PHOTO PROMPT © Dale Rogerson
It was too late, so Jeff pulled over and turned off the engine. The effect looked like giant spider legs describing impossible angles across a burning sky, but that wasn’t it at all.
He tried to pray, but everything from guilt to blind fear kept his thoughts away from God. His wife and two children would face this all alone, not that he could have comforted them.
Even though everyone had heard, almost no one believed, so they would blame this on something like solar flares or climate change. The truth was more terrifying and awesome. He was coming back.
It’s Wednesday and time once again to participate in Rochelle Wisoff-Fields 28 March 2025 edition of Friday Fictioneers. The idea is to use the image above as the prompt for crafting a poem or short story no more than 100 words long. My word count is exactly 100.
I’ve just finished reading a Catholic-oriented horror/thriller (which I will soon review), so I have Biblical themes on my mind. Dale’s photo reminded me of the Book of Revelation in the Christian Bible, or rather certain sections of it. I decided to go with that theme. What would you feel if you knew that your entire way of life was about to end and you were among the subset of humanity who knew how and why?
To read other stories based on the prompt, visit inlinkz.
Cover art for my book “Our Legacy, The Stars: A Tom Corbett Adventure.”
My book Our Legacy, The Stars: A Tom Corbett Adventure is now available in Kindle and paperback formats on Amazon.
Based on the 1950s television show Tom Corbett Space Cadet, the book is updated in terms of our modern understanding of science as well as more nuanced characterizations and plot.
The Literary Post says:
“Pyles takes us back to a simpler time in science fiction, complete with all of the warm nostalgic fuzzies that go along with it.”
Order your copy of my book Our Legacy, The Stars: A Tom Corbett Adventure and let the fun begin.
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“And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?”
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In answer to the question you pose in your closing, I think we are about to find out how it will feel if you knew that your entire way of life was about to end, and you were among the subset of humanity who knew how and why. Nicely done.
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Thanks, Violet. I guess we’ll see about that “timing” thing.
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Good job of conjuring an atmosphere of horror and dread, James.
It’s a world that we have worked so diligently to earn for ourselves. It’s too bad Mother Gaia doesn’t deserved such torture. The guy is a worm for abandoning his family. Just his presence would comfort them.
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Thanks, Lisa. Actually, I think he was trying to get back to them when it happened.
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You’re welcome.
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deserved = deserve
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“not that he would have comforted them” says so much about just what kind of guy he is. Pray or not, buddy, you’re toast.
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Actually, I meant for him to communicate just how helpless he felt, but maybe you and Lisa are right and he is a coward in the face of the end of the world.
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Well, it was my first thought and then Lisa sent the other one!
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An ominous prediction of things to come. Great story.
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Thanks, Will.
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You’ve described a cataclysmic event very well. I have some sympathy for the poor, shivering man who didn’t think he could comfort his family. Maybe he really couldn’t!
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Maybe not, Linda. I can only imagine how each of us would feel when finally confronted with the ultimate end.
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The day of the Triffids has returned to haunt us. I like how you left us on a knife edge.
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Thanks, James.
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This: Even though everyone had heard almost no one believed, wraps society up in a nutshell.
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That much is true. Thanks, Alicia.
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Christ, sounds terrifying, don’t think I could cope in this situation, good take on the prompt.
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Thank you. That’s really what I was trying to show.
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you did it well in a nightmarish way!
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Good buildup, James. Very suspenseful.
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Thanks, Nancy.
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I would rather not know.
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