Reading to Write

My Path to Becoming an Author

Page: June 1, 2012 ~ City in the Desert

Every week Madison Woods posts a new photo prompt on Wednesday. She calls it Friday Fictioneers.

Dozens of her fans, like me, write 100 words that somehow touch the subject of the photo and post links to their work on her site Friday. Then everyone jumps across the ether to multiple little vignettes of imagination and comments on them.

Credit to Douglas McElroy

The ridge was bare except for patches of windblown snow. Mariska dropped to her knees and moved cautiously to the crest. In the distance, she could see a city.

There before her lay the destination they had sought for so long. Was it possible that, even now, Jake was with Emalie, waiting for her to rescue them?

She retreated to the edge of the treeline and burrowed beneath the sheltering branches of an old spruce tree. With her back securely against the trunk, she centered her mind. This time she couldn’t wait for instinct. Her camouflage must be in place before she entered the desert or all was lost.

15 Responses to “June 1, 2012 ~ City in the Desert”

  1. T.E. says:

    Very nice set up for a longer story. Is it already part of one? If not, you should write on!

    Here’s mine: http://teschoenborn.com/2012/06/01/friday-fictioneers-4/

  2. Scott Hays says:

    Part of something larger, it would appear. Lots of questions raised in this brief but vivid vignette. Good hook. Mine (two of them) also seem part of a bigger project, and can be found at http://scottcheck.blogspot.com/2012/06/desolation.html if you are interested.

    1. Melody Pearson says:

      Sorry I’m running late on commenting this week. Traveling. Thanks for the kind words. Actually, my previous 3 FF followed this story line. It will probably wind up as a long piece. I did two last week as well.

  3. jeanelaine says:

    Good hook and suspense think you could run with this. here’s mine http://jemcogdell.blogspot.com/2012/06/flash-fridayfictioneersbeauty-in-eye.html

  4. Monique says:

    You created great suspense! I wanna know the circumstances & what happens next! :0

    1. Melody Pearson says:

      Thanks. I’m still working out the details. It’s part of a WIP. The flash fiction exercises have added an unexpected twist to the story line.

  5. Atiya says:

    I’m pretty sure I missed Mariska last week. I’m not sure how that happened but I’m glad I got to see how close she was to Jake. I like that she’s got a plan going and I can’t wait until next week to find out what’s going to happen. As always great story. Here’s mine: http://remakingme-atiyatownes.blogspot.com/2012/06/friday-flash-fiction-start-day.html

    1. Melody Pearson says:

      Thank you Atiya. Last week’s story is still there. It’s under the “Previous Friday Fictioneers” drop down on the menu bar. I did two stories for last week. The first uses the McD’s drive thru. The second applies the moth to Mariska’s journey.

  6. Stacey says:

    Loved the names you chose—Mariska and Emalie were great 🙂

    You can remove “there” from the second paragraph to tighten things a little.

    I would expect Mariska to know what city is in the distance, as she has actively come to seek out Jake and Emalie.

    I was extremely intrigued to know what camouflage Mariska would be donning. I was thinking along the lines of an ability to shapeshift—am I close?

    Nice work 🙂

    1. Melody Pearson says:

      Thanks Stacy. Mariska knew the city existed, just not where it was. She has been tracking Jake to find it and yes her camouflage is a kind of shape-shifting. Among other things, she has the ability to blend her coloring with her background, like a chameleon.

    1. Melody Pearson says:

      Thanks for the kind words. Strong females are the only kind I have the patience to deal with.

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