The wind carries grace notes of pine resin and wild lavender. It fills the valley like a sail, and my legs run me, effortless and lithe. Now I am still and the world turns past me. The sun climbs the dome of the sky, pulling a circling hawk, and me after it. I race down the slope towards battle, crushing soil and ancient bones. Fear is squeezed deep down, to a small stone into my belly which I will pass when I pee. My head rings bell-clear, sounding the war cry. I will defend, I will kill, we will prevail.
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
Neil MacDonald Author 
Saor Alba!
Powerful and poetic, brilliant piece, Neil.
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Thanks so much. I was really pleased with this piece
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I particularly liked the idea of peeing out fear. That’s how all fear should be dealt with. 😀
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Warriors have their techniques
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Quite descriptive, Neil.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks, Rochelle
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Such vivid descriptions!
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Thanks so much, Bernadette
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Lovely descriptive lines, I was taken back to the American civil war,
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Thanks so much, Michael. Almost any battle perhaps
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And prevail you shall with such a positive outlook. Well done Neil.
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Thanks so much, Keith
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Brilliant, Neil. I had to feel the strength of my war hammer wielded about just to get the Beserker bloodlust out of my system! Now off to clean up the mess. (Happy New Year!)
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Thanks so much, Dora. Sorry about the mess
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Had me running right along with you. What awesome imagery. Let’s run headlong into 2021 ready to fight and win the battle, shall we.
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Cowabunga!!!!
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Love the imagery here.
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Thanks so much
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“my legs run me, effortless and lithe.” What a great description of what it feels like to run free over the moor!
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Thanks so much, Penny. I was pleased with that line
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Spoken like a true immunologist. Lovely prose. Happy New Year!
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Thanks so much, Jade
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You’re very welcome.
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My word, Neil, you’re waxing quite poetic lately. “Grace notes of pine resin and wild lavendar”—but ending in fear and battle. Really well done.
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Thanks so much, Linda
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A pleasant poetical beginning end in violence and war. Nice one!
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Thanks so much. There is poetry in many things, including slaughter. Without that, we’d never have the Icelandic Sagas.
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What a wonderful prose poem to end the old year, Neil – happy 2021.
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Thanks so much, Liz
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My goodness, a pleasant picture that creates defiance and strength to prevail. Let’s hope the fight was worth it.
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He certainly believes is is
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Hey, Neil. So you will handle it yourself. No need for puppeteer! At first you had me relaxing in the glory. Then wham-mo! 😀 The white knight cometh.
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It was a one-two punch
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but with the grace of the almighty i hope he makes it.
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It might be better if he didn’t
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Such powerful prose that paints a picture of strength and defiance in the face of adversity. Loved it.
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Thanks so much
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Lovely
We will prevail
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Thanks so much, Laurie
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Gorgeous prose. A pleasure to read.
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Thanks so much, Anne
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Beautifully atmospheric, Neil (even if it is to run to battle)
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Thanks so much, Dale. I did spend some time considering whether it should be a run to battle. But I wanted it to be something with a mortal threat.
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It came across. A battle against a mortal threat could be anything.
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Very nice descriptions.
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Thanks so much
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So poetic. I always like your descriptions. I’m not sure about the “pee” thing — it didn’t seem to go with the lyrical quality of the rest of it. I think ‘a small stone in my belly’ says it all and beautifully.
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Thanks so much, Eugenia. The jarring nature of pee was intentional
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“pulling a circling hawk, and me after it” My favorite phrase. Quite descriptive. Loved it.
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Thanks so much, Roger
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I love the first line of this very descriptive place. You make me feel as if I were there. Adrenalin!
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Thanks so much, Sascha
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I like the phrase “my legs run me, effortless and lithe”. Powerful writing.
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Thanks, Magarisa, and thanks for noticing that phrase
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