Vexations Seasons : Autumn

[Vex Harrow]

“I wait here every day,” the woman replies.

Her eyes are grey like the leaden skies above. It’s been overcast for days and leaves are skittering across the black asphalt streets in whorls of invisible wind. You can see that her hands are arthritic and she clutches them close; her skin is paper thin and translucent pale. There is a sense of insubstantiality, as if something about her is missing. Except her smile, which generates a warmth that lights up her face and the surrounding halo of wispy cloud-white hair.

Autumn has struck the street like a subtle trick. The trees have been balding for days, shaking off their leaves and sighing themselves to sleep at night. The talons of winter hang, determined, in the windy air, waiting to draw back the world and blanket it in cold.

“I’m going to see my son.” She cracks a small smile as a memory crosses her expression. “He works at the mine in Bisbee, but he told me he’d be coming. Coming to Phoenix and I’m going to meet him there.”

“What bus are you waiting for…?” There is no bus-stop, despite the woman’s protestations to the contrary, and there hasn’t been for a long time. “Do you mind if I sit with you a while?”

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Next: Winter

Previous: Summer

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Autumn of Mill Avenue Vexations Seasons © Kyt Dotson 2007, illustration © Sanjana Baijnath 2007. This is part of a series of images and flash fiction stories connected to the seasons of Tempe. Clicking on the image will give you a high resolution print format.

[Mark]

Hey Kyt, it was good as always to see you at drumcircle. Thank you for the cards. I really like the way the descriptions of the background change with each season in the story and the art is great!
Hey Fans if you don't have these cards yet you should make the effort to get them they are so worth it!

[hellowworldpeople]

Hi all
The best foru!

[Vex Harrow]

Thanks Mark, we really appreciate that!

Everyone just wait a few days and we'll be releasing the next season: Winter.