She had been drifting for three days and three nights now.
The old wooden boat creaked and strained. She looked anxiously at the sea water appearing gently through the hull. The pool of water grew slowly. She had a couple of hours until they would disappear beneath the surface.
The wind began to pick up. Waves lapped over the low edges of the deck.
She glanced up to see the gathering storm clouds. As she looked away she saw a fleck of movement. It came closer.
A seabird. No. A cormorant. A coastal bird. Land must be close. But how close?
Written as part of the Friday Fictioneers challenge hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields (more details here). The idea is to write a short story of 100 words based on the photo prompt (above).
For more stories, visit the INLINKZ GROUP
I think this is what they refer to as a “cracking good tale”
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Thanks Neil
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You left me wanting more. Good job.
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I like a good cliffhanger…! Thanks for reading and your kind comment.
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“I only teach this song to those who sail with me” — Conde Arnaldos. I love the solitary voice pursuing its inquiry into its own oncoming fate. Well done.
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Lovely quote, thanks for reading.
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It seemed very suitable somehow: I imagine your boat singing to herself … nice way to start my day.
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Great descriptive piece I really felt I was on the boat as well.
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Many thanks!
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I hold my thumbs it’s not an albatross.
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Haha, I was tempted, but I thought I’d give her a chance!
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Think she has less than three hours now. Hopefully the land is very close.
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This was good. I hope she can hold on!
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Many thanks! Me too!
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Ah, hope at last…I truly believe there is always hope. Nicely done.
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It’s nice to end with a bit of hope – and a good cliffhanger!
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Oh I hope she finds land soon.
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I need more. Ok?
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I am waiting with bated breath – does she make it? A great tale.
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Sorry I havent been around sooner, the last few times I checked the blog was down.
Nice take on the story, theres a great ‘will they wont they survive’ element to it. A cormorant seemed totally fitting as the messenger, if black is symbolic.
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Good to have your thoughts. Coincidental that a cormorant is black, I have limited bird knowledge, but does fit in nicely.
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Hope springs eternal.
I hope she has something to bail with.
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That’s what I wanted to say. 🙂
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How close indeed? Great cliffhanger.
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I imagine many a refugee has felt this despair. Thanks for leaving a grain of hope.
Tracey
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Thanks Tracey.
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Ooh, you leave us on a cliffhanger! Fingers crossed for her.
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Dear Iain,
Good build of tension in an atmospheric piece. I felt like I was there. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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“She had a couple of hours until they would disappear…” does this mean she will definitely disappear, or does it mean that she will disappear unless conditions change? errggg! well done.
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Hope is in sight, indeed! 🙂 Love this little story.
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Many thanks.
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Close enough to swim, perhaps?
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Who knows….?
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Nicely crafted and well developed piece, Iain.
Interesting that your character is female, somehow seems to make her more vulnerable.
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Thanks. Really I choose female because I always tend to write male characters, nice to experiment and it felt right for this little tale.
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It worked for me!
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Love the cadence of the piece.
In keeping with it, will the land also appear slowly…………?
I wonder!
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I agree with C.E. Ayr; I like that your character is female. At times, I felt that “she” could even be the craft itself. Well done–we all want the sequel!
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Interesting. Not the first to mention the boat as the ‘she’. I didn’t intend it that way but reading it back it does work quite well!
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Great story, Iain. Just when we thought all was lost, she sees a land bird. You leave us with a touch of hope. Nicely done 🙂
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You have me bite my nails here. Bail, woman, bail! Great cliffhanger.
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Yes. Visual and hopeful, build-up, everything checks.
Nice work!
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Many thanks.
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Very well written. The three of us, Mr Midnight, Sir Winston and myself, enjoyed your piece. Mr Midnight said that it´s a shame one couldn´t stretch it to 150 words but I told him that would be defeating the issue. He´s such a cheeky cat. Thanks for posting. 🙂
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Great tension and as a birdwatcher I appreciated the ornithological knowledge. It reminds me of a TV programme ending, will she make it? Tune in next week.
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Thanks Michael. I like a cliffhanger!
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The birds always seem like a good sign, but maybe not in this case! Left me wanting more. Nicely done.
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Thanks Amy!
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Made me hold my breath for the brave little boat….
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I wonder if she makes it! You sure know how to pull the reader in.
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Many thanks Magarisa.
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Great tension building there, Iain. Good writing. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Many thanks Suzanne.
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You did very well at connecting to the image 🙂 thanks for the read x
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Thanks for reading Bridget 🙂
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good thoughts, nice, keep it up……
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Well written
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This is very good, Iain.
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Thanks Ted, an oldie, but a goodie 🙂
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