The sun touched the horizon at midnight. As low as it would go for another month.
Aboard the Royal Navy brig Fancy, Percy lay awake in his hammock. Even below deck sunlight seeped in.
Thomas snored next to him. Percy turned away from him. Another night without sleep. He was exhausted. They had been at anchor blockading the small port for four weeks. When they had arrived the sun had risen. It had yet to set.
Why was it so hard? Just close your eyes, he thought. The light still found a way in. It had riddled his mind. It wasn’t natural. It should be dark at night.
The hallucinations started again. The screaming, bright light wouldn’t leave his brain. Thomas snored louder and louder. Percy felt like screaming to make his mind stop racing. If he could just have some peace.
He fingered the knife in his hand. Thomas had to stop making that noise.
Written for ‘What Pegman Saw’, a weekly prompt based on a view from Google Maps. The idea is to write a piece of fiction of around 150 words based on the prompt. Full details can be found HERE.
This week we’re in Hammerfest, Norway – so far north that in summer the sun doesn’t set for two months. In 1809, during the Napoleonic Wars, the British Navy blockaded the small port before attacking and looting the small town. More information on Wikipedia.
For more stories based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.
Iain Kelly 
19 responses to “PERPETUAL DAYLIGHT”
I am a big fan of Patrick O’Brian. His novels didn’t encompass the Royal Navy blockade of Norway, but the life of the sailor on blockade was much the same anywhere it took place. It would be all the harder on a small vessel like a brig, since the North Sea was a relentless foe in all seasons. Well done.
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Thanks. Enjoying these challenges and finding something out about different places around the world. My first thought on reading about Hammerfest was trying to get to sleep when it never goes dark, and then I read about the history and tied it into the Napoleonic wars. A lot of history for such a small town.
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OH My, I am thinking that Thomas better get quiet fast! 🙂
Good post.
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Yep… definitely mitigating circumstances
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From real life – I get really annoyed by snoring! 🙂
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I think there was an old Twilight Zone episode sort of like this. A family had moved into the neighborhood. I forget why, but the neighborhood wanted to make them leave, by force if necessary. While the family was blissfully unpacking inside, an armed mob was gathering, waiting until nightfall to attack.
Meanwhile, a Government rocket experiment went wrong, causing a long lasting flare over the area the mimicked sunlight. Long after the sun had set, the light remained.
It lasted so long, the mob became frightened, as if this were some sort of sign against their plan. Finally, they disbanded and decided to leave the family alone.
Inside their house, the family was exhausted and decided to go to bed, even though it still seemed like there was daylight outside. They had been unaware of the passage of time or how narrowly they had escaped a grim fate.
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When my husband and I visited Norway in 2000, the all night light was amazing! I handled it well, Donn, not so much. I think he would relate to Percy very well. Thank goodness I don’t snore.
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Dear Iain,
I went to Alaska in July a few years back. It took a while for me to become accustomed to the sun shining through my window at 23:00. As for Percy’s reaction to the snoring, I understand that, too. Although stabbing might be a little drastic. 😉 Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I’m not sure how I would cope with no darkness at all, but I know I can’t stand snoring! Thanks Rochelle.
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Loud snoring makes me crazy. I realize Percy might not have had one but that’s our guest room comes in very handy. 😉
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So vivid and real! Great storytelling.
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Many thanks
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Very good.
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Thanks Neel
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Good story… too bad for Thomas though. I hope he slept through it.
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At least Thomas is getting a nice long rest… Thanks 🙂
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oh you really let us feel the angst – well done…..
(but right then… his phone had a text come in – it was his mother – saying she was thinking of him – and she reminded him to take some protein powder to help him sleep….)
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If only that had been available to him 🙂
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yeah…It would have been good
and I like the other comment about “someone” at least getting some sleep.
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