spun

welcome readers & writers!  thank you, brian potopowitz, for writing with me on yesterday's photo :)

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writers, what do you make of this photo?  here's my spin:

Ellie, who lay belly down on the seat of the swing, twisted and twisted - holding steady with her feet until she couldn't twist anymore. Then she let go. Unwinding in one mighty whoosh she smiled, and waited for the ground below her to be still again. When it did, this is what she saw. This squishy floor under the swing set that reminded her of the split peas her Granny always put in soup. Ellie spent every recess on this swing, only occasionally stepping away if another kid complained that she'd had it too long. In those cases she would walk the perimeter of the swing set, keeping her eyes on the split peas and waiting until she could swing again. 

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This was her fourth school in four years. Her mom liked to move around a lot. Always there was a better house to be found in a better city.  

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Today Ellie spins again and again. At the end of her ninth spin she sees some shoes beside her and looks over to see Emily, who's also in Miss Berkholder's class, laying belly down on the other swing. Ellie smiles at Emily and Emily smiles back. "Hey," says Emily. "This looks like fun."  "It is," says Ellie simply.  And they spin until the bell rings and recess is over.  

click on comments below to send in your story, poem or creative non-fiction piece in response to this photo.  happy writing!