In the Name of Progress
It’s Friday Fictioneers time! Our host Rochelle is taking a break, but the show must go on and this week’s photo (originally a prompt from August 2012) has been contributed by Madison Woods.
To read all the other contributions click on Bracken, the little blue froggy.
Copyright Madison Woods
It had stood for countless ages. Wars had been fought around its trunk. Lovers had embraced beneath its branches. Countless generations of forest creatures had lived and died high in its canopy.
It had seen sunshine and rain, peacetime and dreadful war. It had witnessed good times and bad, famine and prosperity. It had survived the hottest of suns, the harshest of winters and the most furious of gales.
Centuries of memories lay embedded within its massive trunk. Rock, bone, metal.
The earth shook and the tree wept chlorophyll tears as the bulldozers drew closer.
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draliman on life 
Oh no! Echos of Farthing Wood, Watership Down, Epic & Avatar. Will these poor trees & creatures never be safe lol. Great tale Al 🙂
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Hopefully we’ll stop chopping them down while we still have them around.
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Another “sad but true” one. Well done.
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Thanks, I wanted to call it “Progress” but I already wrote that one 🙂
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Al, I really liked this story. I especially liked the part “the tree wept chlorophyll tears.” This kind of continues your story on the poor frog. Well written. 🙂 —Susan
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I almost called it “Progress II” – it was definitely in the same vein as the frog story. Maybe it’s because I’ve been out in nature so much during my holiday.
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Nicely done, sad without overdoing it.
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Thanks. That’s “progress”.
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Really moving.
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Thank you.
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I agree with Susan; the “chlorophyll tears” line was quite striking. Good story !
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Thanks, that line struck me quite early on and then I wrote towards it.
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Very nice! Thoroughly enjoyed the read.
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Thanks, I glad you enjoyed it!
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I like your image of tears. I always think it odd (although sometimes it’s for ease of access, etc.) that for new building, all the trees, bushes, etc. will be removed and later they’ll plant things that will take years to grow.
janet
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Thanks.
Yes, it’s a real shame. There are a couple of developments where they’ve built around the trees, but that’s expensive and at the end of the day it’s all about the money. At least they sometimes plant new trees, I suppose.
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If that tree has an army of squirrels in it, I’d hate to be the guys driving those bulldozers when they get ambushed!
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Ready lads… acorns away!
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And so it goes. We have similar thoughts this week.
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We do indeed!
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Now you’ve gone and made me cry! They should never cut down those ancient trees.
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It should be illegal. Fortunately many trees are protected – I think my local council is currently slapping a tree preservation order on my area – but people can always cut them down and then apologise later when it’s too late…
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Tree tales. If only they could talk. Maybe the world wouldn’t be in such a rush to cut them down. Great story.
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True, they’d certainly be protected then.
I’m glad you enjoyed my story!
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Thought provoking and enjoyable.
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Thanks, I was hoping to make people think about the issue.
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Your last line gives a powerful impact. Well done.
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Thanks, I often try to end with a strong final line.
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Dear Draliman, No, Go away bulldozers! Get away! Trees have seen everything and are on earth to help with oxygen, it’s leaves help clean the air, and they provide shade. What more could you ask from a friend? I love the chlorophyll tears! Good job and well written! You are an excellent writer! Nan 🙂
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At least we’re finally realising the importance of trees, but cutting down the old ones and planting new ones is a shame.
Thanks very much for your lovely comment 🙂
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I was afraid it was going to be knocked down. No! Our tree in our backyard had to be cut down because it was diseased. It was all so very sad. It was such a beautiful tree. Beautiful writing, Alistair. You captured the life of a tree very well. It feels so tragic when they are cut down, for whatever the reason.
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Thanks Amy.
I going to have to cut down at least part of a small tree/big bush soon as it has grown sideways over the years and is preventing the back gate from opening. I’ve been putting it off as it is quite sad.
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I hope — I hope the bulldozers will loose .. they must loose
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Maybe the tree will resist all attempts to fell it and they’ll build around it.
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So much history gone in an instant, so sad!
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Some trees have been around for hundreds and hundreds of years. At least these days there is some legal protection in various countries but if we’re not careful all we’ll have left soon is newly planted forests and woods.
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Great Story, and no blood and guts 😉
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Thanks! I saved the blood and guts for last week’s Storybook Corner story 🙂
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