Unexpected Consequences

Posted on by Louise Bunting
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Photo Prompt – Grant-Sud / Flooded Out With Books

Unexpected Consequences

Adrugian gazed wearily over the arid landscape, the insistent beat of the sun sapping energy he could ill afford to lose. He knew the villagers below didn’t understand why he traipsed so often to the heights. He’d seen the looks they exchanged. He’d heard their snide comments. Unfortunately, the truth was something they could never comprehend.

He sighed, tossing a pebble over the edge and listening for its faint spolsh into the distant trickle of water. Sometimes it seemed only yesterday he’d learned to skim stones, standing at that very spot. Back when the river had filled the canyon to brimming. Back when the rains still fell.

They’d been so young, then. So naive. All they’d wanted was to halt the devastation of the spring floods. They hadn’t realised the effect their rituals would have.

Now, only he remained…

Adrugian gasped as sudden pain tore through his chest. He slumped backwards, shadows darkening his gaze. He knew his time had come, but a smile formed as he took in his final sight.

Clouds gathered above.

Word Count: 175

This post is for Priceless Joy’s Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers challenge. This week’s prompt was provided by Grant from Flooded out with Books.

To read the other entries click the little blue frog.

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I’d like to both thank and apologise to everyone who has visited my blog recently and left either likes or comments. Whilst I’ve been trying to put together posts, I unfortunately haven’t found the time to respond to comments or to visit anyone’s blogs. Sorry! Hopefully, now the kids are all back at school, work will quieten down somewhat and I’ll finally manage to catch up. I have to admit that all ll I’ve wanted to do with my free time over the Christmas holiday is curl up with a book!

Just to warn everyone, though, I am intending to get stuck into editing the novel I wrote during NaNoWriMo during January, so my blogging might not be as frequent as it has been in the past.

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I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season, whatever festival you were celebrating.

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As it’s nearly midnight here, I’m afraid seeing what everyone else has written will have to wait until tomorrow morning…

Night night. 🙂

14 thoughts on “Unexpected Consequences”

    1. It wasn’t so much a sacrifice – though his death did cause the rain clouds to begin gathering – it was simply his time to pass. I think if he had known his death was so necessary, though, he probably would have sacrificed himself many years earlier, rather than waiting for old age to take him. I’m glad you enjoyed it, PJ. 🙂

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  3. I said this to someone recently, it’s not the passing we dread it’s the knowing that we are leaving too soon. So i think he subconsciously prolonged the inevitable. Very Native American inspired tale to me Louise, brilliant take on the prompt.

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    1. Thank you. I was determined to end with the character’s death, though it was hard to include everything I wanted in the word limit. 🙂 I’m glad you enjoyed it.

      Liked by 1 person

  6. Lovely piece. I enjoy the mythical element come to reality part, the spells or magic, stopping the water, ending with huge canyons but the water returning as the main character passes on.

    Liked by 1 person

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