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
siobhanmcnamara 
Nice one siobhah
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Thanks Mousume Roy
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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?
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Thanks Hala J, I hope he found what he hoped to find
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A typical wildlife story – a nice and unique take on the prompt.
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Thanks Kwadwo
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Visual descriptions of nature given additional focus in your third line. Well done.
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Thanks for reading
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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!
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Thank you Sarah. I too hope he makes some wonderful discoveries and goes on to protect them 🙂
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Well done Siobhan! Vivid and colourful 🙂
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Thank you tinkerrbelle
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Dear Siobhan,
Your story put me right next to your cameraman. Well done
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks Rochelle
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Siobhan, I felt the excitement of being out in nature and the beauty of it. Great way to start the day.
janet
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Thanks Janet
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Very poetic and beautifully written prose.
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Thank you 🙂
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i was taken by the imagery you presented. just like a movie scene.
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Thanks plaridel, in the back story in my head the MC had learnt about wildlife from watching old documentaries archived in his university
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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.
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Thanks for your feedback bloggedartistry
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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.
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Thanks Sarah Ann
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You make me want to travel there with you…
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Thank you hugmamma
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Your imagery is superb and makes the loss of the natural world even more poignant, Siobhan. Greta story.
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Thank you Karen
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I liked the vivid description.
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Thanks glossarch
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your cameraman’s diary makes me want to read more on the adventure. nicely done, Siobhan
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Thank you Sun
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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!
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Thanks draliman
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A not so happy view of the future. Wish you were wrong.
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Here’s hoping Patrick
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Siobhan you imagery was so vivid. I felt like I was looking through the lense. Incredibly visceral writing and sadly foretelling.
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Thank you 🙂
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Very disturbing and with an ominisense that ring too true.. sad sad.. and well written
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Thanks Björn
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absolutely loved the vivid imagery in this piece. a sad view of the future… but your writing was very compelling
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Thank you
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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 🙂
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Thank you 🙂
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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
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Thank you, I hope so too.
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Terrific piece of writing, Siobhan.
AnElephant loves it.
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Thank you
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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?
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It is, David, and becoming increasingly polluted as they do so. Hopefully only in fiction!
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This was great but I really feel I have to know more.
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Thanks etienne, I’m working on a longer version of this story. I need to know more too!
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Enjoying your work. Looking forward to reading more of this story.
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Thank you, and thanks for the follow
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