks for the comment 🙂
So happy you are back! Love your writing, and this story is an excellent example. Fierce emotion, steeped in rich cultural heritage and a loving mother’s heart.
I’m also happy to be back, Jan. Your lovely comment is so much appreciated. 🙂
So sad…….. so well written! Fiction in 100 words, wow! That is tough to do. I’m looking forward to reading some more of these on your page!
Thank you, Wabi. I’ve quite a number on my Friday Fictioneers page. You coudl read some if you have the time 🙂
Glad you’re back, and with a beautifully told tale too! Well done.
Thank you so much, Sandra. This is praise indeed 🙂
Tragedy with exotic mystery at the same time, and the message behind is the role and values of our laws and beliefs. Very, very good.
Yerpirate, your comments are a delight to read. 🙂 Thank you 🙂
Powerful and well done. I enjoyed this.
Thank you, Beth. Glad you enjoyed this 🙂
“But the beginning of the end of Kwamena came silently upon me and my dreams yielded a coffin” so sad, but well said. Welcome back!
Thank you, Viirginia. It’s great to be back 🙂
The first I have seen from you, but I hope not the last. What a heart felt story.
This will certainy not be the last, Joe. Thank you so much for coming by. 🙂
poignant and well done.
Thank you, Train-whistle
Beautifully told. We’ve missed you. Welcome back.
janet
Ow, thank you so much, Janet. Missed you guys too 🙂
You done good. You capture imagination and reality in a nice mix.
Thanks, Kim.
Very interesting story. There’s a lot to think about in this one. Great work
Thank you for the nice comments, H L Pauff.
Very well done Celestine, a whole story already polished and soemthing about the character already learned. Love it, beautifully done.
Oh Claire, your lovely comments mean a lot to me. 🙂
A sad tale beautifully told. I really enjoyed this.
Thank you, 🙂
Dear Celestine,
“…in a sealed box from the white man’s land.” This line slapped me in the face. I always enjoy reading stories from your cultural point of view. I’ve seen you lurking in “likes” and comments. Happy to have you back aboard.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Glad to be back, Rochelle. Thanks for commenting
Dear Celestine,
I love your story. Welcome back to the fold.
Aloha,
Doug
Thank you, kind Sir. Glad to be back. 🙂
Your story has a wonderful tone, very melancholic without being cloying. Beautiful.
Thank you, Claire. Your interesting prompt inspired this. 🙂
Anytime a mother loses her son it is sad.
Indeed yes. 🙂
Well written and moving. Great work, Celestine.
Thank you, kind Sir. 🙂
Beautifully written story. I like the ‘voice’. Ann
Glad you find this beautiful, Ann. 🙂 Thanks for coming by.
Welcome back, you have been missed, and I think you always have unique way of looking at things.
Thank you, Bjorn. I’m glad to be back 🙂
Welcome back! I like how your story is about beginnings and ends, I thought of Janus too when I saw the picture. If you wanted to get it down to 100 words exactly, I’d suggest taking out “of the palace” as that sentence is quite long and cumbersome, and these words don’t really add much. You’d then have a spare word to play with, which I personally would use to unhyphenate “white-man’s”.
I like this very different world you have taken us to, both in using an African setting, and in giving the flip-side of a fairy tale.
Thank you. I appreciate your crits and comments 🙂
Such a sad piece. Good job.
Thank you, Shirley 🙂
Oh, that was sad.
Indeed it was, Thank you Marie 🙂
This is really good! So painful for a mother to lose a child.
Thanks, Deana 🙂
A powerful but sad tale…
Thank you
fabulous story celestine!
Many thanks, Trisha