Thank you again to MadisonWoods for all her work and organization. You can visit her site and read through the other Flash Fiction Friday postings at http://madisonwoods.wordpress.com/flash-fiction/vertigo/
For those who are new, MadisonWoods shares a photo prompt to which several #FridayFictioneers will compose a 100-word flash of fiction. Come and play. Do it. It’s fun.
Here’s my contribution, again, somewhat early. But, I’ve limited internet and must make hay when the sun shines.
The Gospel
“Here comes another.”
“Thought we’d seen the last.”
“Coming to port.”
“Feeble. Adrift in this destitute ether, and we an almighty battleship, reduced to scourging the flotsam. The indignation.”
“In range of flame-jets in ten seconds.”
“Don’t they understand the world? We’re of science, not superstition.”
“In range, Sir. Awaiting orders.”
“Open port torpedo portals. Make ready.”
“Sir. she’s coming about.”
“What’s this new game?”
“She’s broadsiding. Her guns are hot. Orders, Sir.”
“The Gospel?”
Expanding flash, ship ablaze, puckered flesh.
One parched whisper.
“Good Heavens.”
jKb
Loved it! Well done, sir! Definitely not a take I would have come up with! Here’s my go: http://theforgottenwife.com/2012/06/07/friday-fictioneers-6812/
Thank you so much. Heading to your’s now.
Wow! Another very different one! We’re all doing really strange things with the prompt this week. This one was very well-written, but frightening.
Glad you enjoyed!
if her guns are hot – yep that can be gospel. nicely done.
Thanks, Don.
“Adrift in this destitute ether” <<< loved that line. I've noticed a lot of people tackling dialogue this week.
I very often skip dialogue, but this conversation just started in my head. Thanks!
Good heavens! How fitting for a last line. Love this.
Mine is here: http://www.rochellewisoff.blogspot.com/2012/06/wings.html
Thank you, Rochelle. BTW, your link isn’t working.
If I’d typed my link correctly it would work. That’s what I get for leaving it when I was slipping into a coma. http://www.rochelle-wisoff.blogspot.com/2012/06/wings.html
Good Heavens indeed! Nice job.
Thank you so much!
Great dialogue and unique vision. Mine is here: http://karmicdiva.wordpress.com/2012/06/07/friday-fictioneers-68-via-madison-woods/
Thank you so much, Diva.
underestimating the enemy. tsk. tsk.
Agreed. Thanks, RIch.
Good job! Outside-the-box thinking.
mine: http://www.vlgregory-circa1800.vpweb.com/blog.html
Thank you so much, Westerndreams.
Fabulous! Dirigible warships, I love it! I went steampunky too. http://kaitlinandmichaelbranch.com/2012/06/08/friday-fictioneers-6/
Thank you, Kaitlin. I need to read more steampunk…where should I begin?
Phillipa Jane and T. Morris (husband and wife team) have good steampunk, as told to me by @odin1eye, a reviewer of http://www.viewfromvalhalla.com/ who reads and reviews other things I’ve liked. When I get to starting on that genre, that’s where I’ll begin. If you look up odin1eye, tell him I sent you
Thanks for the tip, Madison. I’m gonna dive right in.
You see, that’s complacency for you! Nice wry take on the prompt.
http://castelsarrasin.wordpress.com/2012/06/07/just-chillin-friday-fictioneers-june-2012/
Thank you, Sandra.
Well done! I loe thsi! Mine is here: http://readinpleasure.wordpress.com/2012/06/08/fridayfictioneers-emily/
Thank you, thank you.
Wow…very nice.
http://boomiebol.wordpress.com/2012/06/07/friday-fictioneer-6812-via-mad/
Thank you so much, Boomiebol. Welcome!
Ah, the rewards of hubris. Plus we’re big steampunk fans in my house, so you had me from the top.
Kathy
http://notforallmarkets.wordpress.com/2012/06/08/on-the-bright-side/
Thank you so much, Kathy.
What a piece! I like that your Captain pleads a little bit before doing his job. It’s like he doesn’t want to hurt the ones attacking him. Great story it’s fresh and very imaginative. Here’s mine: http://remakingme-atiyatownes.blogspot.com/2012/06/friday-fictioneer-jump.html
Thank you, Atiya.
Guns ablaze, all hell breaks loose, the gospel speaks of looming doom.
Here’s mine: http://logo-ligi.com/2012/06/08/radiant-flight/
Thank you, Kwadwo.
their arrogance was their undoing; defeated by an inferior (but creative) foe. I love how you painted a picture of post-apocalyptic flotsam in the sky.
Here’s mine. http://practicallyserious.com/2012/06/08/150-word-ficti…-the-spearhead/
Thank you, Derke.
Nice piece with strong dialogue. I can feel the captain’s exasperation — how the combatants seem poorly matched and even poorly prepared. “Expanding flash, ship ablaze, puckered flesh” — was a great line, encapsulating all the chaos of the moment and expressing it sharply. Nice one.
Brian (http://pinionpost.com/2012/06/08/11-2-seconds/)
Thank you for your kind words, Brian.
I just love the language you employ in – it is just so evocative and allows the reader to create an image they can play with too, my favourite this week was the sentence “Adrift in this destitute ether, and we an almighty battleship, reduced to scourging the flotsam” – thanks
Thank you, LInda. I’m glad you enjoyed. That was also my favorite line in the flash.
Somehow I thought it might be
I’m not sure I understand exactly what is happening, but the tension and excitement was excellent regardless. What I interpreted it to be was souls ascending that they were bringing on board, but not sure what the other ship was if not just another enemy airship. Maybe one from hell trying to recover missed opportunity?
My vision was that the photo was the perspective of the battleship blimp, and the goodyear being the Godspell sort of drifting into range, almost a ghost ship or one wounded in an earlier battle, yet, it turned out it was not so dead afterall. So, two steampunk aircrafts battling on the high seas, er, clouds.
This piece has a beautifully wrought steam-punk feel to it. I got lost in the language and the choreography of airborne battle. Well written and worthy of a return visit.
Aloha,
Doug
http://ironwoodwind.wordpress.com/2012/06/08/joining-a-murmuration-or-bud-cowarts-view/
Thank you so much, Doug. I always appreciate your comments.
This entry represents my first foray into the steampunk genre. I can see the appeal now. The imagery this conjures up is pretty cool. I’m imagining a grizzled Captain Nemo-like figure, complete with cybernetic peg leg, the barest hint of terror on his face quickly giving way to stoic acceptance. Unless of course they have parachutes in the steampunk universe, in which case the situation might not be quite so bleak.
Here’s my entry. I decided to do something a bit different this time.
http://themasterofhisdomain.com/2012/06/09/no-more-shop-talk-100-word-flash-fiction-comic/
Thank you, Jake. I’ve not written Steampunk before, but this image and story seemed to want to come alive.
HI … I was lost until I read your answer/explanation to Madison’s comment. I guess it would help if I knew what a steampunk was. Will google it. Some of this modern stuff is confusing to this late-bloomer. Thank you for your touching comments to mine.
I googled it too, Lora. And now I am very curious.
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