Sunday July 15th, 2012

The exercise:

Your word of the day: whirlwind.

We had a very quick visit from a friend of Kat's this weekend - she arrived Saturday morning with her aunt and then, because of crappy flight schedules, had to fly back out Sunday morning. It was great to see her again, but unfortunate that she wasn't able to stay for longer.

The heat finally broke today, as I don't think it got above thirty degrees. Hoping things stay reasonable for the next little bit.

Mine:

He stands facing north atop the mountain, naked as the day he was brought into a world that never seemed to acknowledge or encourage his existence. In his left hand is a brown leather pouch, and from it he pulls a fistful of thorny seeds.

With a cry that is swallowed by the roar of the wind, he flings the spores out into the void and reaches into the pouch a second time. Turning to the west, he repeats this action, turns again. He continues until the final seeds are sent tumbling toward the east and raises his arms to reach for the black clouds gathering above him, as though he wishes to pull them down.

This is the beginning of the end, he is certain. It is time for those who have abused, ignored, and belittled him to pay the price for their transgressions. The whirlwinds will tear them apart, like starving dogs attacking a piece of bloody steak. He believes this with every fiber of his being.

His belief does not waiver until the lightning bolt reaches down and blasts him into darkness.

4 comments:

Cathryn Leigh said...

@ Marc - Ooohhh I like it, poor sorry sod, hasn't he read enough fariy tales that only those who suffer silently and not plot revenge will get their revenge in the end? *giggles*

Glad to hear the heat broke for you, but did you have to send it back to us? :}


The Whilrwind

Tossing, turning, whipping round,
The whirlwind covers hollowed ground.

In a cave the bear just left,
We wait for it to pass.

Searching, seeking, waiting around,
The whirlwind remains on hollowed ground.

I sense a purpose given to it,
One of us a sacrifice.

Screaching, wailing, roaring around,
Engulfed by the whirlwind on hallowed ground.

From inside the solution is clear,
Counter it from inside and out.

Shrinking, Dwindling, deing down,
Gone the whilwind from hallowed ground.

Onward we go out of these woods,
fearing for our earthen test.

inspired by Morgan, of my collaborative story Faerie Bound (link to specific chapter) and the trials she and her freidns face to determine their right to bear Faerie wings. :}

Unknown said...

Book, Baby, Prompt, Read,
Each a high priority
Bidding for my time

<>

The winds of change won't stop blowing
Our family keeps on growing
I'm stretched thin, like a taffy pull
Got no more room, my plate is full.

Greg said...

@Cathryn: interesting poem, I like the rhyme scheme you've chosen for it. I'm also fascinated by the hollowed/hallowed difference you have going on the wind. I'm not completely sure I get it, but I really like the way it adds to the imagery.

@Marc: I'm with Cathryn on this one, your narrator definitely should have known better that to invoke Nature for his vengeance! There's a whole lot of picture painting going on there, and in so few words as well. Excellent!
Oh, and it's always a shame when visits have to be so fast and it's people you enjoy seeing.

The whirlwind
"Well folks, it's Tornado Theresa here with the local weather, and as you can see from it being me, there's another whirly-wind on its way to visit y'all. Now, this little gal of a tornado is a feisty one, she's punching above her weight here as she heads westwards towards the mountains, and we're all thinking that y'all are all hoping that those big pointy rocks are gonna stop her. Well, all y'all'd be wrong this time, because there's a devil of a twister called George coming down from the North..."
Her co-anchors stared at her, thankfully from off-camera where they couldn't be seen, wondering what had possessed her to present the weather report in such a strange fashion. Then they stared at the weather map and suddenly realised what she was telling them, in her down-home friendly and folksy way.
No insurance company in the world was going to pay out on this one.

Marc said...

Cathryn - hey, the heat had to go *somewhere*!

Really enjoyed the subtle differences between the repeated lines.

Morrigan - I can relate to that sentiment, that's for sure. Liked the taffy metaphor.

Greg - yeah, with definite emphasis on 'enjoy seeing', haha. I don't mind quick visits from people I'd rather not see at all!

Well, if I had to learn about disastrous weather heading my way, I suppose hearing it from Tornado Theresa would make it slightly easier to take.