Trifecta – Decay

The wood is split and rotting, the mess hall filled with mess. They’ll send us home any day now; this camp is falling into decay.

I thought when I escaped from the woods, when I was sent out of hell, that I would be saved, that things would be better. But they’re just as bad, and my mom’s just as dead as this place would soon be.

Wendy offered me to join her going back to her home, and I think I’m going to take it. I’ll return to civilisation at last, but I’m beginning to think that I’ll never be the same again.

I miss my family. I miss my old life. I don’t want them to see me cry.

Wendy’s father isn’t a serious doctor, but he got me back to health, and he agreed to take me in. For now. That’s adult speak for “I can’t wait to get rid of you”. He’s only doing it for her.

My heart feels as broken as the wood breaking down the cabins, rotting holes and attracting moss. Soon, it’ll be nothing but debris.

“I can’t wait to get home,” she says.

“I know,” I agree. I’m tired of all this decay.

—

Trifecta prompt.

Trifecta Poetry

Personal image prompt from the internet

Hell
Darkness surrounds me
red
dead
I have been here for days
weeks
years
There’s no way I can tell

Something shifts, and I turn
salvation
safety
I have gone to hell and back
I am standing on a sandy beach
A sentient saviour on the water

Thank you

—

External prompt from Trifecta.

Friday Fictioneers – Moth Town

In the post-apocalyptic town of Monterey, the air is heavy and the heat is throbbing. All humans here have suffered the consequences of their actions.

The first of the moths land on the sides of buildings. Humans are long gone from these man-made structures, and there’s plenty of spoil on display behind solid windows. There is a particularly strong smell coming off of a local McDonald’s, and it’s not the smell of chips frying or burgers grilling.

The news reporters rolled into town…

It’s a big story. How one town went from thousands of people to none. How global warming wiped out one particularly prone town and we all were next.

—

You know the drill. Madison Woods‘ blog.

RIP Indie Ink 2005-2012

We regret to inform you that IndieInk has passed on to the great heavens of the interwebs.

When the site began, its simple goal was to help, and that’s been true for nearly seven years.  Our goal was to help people write, be noticed, know each other, treat each other — the community — with respect and kindness and WRITE.  You mean something in the community and we’ve always wanted you to know that and feel it.

If at least one person felt better after being a part of this community, II succeeded in its only goal.  But, again, everything ends, and, sadly, II has ceased operations today.

We had a great run and we did some great things because of, and with you, the community.  Be kind.  Keep writing. We wish all the best for everyone who has ever supported us.

Thank you for an amazing six years.

AC

I received this message via email today, and I must say, I’m disappointed.

I participated in one mere challenge of this community, and was looking forward to doing more, of honing my writing skills with it. Even though the result of the challenge isn’t one I’m entirely confident with.

Apparently, the challenge I participated in was the last challenge of Indie Ink.

I don’t know what happened, but I will be mourning the loss of this site, even though I didn’t know it for very long.

But what a way to go out. I’m glad I took up the opportunity while it was there. It just goes to show how fragile and fleeting life is.

Trifecta – Wild

He was too young; he spent all his time at school getting teased for eating bugs. How did this even happen?

He was only six, and somehow, he wound up alone in the wild bush of Brazil. He had been with his heavily-pregnant mother on the plane to Spain from Australia. He thought Qantas was the world’s safest plane.

He didn’t know it was even possible for planes to crash. Not while he was on it; him, a small child. His mother, pregnant.

Not many had survived the crash. His mother survived the crash, but had died weeks later. Some of the other survivors supported them, but eventually they all died of starvation or exhaustion.

He survived mostly on bugs. Desperation drove the others to it as well, but by then they were too weak.

He didn’t know if he’d survive out here. By now, he assumed no one was coming. He stuck around too long, so he moved on.

Living wild, the only good thing was that he hadn’t bathed in ages!

Luckily, he learned how to tie leaves together from some kids back at school, so he made a blanket weeks ago that he still carried around. He also had a knife, and some old fire embers. Plus, some emergency stuff from the plane.

Yeah, it was dangerous. But he was big now!

He found a river. He played in it, splashing around. Then he waded through it, ankle deep, following it wherever it was going. Maybe he could find something else to eat.

He wasn’t ever fast enough. Maybe he’d leave the river and find more bugs.

His energy sapped from lack of sleep. He dragged his feet.

He was gonna die out here. He ate more bugs.

“Who are you?”

He turned around. A girl in pink looked back.

“Who are you?” he asked.

“Wendy.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I live through there,” she pointed. “My dad’s a doctor. Wanna play with me?”

“Sure.”

—

Prompt from Trifecta.

Trifextra – Urgency

Fresh off the plane, he came straight here.

No one came to meet him at the airport. No one knew him in this new city, so essentially he was alone.

He didn’t even bother to settle into a hotel yet. This was much too urgent.

He wasn’t completely alone here. He was in town for someone who wasn’t exactly in a position to go anywhere. And now, he was the only person she had left.

“Glad you’re here, Mr. Edwards,” greeted the doctor. “But, uh… you didn’t have time to drop off your belongings into a hotel?”

“You said it was urgent,” he replied. “It was, wasn’t it?”

“Oh yes, definitely, but –”

“So I’m here. I didn’t have a lot of time. How is she?”

“Stable, for the moment, thanks to the quick hands of our doctors. But I’m afraid there’s a real danger of her falling into a coma. If that happens, it looks doubtful whether she’ll wake up.”

“I see,” he said.

“Would you like to see her?” asked the doctor.

“Yeah,” he said. “Uh…” he indicated his luggage.

“Oh yes, one of our nurses can hold those for you.”

“Thanks,” he said. “Now where’s my sister? Where’s Anna?”

“I’ll take you to her room.”

He was grateful for the garden as he passed through the outdoor halls and into the correct ward. He kept his eyes glued to the doctor’s back as he kept walking, and eventually they stopped.

“Right in here,” the doctor indicated, letting him in first.

He spotted his sister soon, without being told, and went immediately to her side. She forced a weak smile. Her beauty shone through her affected body.

“Hey, sis,” he said.

“Hey, bro,” she replied. “Thanks for coming.”

“Anything for you.”

“I’m sorry…” she said, “for everything. I never knew… I guess I just never understood what leaving would do to you.”

“I’m just glad you’re alive.” There was only time to blame. He didn’t want her to miss his familial love.

—

Prompt from Trifecta.

Trifecta – Trouble

An excitement of stars filled my eyes. Rockets filled my immediate vision, more than I’d even seen as a child. It felt like a flashback.

The room was empty, dark. The door, built like a garage door, was unlocked behind me. Yet I froze when I heard the click beyond the door as I rifled through all the fun dangers around me.

The room I was in was only an elevated storage room inside a factory floor. But this place was supposed to be abandoned… why were they here?

I looked around. Oh.

Keeping quiet and low to the ground, I crept to the door, pulling it fully closed. Hopefully they wouldn’t notice. Hopefully the weren’t really after the rockets. These weren’t made for war, anyway.

Keeping it closed was another matter. I had to commit now, because as soon as I let go, they would notice me, they would know they’re not alone in here. If they were really after the rockets, they’d come to know that anyway.

But they didn’t.

I was clinging with my nails to almost nothing. I had to strain to keep a solid grip. From the inside, it wasn’t easy to keep closed. If only I could lock it, they could move on without knowing I was there at all.

These people had given new meaning to the words Militant Athiests. Well, they wouldn’t convert me to their nihilistic propaganda. As far as I was concerned, they were at least as bad as Osama. At worst, they were Hitler.

It wasn’t exactly a holy war. But it had become the new war after the terrorists, both civil and global.

Well, they weren’t gonna take me alive. They could all just rot in hell. And I didn’t mean that metaphorically.

I listened desperately for them to move on. I felt almost deaf, hopeless in here. Outside, trouble was waiting eagerly for me.

They finally left the next room. I let go, and it wobbled back into place.

—

Prompt from Trifecta.

Friday Fictioneers – Rainbows

“It’s like a gay wonderland, isn’t it?”

“What do you mean?” I turned, shocked.

“Well, look,” he pointed out the rainbow. “It’s like it was made for me.”

“Oh,” I said blankly, unmoved. “Okay…” Did that mean he was gay, or… God, I hoped he meant happy. My loins twitched.

He ran out into the clearing. Okay, so he didn’t like bushwalks. But did he really have to look so gay? It made me nervous. I walked slowly after him.

“Come on, Matt, don’t be such a stiff!” he called back to me.

I had to repress a shudder. Telling your mate you’re gay then making jokes is not cool.

—

Prompt from Madison Woods‘ blog.

Trifextra – Mother

The time ticked by, surrounded by darkness. The sound of a car driving, parking, the jangling of keys, the approach of footsteps. The door opened, she flicked the light on.

She froze.

“Mother.”

—

For Mother’s Day on Trifextra.

Friday Fictioneers – The Night

A giant flashlight shines through the black sky and dirty clouds. It was like a beacon of hope to those of us way down here, twiddling our thumbs, waiting for the world to listen to our pleas.

The flood is rising. Those of us still left alive might not be far away from death now. The trees stretching above us might be higher ground enough. But the pressure of the waters might also be enough to knock them off their roots.

I don’t want to be there when all those trees are there to help me drown. But I know I’m not the only one.

—

From Madison Woods‘ blog.

—

Inspiration has struck twice! Here’s my second piece:

Cars whizzed by in the city as the eclipse began. People pass in the streets, in coffee shops, museums, workplaces, back and forth as though it were just a normal day.

Gone in centuries are the days when humans would gather together in numbers just to watch a solar eclipse with their protective equipment.

Now there is nothing to look at; without the moon completely blotting out the sun, it’s just as though the clouds have passed over, with no majesty in it at all. The moon has just grown too distant, interest has gone stale.

Now the only ones who look are the children, pointing upwards in curiosity before their parents pull them along disapprovingly.