My contribution to the weekly 100-word story group Friday Fictioneers run by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields
The current prompt is this photograph by © Danny Bowman
Diary of a cameraman
Imagine the tiger’s rippling beauty; the majesty of elephants crossing vast plains in trunk-to-tail formation; birds filling the sky with colour and music.
What I would give to travel back in time.
Nature has no place in fortified townships where the sea steadily corrodes defences built by quarrying whole mountain ranges.
But I feel in my every fibre the presence of wild creatures here on this Himalayan island. Seeing such a rarity has been my lifelong ambition. Getting here has been arduous.
I activate my eye-cam and creep towards the mound, hoping my thumping heart will not give me away.
©Siobhán McNamara
Nice one siobhah
LikeLike
Thanks Mousume Roy
LikeLike
Very sad setting, and—unfortunately—it isn’t even that far-fetched. I liked how you whipped up a beautiful scene of the wild in the first few lines. I wonder what your MC managed to find?
LikeLike
Thanks Hala J, I hope he found what he hoped to find
LikeLike
A typical wildlife story – a nice and unique take on the prompt.
LikeLike
Thanks Kwadwo
LikeLike
Visual descriptions of nature given additional focus in your third line. Well done.
LikeLike
Thanks for reading
LikeLike
What a fabulous story. It was like a whole novel in a few words. It prompted my imagination to think hopeful things. Like he discovers a plain full of beasts and goes on to establish a nature reserve. Forgive me, I can’t help it, I seem to be an undying optimist regardless of evidence to the contrary.
I reckon while there is life there is hope!
LikeLike
Thank you Sarah. I too hope he makes some wonderful discoveries and goes on to protect them 🙂
LikeLike
Well done Siobhan! Vivid and colourful 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you tinkerrbelle
LikeLike
Dear Siobhan,
Your story put me right next to your cameraman. Well done
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Thanks Rochelle
LikeLike
Siobhan, I felt the excitement of being out in nature and the beauty of it. Great way to start the day.
janet
LikeLike
Thanks Janet
LikeLike
Very poetic and beautifully written prose.
LikeLike
Thank you 🙂
LikeLike
i was taken by the imagery you presented. just like a movie scene.
LikeLike
Thanks plaridel, in the back story in my head the MC had learnt about wildlife from watching old documentaries archived in his university
LikeLike
I read this several times. Great visually and really appreciated your use of kinesthetic senses.
Just a thought… think this could have been reduced to 60 words:
Imagine the tiger’s rippling beauty; the majesty of elephants crossing vast plains in trunk-to-tail formation; birds filling the sky with colour and music.
Nature has no place in fortified townships where the sea steadily corrodes defences built by quarrying whole mountain ranges.
I activate my eye-cam and creep towards the mound, hoping my thumping heart will not give me away.
LikeLike
Thanks for your feedback bloggedartistry
LikeLike
Such beautiful descriptions of a future world that will mean disaster for so much and so many. The feelings of your protagonist are very well drawn. Good luck to him.
LikeLike
Thanks Sarah Ann
LikeLike
You make me want to travel there with you…
LikeLike
Thank you hugmamma
LikeLike
Your imagery is superb and makes the loss of the natural world even more poignant, Siobhan. Greta story.
LikeLike
Thank you Karen
LikeLike
I liked the vivid description.
LikeLike
Thanks glossarch
LikeLike
your cameraman’s diary makes me want to read more on the adventure. nicely done, Siobhan
LikeLike
Thank you Sun
LikeLike
I hope this isn’t a taste of the way things will be in a hundred years, but I can’t help feeling things are going in that direction.
Great take on the prompt!
LikeLike
Thanks draliman
LikeLike
A not so happy view of the future. Wish you were wrong.
LikeLike
Here’s hoping Patrick
LikeLike
Siobhan you imagery was so vivid. I felt like I was looking through the lense. Incredibly visceral writing and sadly foretelling.
LikeLike
Thank you 🙂
LikeLike
Very disturbing and with an ominisense that ring too true.. sad sad.. and well written
LikeLike
Thanks Björn
LikeLike
absolutely loved the vivid imagery in this piece. a sad view of the future… but your writing was very compelling
LikeLike
Thank you
LikeLike
Loved the tone you set with your rich imagery and hooked the reader and the phrase,” ..where the sea steadily corrodes defences built by quarrying whole mountain ranges”,was amazing.Loved that he hopes to capture the wildlife in the Himalayan island on his camera and not shoot them and has undertaken such a difficult journey to be able to do it 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you 🙂
LikeLike
Beautifully described natural environment gradually being eroded away by mankind not caring enough. Let’s hope we all wake up before it becomes a reality. Well done Siobhan
LikeLike
Thank you, I hope so too.
LikeLike
Terrific piece of writing, Siobhan.
AnElephant loves it.
LikeLike
Thank you
LikeLike
This is great, Siobhan. I like the touch about the Himalayan island too. I guess this is a future where the ocean levels have risen quite a bit?
LikeLike
It is, David, and becoming increasingly polluted as they do so. Hopefully only in fiction!
LikeLike
This was great but I really feel I have to know more.
LikeLike
Thanks etienne, I’m working on a longer version of this story. I need to know more too!
LikeLike
Enjoying your work. Looking forward to reading more of this story.
LikeLike
Thank you, and thanks for the follow
LikeLike