FRIDAY FICTIONEERS - 6 of April - THE BORDER - My 100 words - from Linda Palund

THE BORDER

We made it to the river before sunrise. I couldn’t believe we’d found our way through another awful night.

Veils of mist rose from the meadow where the chill night air met the dawn. Seeing the sun rising behind the wall of trees masking the border made me want to weep.

“Can we go swimming now?” Little Ginnie asked hopefully.

“Hush!” I answered, quickly pushing her back behind the trees with the others. We would lay low until nightfall, exhausted enough to sleep the day away. 

Tonight we would cross the river. Tonight we would make it to the border. 

FRIDAY FICTIONEERS - 30 of March - ANOTHER FUTURE - Her 100 Words - Linda Palund

ANOTHER FUTURE

Five years later, they found the truck. Crazy that it took them so long to find it. You’d have thought someone would have noticed it rusting in that field.

They never found her, though. She would have been ten years old by then. He’d have given her another identity. In time she would have forgotten us, her kitten, her mother, and me.

He would have found her another kitten by then. He was good that way.

He’d left the truck behind to rot. He left us behind to grieve. And he carried her away to another future, one without us.

FRIDAY FICTIONEERS - 23 of March - WAITING - My 100 Words - by Linda Palund

WAITING

I am waiting for you, my husband. I am waiting for you, my beloved.

I fear you will never return.

When you do, will you recognise me? My soul is imprisoned in the hard heart of this tree, another victim of your mother’s magic.

I cannot call out to you or wilfully move my limbs. I must let the wind speak for me.

I fear I will be waiting forever. 

But forever is not so long.  

Once I thought forever meant an eternity. But even eternity will cease at the end of time.

I can wait. I can wait forever.

FRIDAY FICTIONEERS - 16 of March - THE PUZZLE - My 100 words - from Linda Palund

THE PUZZLE

He didn’t understand. How could he? When I brought him to where the shelter had been, he dashed excitedly into the crater, smelling the bloodstained rocks, whining and scratching at the rubble.

         He couldn’t fathom how Ben’s scent could be so strong, so fresh, and yet there was no Ben.  Puzzled, he sat for a long time, facing down the lane, staring into the distance.

         I had kept Ben’s dog safe, chained up at my house, but after the explosion, I brought him with me to the site.  I shouldn’t have come back, though; I shouldn’t have brought the dog.

the end

This story in a continuation of my 100 words from last week, entitled 

The Colour Lime

which ended with the hunted Ben loading himself with grenades and

taking aim with his rifle for when the Hunters came to get him.  

I just imagined that he would be named Ben and he would have a dog who looked like this.

FRIDAY FICTIONEERS - 9 of March - THE COLOUR LIME - My 100 Words - from Linda Palund

The Colour Lime

She stumbled into the shelter, breathless.

“They took the Perkins family last night.”

“All of them?”

She nodded, lifting her hand to caress my face. 

“Why do they hate the Limeskins so?”

“They need someone to blame.”

“But I don’t want you to die!”

“I don’t want you to die either. You’re not safe here.”

          We hugged; just hugged, like old friends saying goodbye.

After she left, I put a grenade in each pocket, clipped one to my belt and rested the rifle barrel on the stone ledge.

I heard the twigs snap before they entered my line of sight.

Photo Prompt for 100-word Flash #FridayFictioneers by Madison Woods

I stole my title from The Lime.  My story was inspired by Doug's story from last week. I became obsessed with the idea of protecting everyone's humanity, Limeskin and all...

FRIDAY FICTIONEERS - 2 of March - THE WORD JEWELS - MY 100 WORDS - from Linda Palund

The Word Jewels

They come by post. Each one carefully wrapped and numbered. They come to us from all over the planet. Each one a different hue, each one a different jewel, each one a different word.  These are the Word Jewels and we are the Jewel Keepers.

The Jewel Boxes have been prepared, lead caskets to insulate their precious cargo from the coming storm.

We hold each one tenderly, feeling the strength of their precision, before we lay them in their beds. They are the most precious gift we leave and their sparkling existence comforts us.  At least our words will survive.

FRIDAY FICTIONEERS - 24 of Feb 2012 - EARTH FROM PLANET 9 - My 100 words - from Linda Palund

Earth from Planet 9

         The devastation was complete.  Every satellite photo of Earth showed nothing left but rock and ash.

         We, the R7 Series Robot, and the few humans from our last shuttle tour, are marooned here on Planet 9.  Calculations for survival are slim.

         Most of the visitors are over 60 years old.  Fortunately, some brought their grandchildren.  If we can nurture these through childbearing age, we may yet survive.  

         Our humans are depressed; they need hope to survive.  Perhaps our thriving hydroponic gardens will provide a playground for the children. Play can foster hope.

         Hope is the calculation where anything is possible. 

FRIDAY FICTIONEERS - 17 of Feb 2012 - STILL WATERS - My 100 words - from Linda Palund

Still Waters

        When the snow finally melted, the autumn leaves were uncovered. Long dead, they were still startlingly red, lying in damp piles on the stone steps. 
        We climbed up the creek, where the sun shone on waters so clear, we could see the dead fish lying like tealeaves just below the surface.

        The water is icy from the snowmelt, but soon the temperature will rise, forcing the water to boil again.  
        I will sit no longer upon my throne, dangling my feet in cool water.  No insects will buzz in my ears.  No dragonflies will hover above the dead surface. 

        http://madisonwoods.wordpress.com/flash-fiction/lorelei-100-words-audio

FRIDAY FICTIONEERS - 10 of Feb 2012 - BROKEN - My 100 words - from Linda Palund

Broken

         The Devil had been there before us.  The broken mushroom was a dead giveaway, literally. We were getting closer. 

         Everyone stood back while I examined the disturbed ground around the mushroom.  The odour of sulphur was overpowering; nauseating and asphyxiating at the same time, as if he was trying to repel us with his scent.  

         But we were not deterred.  We carried the golden braid and the silver shackles to bind him.

         There would be no escape for him now; his usefulness was over.  Zack already had the lariat ready when we caught up with him at Crater Lake.




http://madisonwoods.wordpress.com/flash-fiction/so-near-100-words/#comment-8753

FRIDAY FICTIONEERS - 3 of Feb 2012 - SUNRISE- My 100 words - from Linda Palund

SUNRISE

         Jason gave us the compass and told us if we kept walking due west, we would see them.  None of us thought it was possible.  The little ones didn’t believe they existed.

         I was older, nearly fifteen and I’d never seen one, but Jason was the oldest man we’d ever found.  He was twentyfive, laying on a stone ledge, waiting for the vultures.        

         “If you make it to Malibu Canyon, you’ll see them on the ridge. They’ve got leaves and everything."

         “What are leaves?” asked Kenny.  He was only seven, one of the last ones born after the Sunrise.