Written for Flash Fiction for the Purposeful Practitioner. Requirements: The opening sentence for the March 18th Flash Fiction for the Purposeful Practitioner: “This was the first time I had ever had to sign for a letter addressed to Occupant.” Please use this sentence (or this thought) somewhere in your flash. Create a flash fiction story using the photo prompt and only 200 words.

It simply appeared one day. No one knew why. It reminded me of the poster for Psycho, yet the woman was smiling, unlike Janet Leigh. I wondered if it was an advert for something, but opposite a deserted park was hardly the ideal location. The paint smelled fresh and was sticky to the touch, and what was weird was that every day a little more was added to the scene; a dark figure, an orange window, a little blue umbrella outside a street cafe…

As the picture took shape I began to imagine life inside it. I dreamed of living in a world of primary colours, where people and things could be painted into existence and one day, when I ventured nearer to check out the addition of a streetlamp, I found myself there, in a world of glorious technicolour akin to that of the Wizard of Oz. I only knew this when I heard a knock and realised I was in the house. I opened the door. A young postman in a bright red uniform was standing there. He handed me something. This was the first time I had ever had to sign for a letter addressed to Occupant.

Written for Flash Fiction for the Purposeful Practitioner: Week #12 – 2016