Short Fiction

A Monday prompt at dVerse Poets from Lisa for some prosery, where you use a given line of poetry (or song lyric) to inspire you to here, a 144 word piece of prose (not including the title).

The line of poetry or, in this case, the song lyric? “To hurt is to steal” from Bono and U2’s “Mysterious Ways”.

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The Sapling

He found himself in a forest clearing or was it the middle of a bustling metropolitan street or a majestic city in the clouds sitting at a windingly circular table with a sapling in a simple clay pot at the center.

And he wasn’t alone as there were many for company around this table, countless strangely familiar faces who, when he finally gained some wits about him, all stood in unison, nodding and warmly smiling, smiles he somehow knew, like from lifetimes myriad found reflections.

They all then clapped until he became overwhelmed and began to cry.

“To hurt is to steal, from us pained all” said the comforting face to his left “but to love is to borrow from us more” said the equally comforting face to his right.

Just then the sapling burst leaves and breath and started to grow … again.

What do you see # 267- 16, December, 2024.

Came across this prompt from Sadje through a friends response to it and I really liked the picture. “What Do You See?”.

So some fun then.

Trysta said no way

Koby said no way

Ellara said nothing but sided with a nod, two

Chunk said no way

“You too Chunk?”

“They’re all smarter than me Tallis”

“But, you’re fearless. You’re our warrior”

“Not now I ain’t”

“C’mon, that’s all a bunch of hog’s and wash and old wives annoying blusters nonsense, and you know it”

No one budged, Chunk even took a step back.

“Well, this is the only way forward. Paarter, what about you?”

Paarter was nosing around the base, holding a finger in the air, tasting the earth, whispering to the winds, leaning on one foot, touching his nose with his left hand’s pointer finger …

“Seriously Paart?”

“What? No this is real this time Tallis. No parlor game. I’m not playin’, this is real”

It was then that Tallis realized that this could indeed be real.

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“Ok, cut! Nicely done people. That’s a keeper. Take a few and we’ll get back to it …”

Tallis aka Barry “Wow, keeper!? Cardiff never says that. It’s always let’s go again and again and again …”

“Well, small favors, let’s take it … anyone seen the food truck? I need a really large, strong coffee … I still have a head from last night” and Paarta aka Tom strode off in search

“I gotta give him credit for this” said Chunk aka Chunk “this is one of his best set pieces yet. The story may be lacking but shit looks real!”

“It is real” said Ellara, aka Catherine

Barry “What?”

“It is real”

“Ok woo woo lady”

“No, I’m serious”

“Don’t doubt her” said Trysta, aka Penelope, or Penny standing to Catherine’s side, “My girl has worked with Cardiff before, just like Chunk … and you … and Tom … and Robin … and me”

“I know that Penny”

“This isn’t a set piece, Cardiff didn’t build this, we are actually in the Nether Wood. What do you think all the machinations to get us here were all about?”

There was a pause …

“You’re serious Pen?”

“Dead”

Another pause …

“Ok, whatever , I will leave you all to it … (shouting) Hey Tom, hold up. Some strong Coffee sounds great”

Chunk ”Hey, has anyone seen Koby, sorry, Robin, has anyone seen Robin, he was right here …”

“Last I saw he was nosing around this arch”

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Koby, Robin, hit the ground hard, like he had been dropped from a plane without a parachute, he could barely breathe, the wind knocked out of him hard. He eventually looked up. He wished he hadn’t.