© Google, Nov 2016
The Adelie penguin colony at Cape Crozier, Antarctica had long been the subject of study. There were over a quarter of a million breeding pairs of birds identified. Scientists inhabited several tents at the site plus a crude permanent structure that vaguely resembled a collection of shoeboxes. However, this expedition was not here for the penguins.
“What do the latest readings look like, Scottie?” Carter Roberts addressed the party’s Chief Volcanologist Amanda Scott. She ignored the unwanted familiar use of her name.
“Not good, Carter.” She didn’t bother to glance up from the seismology report. “If these readings are accurate, then given the progression we’re seeing, we’ve got less than three months.”
“So Mount Terror is aptly named.”
“We always thought it was an extinct volcano, but sometime next October, it’ll make the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa look like a firecracker, plunging the whole world into a new ice age.”
Written for the What Pegman Saw photo writing challenge. The idea is to use the Google street image above as the inspiration for a piece of flash fiction no more than 150 words long. My word count is 149.
Today, Pegman takes us to Cape Crozier, Antarctica. I looked the place up at Wikipedia, and when I saw “Mount Terror” and “extinct volcano,” I knew I found my hook.
To read other stories based on the prompt, go to InLinkz.com.
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Oh wow. Ominous. I like the concept of “extinct” volcanos. For how long?
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The article didn’t say. I’d have to do more research.
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It’s been extinct for nearly 1.2 million years now, according to Wikipedia.
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Must have missed that one, but if there’s another active volcano a mere 30 km away, what’s to say Mount Terror can’t become active again?
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Excellent story! Actually, with the summer heat right now, an ice age is sounding pretty good.
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Think of it as a counterweight to global warming.
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Good, solid one James. Gives a ‘The Day after Tomorrow’ effect. A long-lasting winter? Brrr… I don’t even feel like thinking about that. Glad Mt. Terror is extinct. Cheers, Varad
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I saw a movie about Krakatoa several years ago. Thanks for reminding me! We also were part of the eruption of Mount Saint Helens a bunch of years ago. Not close but close enough to get a showering of ash on our deck and cars. Great take on the prompt.
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Yeah, I heard the fallout from Mount St Helens was a terrible mess.
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Yeah, time for some coolants. Loved this story, James.
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Thanks, Neel. Climate change via natural disaster.
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