Rescue

PHOTO PROMPT © Roger Butolt

 

Mud oozed between Macy’s toes, soothing the thorn-pierced skin on her bare feet. The sun blazed through parting rain clouds. Shining its light on the thorny bushes and flat earth that spread out in all directions towards the horizon. Behind her, beyond that last hill was her boyfriend, James. The ants and maggots probably got to him now. Joining the vultures that pecked at his dehydrated corpse.

Tears pushed under her eyelids, but never fell. Something roared in the distance, growing louder. Flying against the sun, a chopper droned towards her. Those tears swelled and streamed down her dirt-stained cheeks.

100 words

 

What a beautiful image by Roger Butolt! My mind immediately went to a story of a woman who survived getting lost in the wilderness. Hope you enjoy it.

Written for Friday Fictioneers hosted by Rochelle. The challenge is to write a full story in 100 words or less.

Click here to read more flash fiction.

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Responses

  1. neilmacdon avatar
    neilmacdon

    I’m afraid I thought the helicopter might be coming to strafe her until I read your explanation

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Fatima Fakier avatar
      Fatima Fakier

      Ha ha! Was it the dead boyfriend that made her appear as a murderer maybe? He died of dehydration.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. neilmacdon avatar
        neilmacdon

        No, I thought they’d killed him earlier and were coming for her

        Liked by 1 person

  2. justjoyfulness avatar
    justjoyfulness

    Dang! Poor boyfriend!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Fatima Fakier avatar
      Fatima Fakier

      Dehydration is a terrible way to go!

      Like

      Reply
  3. Iain Kelly avatar
    Iain Kelly

    Poor James. Macy is going to need a lot of time to get over this one.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Fatima Fakier avatar
      Fatima Fakier

      A good case of potential PTSD maybe.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  4. rochellewisoff avatar
    rochellewisoff

    Dear Fatima,

    You captured her plight well. I felt her sadness, terror and relief. Well done.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Fatima Fakier avatar
      Fatima Fakier

      Thank you, Rochelle. I appreciate the positive feedback.

      Like

      Reply
  5. Sandra avatar
    Sandra

    Friend or foe, I wonder.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Fatima Fakier avatar
      Fatima Fakier

      Helicopter is a search and rescue operation. So definitely friend. But too late for the boyfriend.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  6. James avatar
    James

    So, were they lost in the wilderness and he died right before the rescue helicopter came, or did the kill him (and if the latter, there is certainly a lot of murder being inspired by the prompt)?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Fatima Fakier avatar
      Fatima Fakier

      They were lost and the helicopter was part of a search and rescue operation. Been watching a lot of survivor reality lately… But it is funny how such a serene image inspires murderous fiction? 🤔😅

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. James avatar
        James

        With a limited amount of information, the imagination goes in many directions.

        Liked by 1 person

  7. Keith's Ramblings avatar
    Keith’s Ramblings

    A tragic scene sensitively described. Excellent.

    Click to read my FriFic!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  8. Sascha Darlington avatar
    Sascha Darlington

    Poor Macy! You’ve done a great job of showing her struggle and sorrow over the loss of her boyfriend.

    Like

    Reply
  9. granonine avatar
    granonine

    A terrible experience. I’m just glad she didn’t kill him!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Fatima Fakier avatar
      Fatima Fakier

      Me too. 😊 Thank you!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  10. michaelwynnauthor avatar
    michaelwynnauthor

    That’s very vivid writing. Well done

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Fatima Fakier avatar
      Fatima Fakier

      Thank you, Michael.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. michaelwynnauthor avatar
        michaelwynnauthor

        You’re welcome

        Like

  11. Life Lessons of a Dog Lover avatar
    Life Lessons of a Dog Lover

    Nicely written.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Fatima Fakier avatar
      Fatima Fakier

      Thank you very much!

      Like

      Reply
  12. Kelvin M. Knight's blog avatar
    Kelvin M. Knight’s blog

    Some lovely turns of phrase in your, story, Fatima. I felt your heroine’s relief at being rescued…

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Fatima Fakier avatar
      Fatima Fakier

      Thank you, Kelvin. 😊

      Like

      Reply
  13. Sarah Potter Writes avatar
    Sarah Potter Writes

    So I’m thinking, is it a police helicopter coming to arrest her, or a rescue one? I’m hoping it’s the latter.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Fatima Fakier avatar
      Fatima Fakier

      You’re not the first to think she was going to be arrested for murdering her boyfriend. But in this case, she’s being rescued. Her boyfriend didn’t survive getting lost in the wilderness.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  14. kindredspirit23 avatar
    kindredspirit23

    Oh, my gosh! What wasn’t to love?!
    My kind of story…let’s here the rest, shall we?
    Reminded me of S.King’s “The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon”. Great Story and not like most of his works.
    Scott
    Mine: https://kindredspirit23.wordpress.com/2017/10/31/reckoning-friday-fictioneers/

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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