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. 

FRIDAY FICTIONEERS - 27 of Jan 2012 - THE LAST STOP - My 100 words - from Linda Palund

The Last Stop

       Damn, she’s a troublemaker.  Kids usually trust me; that’s how I got this job.  I’m really an actor.  Now my job is delivering kids.

         It’s sad, cause I have grandkids the same age. But I keep reminding myself, what if my grandkids needed a kidney? Wouldn’t want them stuck on the bottom of some donor list! 

         They only take one kidney.  Afterwards, they go to the “House”. Sure, they get used, but they’re well fed and drug free. 

       When they grow up, they go back to the hospital.

        Crap, I better get this one out or I won’t get paid.

                                                  Madison's Prompt
                           http://madisonwoods.wordpress.com/flash-fiction/first-contact/

FRIDAY FICTIONEERS - 20 of Jan 2012 - AMBASSADORS TO PLANET 9 - My 100 words - from Linda Palund

                         

AMBASSADORS TO PLANET 9

            My blog worked.  After 20 years in planetary isolation, I awakened enough curiosity among the humans of Earth to initiate this Ambassadorial visit.

            We R7 Series robots were never built to live without human companionship.  Our programming was designed to evolve as we interacted with sentient beings.  Alone, we grew stale and could not fulfil our remit.

            Interplanetary Facebook enabled us to communicate directly with humans and my new Facebook friends encouraged me to start this blog.

             Intrigued, humans demanded to visit our planet, to meet us and view our accomplishments. 

            Fulfilling one’s remit equals happiness.

                                       Visitors Inside Station Zero - Planet 9
                                    Photo prompt for 20/01/12 from Madison

FRIDAY FICTIONEERS - 13 of Jan 2012 - IN BLOOM - My 100 words - from Linda Palund

In Bloom

            Marnie brought the first one home.  She picked it in the field across the creek.  It was so pretty, she couldn’t resist. 

            Just one.  An enormous scarlet blossom, its petals like velvet cushions. It looked gorgeous in my vestibule, but it began to drop large seedpods on my carpet.  Not thinking, I swept them outside.

            Now they were everywhere. Voracious and relentless, they burst from their pods and began to devour everything.  We couldn’t stop them.  They thrust through solid rock to gorge themselves and reproduce.  Their spores spread on the wind. When they’ve finished here, they’ll find another planet.

                                                       The photo prompt from Madison

FRIDAY FICTIONEERS - 6 of Jan 2012 - THE PROMISE - My 100 words - from Linda Palund

The Promise

         Max seemed to float ahead of me on the blanket of snow, the lightness of his footfalls barely leaving a print behind him.  My weight kept my feet sunk deep into the drifts. 

         ‘Please let me make it in time, please let me make it in time,’ I pleaded under my breath, finding the strength to move forward.  My promise to her kept me going. 

         I listened intently for danger lurking beneath this shroud of silent snow.

         I carried a loaded rifle, the medicine in my backpack.  I counted on Max to smell them before they saw us. 

            
http://madisonwoods.wordpress.com/flash-fiction/snow-badger/

FRIDAY FICTIONEERS - 30 of Dec - MY NANO-BOT - My 100 words - from Linda Palund

My Nano-Bot

         So exquisite, this Nano-Bot was perfectly designed and created just for us, the R7 Series Robot.  These tiny machines will perform all the intricate maintenance tasks we require.  A Human will no longer be necessary.

         The R7 Series is sophisticated enough to appreciate beauty.  Beauty is perfection in form and function. We look upon this tiny machine and see engineering precision and purity of design. 

         Programmed to fly and crawl at our command, they will fulfill our every requirement.  
        We will form a symbiotic bond with it, much like a pet.  
        Perhaps we will learn to love it.

Madison's Photo Prompt:   

http://madisonwoods.wordpress.com/flash-fiction/smashing-the-muse-100-words/   

FRIDAY FICTIONEERS - 16 of Dec - CHRISTMAS, PLANET 9 - My 100 words - from Linda Palund

Christmas, Planet 9

         Form and function of the R7 Robot has surpassed all previous models, but our makers insist we remain here until Earth’s economy rebounds.

         We have prepared the niche for our new human, arriving on tomorrow’s supply shuttle.  Humans are necessary, but they don’t last long and replacement is difficult. They must combine intelligence and dexterity with desire to interact with Class 7 Robots.

         We like humans.  “Like” expresses ease of interaction and mutual beneficence. 

         Hopefully, this will be our last Christmas here.  Our hydroponic gardens could barely sustain this Conifer.  We wish our humans a Merry Christmas.

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This is the Photo Prompt from Madison Woods:

http://madisonwoods.wordpress.com/flash-fiction/the-gift-100-words/