QUICKSILVER

Shimmering silver on the sand, the last chance to grasp it.

Too late, it recedes and is gone, disappearing into the distance.

Once it had been gold. Then, oil. Now it was water. The most valuable commodity in the world.

Now he was left with just the sand. Worthless sand that covered the earth in abundance.

It wouldn’t keep him alive.

He trudged on, following the diminishing line of silver on the horizon in the vain hope he would catch up with it.

His throat burned as the sun beat down upon him.


silver-1
Copyright Sue Vincent

This is a response to the #writephoto Prompt: Silver curated over at Sue Vincent’s Daily Echo. Click on the link to read other stories inspired by the image.


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35 responses to “QUICKSILVER”

  1. pensitivity101 Avatar

    I can see this in the future Iain.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Certainly feels like it today, for sure!

      Liked by 1 person

  2. Sue Vincent Avatar

    It may well happen, if we continue to treat the planet with such disrespect.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Let’s hope the pandemic has taught us something, but I fear not.

      Like

      1. Sue Vincent Avatar

        We need to see some good come out of it.

        Liked by 1 person

  3. robertawrites235681907 Avatar

    Nice, Iain, I enjoyed your take on the anticipated water shortages.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Robbie 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  4. Sadje Avatar

    Very imaginative story. But maybe not too far from the reality.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Who knows where we will end up.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Sadje Avatar

        No one, but people are making lot of guesses

        Liked by 1 person

  5. Michele Jones Avatar

    Excellent take on the prompt. Hopefully this won’t be a sign of thing to come.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Michele – let’s hope not.

      Liked by 1 person

  6. magickmermaid Avatar

    This will happen if humanity continues to disrespect their planet.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      I don’t see us changing our behaviour anytime soon I’m afraid.

      Liked by 1 person

  7. joyroses13 Avatar

    I love the sand at the sea, but in this story, which once again seems to close to reality, not so much!
    On a brighter note, I am enjoying a certain book, though you have made me gasp a couple times already and say “No!” , you also have made me smile! 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Glad you are enjoying it so far 🙂 Look forward to your final view. 🙂

      Like

      1. joyroses13 Avatar

        I look forward to hopefully a happy reunion between a mother and son??? 😉

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Iain Kelly Avatar

        I am giving away nothing!

        Liked by 1 person

      3. joyroses13 Avatar

        LOL! I had to try. 😉

        Liked by 1 person

  8. trishsplace Avatar

    Forever searching, while dying of thirst. Complete story.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Trish

      Liked by 1 person

  9. Patricia Furstenberg Avatar

    ‘His throat burned as the sun beat down upon him.”
    Oh, I love this line!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Patricia

      Liked by 1 person

  10. Shweta Suresh Avatar

    An excellent take on the prompt. This could be a reality soon.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Shweta – let’s hope not.

      Liked by 1 person

  11. willowdot21 Avatar

    Oh! My I feel you have just looked into our future. It would be wonderful if we could learn from this pandemic… But we are humans and history says differently. We never learn 💜💜💜

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      It already feels like people are forgetting… Thanks for reading

      Like

      1. willowdot21 Avatar

        I think they are too💜

        Liked by 1 person

  12. D. Wallace Peach Avatar

    Excellent, Iain. And hopefully not prophetic.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Let’s hope not. Thank you.

      Liked by 1 person

  13. Lisa Coleman Avatar

    Very insightful to a list of problems this planet faces with no one leading us to safety. Well done! 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Lisa

      Liked by 1 person

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