#fotoflash: The parade

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Here’s my contribution to this week’s Friday Fotoflash Challenge:

I can feel the eyes, looking down, staring at me. I know it’s me they’re looking at, I just don’t understand why. The parade is comprised of hundreds of people, bands, entertainers, floats, and other vehicle.s Why me?

I keep waving, trying to ignore the eyes but they are boring into me. Searing me from top to bottom, front to back. I use my other hand and steady myself. A fall right now would be my worst dream. No, nightmare.

I pass Building after building, every window full of people with their eyes focused on me. I grow warm but blame it on the bright sun overhead, discounting the embarrassment factor.

Why? I keep searching for a reason. There is nothing unusual about me or my means of transportation. I mean, there are other horses in the parade. Up ahead I can see three gleaming Palominos, their bridles and saddles shooting sparks when touched by the sun. Behind me I know there are six draft horses pulling a replica of a covered wagon.

The music from the bands is growing louder, we are turning a corner and I can see the parade is stalling. Everyone ahead of me is circling and I realize those behind me are joining in, leaving me in the middle.

I twist and turn in all directions, hearing an undercurrent of laughter rising around me. I see fingers pointing from the crowd and from the people flocking to the windows in the surrounding buildings.

I still don’t understand. What is wrong? Why are they staring, laughing?

I see a little girl coming over from the sidelines, just out of the reach of her mother. She walks up to me and smiles.

I smile and greet her. “Hi there. Are you lost?”

She shakes her head, her curls bobbing with the motion. “Nope. Mommy said-“

“Prissy, you come back here right now!”

She giggles. “Mommy said you gots no clothes on.”

I gasp and look down. I’m naked, completely naked. Not a stitch of clothing covers me. And unlike Lady Godiva, my pixie haircut hides nothing, not even my ears.

I scream…

Then I wake up.

Still naked, but home in bed.