Keith’s words “Using this photo (below) as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really; even just a caption for the photograph. Either put it (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keith@channing.info before 6pm next Sunday (if you aren’t sure what the time is where I live, this link will tell you). If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to this page would be appreciated, but please do also mention it in a comment here – pingbacks don’t often work.
Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries, with links to your own blog or web site, next Monday.
The photo.
The Boat by John W. Howell © 2017
“So there I was standing on the bow of that great ship.”
“How did you get on the ship?”
“I was a member of the crew. May I continue?”
“Yes, by all means.”
“As I said I was standing on the bow looking off to the sea.”
“Where was the ship going?”
“It was headed for America. We were doing fourteen knots, and the air was so cold I could see my breath.”
“I’ve never seen my breath. What did it look like?”
“It was like a cloud or smoke from a hookah. All of a sudden this large chunk of ice appeared out of nowhere, and we crashed into it. I was thrown to the deck and covered with chunks as we passed.”
“How did you survive?”
“I got out from under the ice and ran to the bridge. It was warm inside. The captain was frantic. He asked me if I saw anything. I told him we hit some ice. That was the last time I talked to him.”
“Why didn’t you talk to him?”
“He was busy, and I had my duties to attend to.”
“What duties?”
“I was assigned to pilot a lifeboat which I did.”
“It is a wonder you survived.”
“Yes, most did not. That is why we are building this boat here in the desert. It is to be a memorial to those who perished.”
“There is no water for hundreds of miles.”
“It doesn’t matter. They will know.”
“Who will know?”
“The lost souls. The ones I couldn’t save. They will know my sorrow.”
