“This,” announced the museum guide, “Is thought to be a gastrolith-like bone mass.”
Susie, ten, had a mind for detail, “Doesn’t gastrolith mean stomach stone?”
“Aye, lassie, normally stone but this is bone.”
Susie stared at the mass, “But gastroliths aren’t that big.”
The guide smiled slyly, “For the creature, this was small. It’s from a dragon. Haven’t you heard of St. George’s dragon?”
“What bones are they?”
“Some are deer but most are from Nessie.”
Susie was confused, “The Loch Ness monster isn’t real. No one reliable has seen it.”
“True, not since the dragon had done with it.”
This photo is taken Julia’s http://jfb57.wordpress.com/ blog and is the prompt for this week’s #100WCGU.
100 Word Challenge for Grown Ups – Wk#41 – Prompt: photo – “Gastrocorpus?”
08
May
Ross's Writing Blog 
annahalford (@anhalf)
May 8, 2012 at 22:02
Ah, like this- and you have craftily linked back to the recent St George theme too! Always enjoy your take on the prompts.
Ross Mannell
May 10, 2012 at 19:35
Thanks for the comment.
Having commented on a number of children’s posts on the St. George theme gave me the idea for the story.
Sparks In Shadow
May 9, 2012 at 08:28
I love how natural the converstion feels. I get the feeling Susie’s next utterance is a bit of a groan. 🙂
Ross Mannell
May 10, 2012 at 19:37
Thanks for the comment.
I think you are correct about Susie. She seems more empirically minded. I think the guide underestimates this ten year old. 🙂
Judee
May 15, 2012 at 16:00
Loved the interechange between this precocious young girl and the museum guide – both voices came through perfectly. A delightful take on the prompt, and I loved his last line.
Ross Mannell
May 18, 2012 at 21:01
Thanks for the comment.
It can be hard to talk fairy tales and fantasies to a child with a very empirical mind. It does make you wonder what the reply might be to the last line. 🙂