IAIN KELLY

FREE STATE

He stood in the doorway of his homestead, looking out at his land.

The sweat poured from his bronzed head, the receding hairline exposing his scalp to the sun. In his hand he held the machete. Blood dripped from the point of the blade, pooling on the steps at his feet.

The stench of fresh, dead meat pervaded the air already. He looked at the slaughtered cattle, struck down where they stood. He would keep one for himself, enough food for a fortnight. The rest he left.

In the distance, black smoke clouded the sky, creating a dark fog, heralding the coming apocalypse. He had burned his crops. Scorch the earth, leave them nothing worth taking.

His land. His father’s land. He had seen off many. Whites and blacks. Governments and rebels.

This was no different, no matter where they had come from. He didn’t care if they were from Mars.

They would not take his land.


free

Linking up with the prompt at What Pegman Saw. The task is to write a story in 150 words or less based on the destination that Pegman is visiting. This week’s destination is Free State, South Africa, and I’ve just finished reading H. G. Wells’ ‘The War of the Worlds’, so this tale came to mind quite quickly!

You can read other stories based on the prompt HERE.


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To find out more about my novels, buy the books, or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited, follow the links below:
A JUSTIFIED STATE:  U.S.A. – AMAZON.COM      UNITED KINGDOM     AUSTRALIA    CANADA    INDIA
STATE OF DENIAL:  U.S.A. – AMAZON.COM      UNITED KINGDOM     AUSTRALIA      CANADA   INDIA

21 responses to “FREE STATE”

  1. pensitivity101 Avatar

    An excellent take Iain, devastating but so plausible

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Di

      Liked by 1 person

  2. J Hardy Carroll Avatar

    Great story. Vivid and gruesome.

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Lynn Love Avatar

    Very believable from your character there – if you’ve worked decades to build something up, to defend it, why would you let anyone take it from you?
    Never read War of the Worlds, though I did read The Time Machine years ago. Did you watch the recent BBC WOTW adaptation? Interesting – the first part was the strongest – but flawed.
    Great story, Iain

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      I didn’t watch, but that sounds much like the book. The first half is great, with the MCs eye witness account of the invasion, but the 2nd half dwindles away a bit with a bit of a flat ending. Still worth a read though, and amazing how influential it still is.

      Like

      1. Lynn Love Avatar

        Very much like the TV adaptation then. Wells might not have been able to do endings but he had quite an imagination

        Liked by 1 person

  4. James McEwan Avatar

    “In the distance, black smoke clouded the sky, creating a dark fog, heralding the coming apocalypse.”
    Certainly in the mood for the destruction of life by invasive alien creature.
    However, you could alternatively read “in the distance” as some time in the very near future. Makes you think.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks James, always good when the reader adds something to the writing 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  5. magickmermaid Avatar

    Humans are their own worst enemies.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      It’s surprising we haven’t made ourselves extinct yet.

      Liked by 1 person

  6. pennygadd51 Avatar

    You capture the determination of your hero to hold onto his land by any means possible. And with the ruthlessness and forethought he demonstrates, I wouldn’t be surprised if he succeeds, even if the invaders take over the country.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      He certainly won’t give up without a fight. Thanks Penny

      Like

  7. Liz H Avatar

    Very dark, indeed!
    (Thunderous applause!)

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Liz, glad you liked it 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  8. Alicia Jamtaas Avatar

    Nicely done. My husband and I have seen the film War of the Worlds many times. In fact, we saw it at the local non-profit theater here in Bellingham about a year ago. You did a great take on the prompt using that idea. Well done.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you so much Alicia. Amazing how much one book has resounded through an entire century and more.

      Like

  9. Na'ama Yehuda Avatar

    Devastatingly believable.

    Liked by 1 person

  10. Joy Pixley Avatar

    Powerful piece, Iain. You have me believing the determination of the character to do whatever he can against this implacable enemy. After reading the bit of history in Josh’s post, I have even more context to put this in. Such a sad slice of history.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

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