Friday Fictioneers – Earth Abides

~ neilmacdon
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PHOTO PROMPT © Jeff Arnold

The air holds a limpid clarity. A goat, nibbling my hedge, looks in the window at me looking out. Birdsong resounds over empty streets. I skype my neighbours, even those I don’t like. In the highway’s asphalt, a crack widens and a seed takes root. There will be no going back to “normal” after this is over.

 

Friday fictioneers is a weekly challenge set by Rochelle Wisoff Fields to write a 100-word story in response to a photo prompt. You can find other stories here

77 thoughts on “Friday Fictioneers – Earth Abides”

  1. Everybody’s writings are on the them of our current existence atm! So interesting how us all being stuck indoors is freeing up the planet – air, wildlife, streets, cities. You can see the skies clearing and breath in fresher air when out on a walk.

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  3. Neil, can I ask – do you get a reminder about Friday Fictioneers – or do you just go to Rochelle’s site each week? I only remember (I know, something is wrong with me!) when I get the email from the people I follow 🙂

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  4. I just looked out my window to see 3 deer running around the cul de sac and thought of the wildlife taking over. Good story, Neil. I wonder if the duration of the event will make us more environmentally thoughtful?

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    1. Thanks, Sascha. At the very least, it is making us more conscious of our interdepence, and that SHOULD make us more conscious of the world we live in and our obligation to those who come after us

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  13. This isn’t based in Llandudno by any chance, is it? Did you see the footage of goats reclaiming the streets? Marvellous. I can certainly hear more birdsong than usual. Loving that at least. As to how life will change, we’ll have to wait and see. Timely story, Neil

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  16. One blessing of this disturbing period in our lives is that at least people have stopped bleating about how many types of gender there are and whether they’re in the right one for them at this point in their lives. Staying alive, whatever, is the main focus. A thoughtful piece, Neil and I loved ‘skyping people I don’t like”. 🙂

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  18. “Limpid clarity” is a perfect description of that sky. I agree we will never go back to normal again. I just haven’t figured out if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. Beautiful writing, Neil.

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  21. “normal” is a setting on a dish-washer, me say … 😉
    And … yes, life is more about change than anything, though sometimes change happens a lot bit faster than we’d choose or anticipated …

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  23. I’ve always had a warm place in my heart for “Earth Abides,” the ’49 novel by George Steward. Haven’t thought about it in years but it certainly fits into today’s situation. Cheers.

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  29. Great writing Neil. Loved the goats looking in and you looking out and also Skyping the neighbours that you don’t like. The message of increasing loneliness comes across to me and the crack in the road with the new green shoot says it all. Superb.

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