Friday Fictioneers: Birds sing at the end of the world

copyright-Rich Voza

copyright-Rich Voza

 

 

 

We need fuel, or I’d avoid the airport entirely. There’s still some left in the support vehicles – for now.

There’s aviation fuel too, but it went badly for the last tribe who syphoned it. The explosion was so large, it woke the twins. All those tears.

It’s the feeling of suspension that’s eerie, all the planes waiting to taxi. It’s as if the passengers just nipped off for a pint and will return any minute, sun cream packed, ready for two weeks on the beach.

What happened to them all?

At least we can hear the birds sing now.

 

 

Written for Rochelle Wisoff-Field’s Friday Fictioneers. See the picture prompt and write 100 words to go along with it. See here for full Ts and Cs.

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31 thoughts on “Friday Fictioneers: Birds sing at the end of the world”

    1. Thank you, Neil. The pic made me think of those plane graveyards they have in olaces like Arizona – countless deserted planes and not a soul to be seen. Very creepy. Thanks for reading 🙂

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  4. Hmmmm. This was mysterious. I didn’t quite get it, though, but after reading all the comments, I think I understand it somewhat. Who is the character? Is she someone who lives near the airport graveyard (which I loved as a concept) and is getting fuel for her home? The lines were great and the story moved along very well. I guess I’m pretty dense when it comes to reading other people’s stuff these days. I’m blaming the heatwave we’re having here in Kansas City. I think I saw a robin dipping his worm in Nestea.

    Five out of five dystopias. 😀

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    1. I think it’s always tricky reading someone elses work if the story is intentionally oblique and stories are open to interpretation, aren’t they? The reader always brings another angle. My thought was that it’s set in some post apocalyptic world where most of the population has gone along with governments and whoever is left is scrambling for fuel and whatever goods are left. And do bear in mind that it could be the writer not writing clearly enough!
      Hope things cool down soon for you and the poor old robins. The birds will be bathing in Nestea if it carries on!
      Thanks for reading and for your great feedback

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      1. Thanks, Lynn. You helped me understand it better. But, see, this is why this blog exists. Rochelle (and I) really want engagement and feedback because these IMPROVE PRODUCT. It’s not a matter of how great the writing is (and I think we have some awesome writers in our “stable of stars”) for FF each week, it’s a place we can help each other get better. You have probably seen peoples’ correspondences the camaraderie and esprit de corps. FF is like a TV show with regulars and guest stars. That’s why it gets a good WordPress write-up each time. FF Central is the place to be and the party is over HERE! 😀

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      2. It is a great prompt with a fabulous stable of regulars – as you say, some real quality is produced there. Glad – always – to take part. Thanks for your valuable feedback 🙂

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      3. Dear Lynn,

        I’ll tack on my two-cent’s worth here since Kent has echoed some of my own thoughts here. First, really liked the story…although if it’s post apocalyptic I wonder where they sun cream came from.

        Feedback is key in FF and what has kept me hanging on so to speak. In all honesty I tend to reciprocate with those who comment and have stopped commenting on those who don’t, I used to try to leave a comment on every story which just got to be too much. I hope that doesn’t sound crass.

        Good story and an interesting take on the prompt.

        Shalom,

        Rochelle

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      4. Hi Rochelle. Yes, I see where I’ve confused you there. The sun cream reference is the narrator saying that the airfield looks like it’s just been deserted by tourists (with sun cream), though I was hoping to suggest that this had happened some time before. Hard to get these things clear in a short piece. Perhaps I should have gone for a simpler premise?
        I do understand about not commenting on those who don’t reciprocate – not crass at all. I feel bad every week as there are so many great writers are involved in FF and I’m never able to comment on as many as I’d like to. But it’s great to engage and read other work – I think it’s helping my writing improve too!
        Thanks for the great prompts and for your helpful feedback. All the best, Lynn

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  6. I love they way you convey the feeling that the protagenist has distanced any feelings for all but her immediate family – ie. the crying of the twins was more upsetting than people getting blown up, As for the way you turned the negative into a positive on the last line, it was like the final brushstroke of a perfect miniature.

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    1. Thank you so much, Jane. I think you’d have to become insular to survive when people are fighting over the few commodities left. You build your clan and everyone outside that can go hang. Back to tribalism – as if we’ve ever left it 🙂 This was one I was more pleased with on the day. Though they were all a bit rushed. Thanks for reading, Jane

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    1. Thanks Liz. I do find that a problem with my flash fiction – maybe with flash in general – that you only ever brush the surface, that I could write a much longer piece on every flash I write. Am I writing the wrong stories, trying to cram them into a flash format? Not sure. But yes, more story to tell here. Thanks for reading and for the feedback. 🙂

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  10. Great piece but when you say the twins woke because the explosion was so loud I’m not sure I understood right. Why are the twins so hard to wake? (My sisters are twins and were always screaming the house down when babies)

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    1. That’s a very good point. Though I must say my son when he was little, could sleep through anything – neighbour’s parties, nearby fireworks, thunderstorms crashing overhead. Granted, he’s not a twin 🙂 If the word count had been longer, I could have said what I imagined – that the airport is far from where they live and they still heard the explosion. Wakeful or dozy twins, thanks for reading 🙂

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