Memories of a Breaking World
It’s Friday Fictioneers time again, the weekly 100-ish word flash fiction photo challenge hosted by Rochelle. This week the photo was contributed by Rachel Bjerke. I’d love to know where this is, it looks lovely!
I’m not sure what genre to place my story in. I’ll go for “boring” as nothing actually happens. I’m sure there’s a proper literary word for it. I chose a rather pretentious title to spruce it up a bit, though :-).
To read this week’s other stories, click on the blue froggy.
Copyright Rachel Bjerke
Gronedd gazed around the ruins, admiring the damp moss glistening as the sun reflected from early morning dew. At the sight, memories from centuries past rose in his mind.
Gwyneth having her first child. Haffard placing logs on the huge fire. Dafvidd taking his first, faltering steps. Such memories this place brought him; though he had seen billions of years these had been his happiest.
Bound as an Observer to this world since its birth, Gronedd would remain until its end. Seeing wars, disease, hunger, pollution, all around him… he knew his final sleep at last approached. He would spend his final days here.
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Friday Fictioneers
draliman on life 
What an evocative scene, in both image and the words that bring it to life! Nothing can dampen good memories and the hope they inject into whatever the future brings, even “the final sleep.”
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I’m glad you liked the scene I painted. He still has his memories to help him through the years, how ever many there are left.
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A watcher coming to an end sounds a little bit like we are waiting for the seven horsemen coming along as well
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I expect they’ll turn up just before the end. Maybe they’ll be the last thing he sees.
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A billion is a lot of years, even if you say it quickly. It’s why I don’t think eternal life is necessarily a gift. Just a thought. Interesting sketch and a character that could be reused if you need one.
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A life of billions of years is more a curse, I think. Of course, being an “Observer” he’s probably wired differently to us.
Definitely a reusable character, since he’s around from start to finish!
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And a good place to end up. He must be so relieved it is soon.
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I think he is. He’s found a nice spot.
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Wow, the description is wonderful and vivid in my mind’s eye. It is very intriguing too, and it makes me wonder if he is something otherworldly that has been bound in human form, or cursed to wander the earth.
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I think it’s a bit of both – living so long is surely a curse. I’m glad you liked it!
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That’s not boring, that’s the start of something amazing 🙂
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I’m sure there’s a “proper” word for a sort of introspective memory type story 🙂
I’m glad you liked it!
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Brilliant story, D-man. I can see this as a snippet from a novel. Loved it, just loved it 🙂
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I’m glad you enjoyed it! Marilyn mentioned that he’s quite a reusable character. He has been around forever, after all 🙂
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His final days means it is the end of civilization, right? Excellent story. A sadness seems to hover through it.
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Yes – bound to the Earth, it dictates his lifespan. I think he’s sad to see so many people he loves come and go while he lives on.
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Yes, that would be very sad and hard to live with. Especially for a billion years!
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one of your best. great use of imagery and language.
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Thanks! I spent a lot of time editing the descriptions. Glad you liked it!
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Poor guys been around for centuries watching loved ones come and go! No wonder he chose such a peaceful looking place for his final rest. Beautifully done.
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I think he’s happy to just sit there with his memories until the end comes.
I’m glad you liked it.
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A little change from your usual style, Ali. It was very good. however. Really creative and well done. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Thanks, it was a bit less “actiony” than usual but I’m glad you liked it 🙂
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Good one. Bound as on observer to this world from its birth to death – a truly appalling prospect. Well done.
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It hardly bears thinking about – all those years watching.
Glad you enjoyed it.
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Too many serious comments about a serious story for me to make a joke about ‘Global Warming.” Well done. 🙂
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🙂
Glad you liked it!
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Dear Draliman,
Great choice of genre. I’m a specialist in it.
Billions of years? I’d be napping a lot. Very well imagined. Gives new meaning to the words Deep Time.
Aloha,
Doug
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Dear Doug,
I’m wondering if he’s allowed to nap, being an official “Observer” and all 🙂
Ali
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Dear Ali,
I certainly wouldn’t tag this with boring. 😉 Millions of years is a long time to live, love and observe. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
I bet he found it boring 🙂 Imagine the wonders he’s seen…
Ali
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Wow, attributing this place as the last place on Earth—that’s quite the value promotion for one of Bjerke’s photos. (And I mean that in a positive way.)
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It is a great photo!
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I love that you too went (way) back in time. This photo, for me, immediately evoked images of ancient Celts, druids, and such. Nicely done!
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The first things I thought of were ghosts, faerie, druids and so on. It’s such a great picture!
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This was far from boring!
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Thanks 🙂
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This could be right out of the Mabigonion.
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I had to look that up, but yes!
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I really love this little scene. Your writing is beautifully descriptive and the character fascinating. I hope he lives out his last days in peace. 🙂
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Thanks, I hope so too!
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Love the story! I want more 🙂
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It’s definitely a character I could reuse since he’ll always be, and always has been, around 🙂
Glad you liked it!
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Poor guy, it sound like he deserves a rest.
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He definitely does.
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He has thought it was the end before (many times) I hope he is wrong again. 😀
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Me too 🙂
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One of your best pieces, took me there.
Did you enlarged the photo to capture your Observer?
I did not miss the flying body parts in this.
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Thanks! They don’t always need flying body parts 🙂
I actually shrunk the photo a bit.
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What a great imagination you have! Said so much in a 100 words, literally from the beginning to the end. Really good!
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Thanks for such a lovely comment. I’m glad you enjoyed it!
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Hmm, what’s gonna ice the guy that’s been around for centuries? Inquiring minds need to know!
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He’s linked to this world – he was “born” with the world and when the world dies he’ll die with it.
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You write so well, prompts are seldom needed. What do you see in the center of the pond on the very top perch?
Anything or nothing.
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Thanks, that’s a lovely comment!
I zoomed in and then zoomed in again, and I think there’s a frog up there 🙂
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Did you say in your intro that nothing happens in your story? Really? I’d say everything happens – and rather well. A wonderful story.
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Thanks, I’m glad you liked it! It’s less “actiony” than many of my stories, I guess that’s what I meant.
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Wow, I suppose there are worse places to spend your last days. great story!
This is the patio in my backyard…. near Portland Oregon. 🙂
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Thanks! Yes, it’s a nice peaceful spot to wait for the end.
I was hoping it was somewhere in the UK so I could go visit!
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An interesting piece of fiction. Reminds me of some grand space opera summarised in a 100 words. Good job
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The whole thing could be quite an epic considering how long he has lived.
Glad you liked it!
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Reflective… Introspective… but sad. Not the way I want to go.
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Those are better words for the genre, thanks!
I think I’d be quite happy to go that way. It’s kinda peaceful.
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No sadness please!
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As I’m scrambling madly just to attempt to get more stories read, the comments have all been taken this late in the game. I’m not a sci-fi person for the most part, but I really enjoyed this snippet of what is obviously a much larger story, whether written or not.
janet
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I’m glad you liked it! It does seem that I’ve written the very end of a novel first.
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So sad, the end of days. Well written, especially little snippets of family life.
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Thanks! I’m glad you liked the bit with his memories. I had to cut them down a bit due to the word count.
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