Flash Fiction based on a photograph prompt? An inspired idea. Here is my attempt for this week based on the photo below.
Fire on the Mountain Sunset
New Beginnings
Bob rocked the chair gently on his rickety old porch watching and waiting. He knew it would come. It always came. He lifted the whisky to his old cracked lips and sipped slowly, hot liqueur burning a sticky trail down his throat, a warm glow lingering in its wake. His creased hand shook softly as he lowered it to his lap, the first beginnings of old disease creeping into his worn-down shell. The body that had served him so well for so many years would not have to serve him much longer. He watched the flickering glow creep silently onto the mountain. It was time.
[Photograph writing prompt taken from: http://madisonwoods.wordpress.com/flash-fiction/the-western-sky-100-words/]
hugmore 
Loved it! So meaningful!
Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to commment.
I like your description of the whisky going down.
I guess you don’t see that so much in tearooms!
Very true, and perhaps just as well. I used to frequent a wonderful old place called the Scotch Malt Whisky Society in Edinburgh and your post reminded me of happy times spent sitting on a leather sofa sipping drams in front of their roaring log fire.
At the end of each night’s observing here on the summit of Mauna Kea I watch the best dawns rise up out of the Pacific to call a halt to our work. The one thing I say to my compatriots is that no matter how bad the night is going, or how well, the one thing you can count on is that the sun will rise.
Your imagery was spot on and the tone well set. I got the sense that your protagonist was simply watching the dawn and reflecting on the inexorable passage of time. Have to hand it to him, he’s an early drinker.
Aloha,
Doug
Really great imagery, and a sense of, hmm, not quite sadness, not quite acceptance, but somewhere in that neighbourhood. If in fact those two feeling live anywhere near each other. The “cracked lips” part made it real for me.
Thanks for the great comments, Craig. I know what you mean, that is pretty much where he is. After last week I deliberately wanted to try being more descriptive so I’m pleased that seeemed to come across.
Thanks for the great comments, Doug. I like your interpretation. Sunrise certainly adds certainty to a world full of the unexpected.
This is very poignant and full of sensory imagery that made me see and feel what the old-timer experienced. Very nice!
Thanks for the kind comments, Jan. I wanted to focus more on description this time after using dialogue so much last week.
The fire in the sky matched the fire in his belly…
Blessings – Maxi
That was the idea – pleased you spotted it 🙂
Evocative description of the old man, having his last quiet drink. He seemed accepting of what was to come, ready for it. Perhaps more resigned, but ready nonetheless.
Yes, I think it was somewhere between acceptance and resignation. Thanks for taking the time to read and comment.
I liked how the description of the whiskey mirrored the photo prompt/sunset. Great job!
Thanks – it sort of grew out of the picture, if you know what I mean. Pleased you enjoyed it. Thanks for taking time to read and comment.
Loved the description of the whiskey sipping. Is this from experience? Ha! Weirdly, I almost wrote a story about an old man on a front porch with a fire threatening, so we may be channeling the same muse. But I went a different direction. Seriously, this is seriously good writing with the hints to the story just subtle enough. I like it very much.
Here’s mine: http://bridgesareforburning.wordpress.com/
Thank you for the great comments, Ron. Sounds like we have similar minds…at least for this prompt! I could picture it all so clearly. Perhaps not the whisky, but a glas of Baileys liqueur instead.
Some fantastic description here! i keep meaning to focus on description in one of my pieces and then I get carried away with story instead. You’ve managed to balance them both here, for which I salute you.
Thanks so much for the wonderful comments – it means a lot. I usually do the same and try to pack in the action at the expense of description but forced myself to try something different. Once I started it seemed to flow so I might try it again!
Nicely done. The end is coming and he doesn’t seem too concerned. Not quite acceptance, not quite resignation, but more of a expectation. I’d hope we can all face it so well. 🙂
Thanks, Siobhan. I hope so too. Thanks for stopping by.
Very well told and described. Your words were perfectly chosen and never failed to add to the warmth combined with the decrepitude of this old gentleman.
Wow, thanks for the lovely comments. Really pleased you enjoyed it. Thanks for commenting.
I got the sense that he planned to die soon, if not that night, and that the idea of it was nearly welcome. Great story !
Thanks Madison – nice interpretation. Thanks for the great prompt!
Very descriptive. You painted a picture in my mind.
Thanks, pleased you managed to create the picture from the descriptions. I thought I would try a different approach with this one and seems it paid off.
Very wistful look at the end of a life, very nicely told. This is nonsense, but should liqueur be liquor or is it Southern Comfort (and that’s why it’s sticky?). Once again, very nice.
Thanks for the great comments. I think either will suffice!
This reminds me of Harry Randall Truman…the man who refused to leave when Mount St. Helen erupted in May of 1980. I’ve often wondered what went through his mind in those last moments.
~Susan (here is mine: http://www.susanwenzel.com/)
What a coincidence, I was thinking of him earlier. I think it was Madison’s entry that triggered it. When it comes to man versus the full force of nature, there is only one winner. Still, there’s a certain dignity in the simple acceptance of this brilliantly realized character. Going out with his head held high. An admirable end.
Here’s my entry:
http://jaykayel.wordpress.com/2012/02/03/circular-logic-100-word-flash-fiction/
I’m touched that you had a similar thought to me. Thank you so much for the amazing comments – you have inspired me to continue this thing called flash-fiction!
Who knows, perhaps he also sat back and watched the impending disaster approach. Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment.
I liked the relaxed atmosphere you set with the leisurely sentences and word choices–sticky trail, worn-down shell, creep silently–down to the final subtle, It was time. Good stuff.
Here’s mine: http://wp.me/p1Tjpv-8P
Thanks for the great comments. I just felt that this piece should be slow and unrushed – glad that came across.
Great story and wonderful imagery.
Heartwarming in many ways, here was someone who knew the end was close and was ready.
Here’s mine, albeit a day late!
http://mjshorts.wordpress.com/2012/02/04/the-end-is-nigh-100-words-for-friday-fictioneers/
Thanks for the great comments, Mike. You’ve made my day!
Love the aura of patience and lack of urgency. Robin
Thanks, Robin – for comments and for popping by again.
Nicely done. My first impression (analytical mind always racing) was that the whisky was the last bit he had left and that the fire that “always came” was from the destruction of his still by the revenuers, thus creating the need for “New Beginnings.” LOL!
Here’s my story: http://wp.me/p24aJS-2l
Ooh, very deep. I’m not sure I was taking it down to that level but great that you could see more in it!
Very intriguing! Makes me want to read more! Great choice of words!
Thanks – that is a great complement. I must think about taking some of these forward but never quite seem to be able to decide where they should go next. Perhaps I should challenge myself!
How wonderful. In so many ways, this passage reminds me of Steinbeck. So real. There are just so many people in that situation. Who are getting to the point where they need that jigger of whiskey to get the bones moving in the morning. I loved this.
These are the links to my drabbles this week: http://quillshiv.wordpress.com/2012/02/05/ellipsis/
http://quillshiv.wordpress.com/2012/02/03/within-the-inglenook/
Thanks for the wonderful comments – much appreciated.
You do such a fantastic job building the tension. I can absolutely feel the old man’s presence.
I had a busy weekend that prevented me from getting around to the stories as soon as I would have liked, but I’m glad I made it here and thanks for reading mine, too!
Wow, thanks.
I’m very glad you made it here too. A pleasure, I do enjoy reading your contributions too.