My 100 Word “Advent Ghosts” Story
» S.D. Smith
Every year, my friend Loren Eaton hosts this cool storytelling tradition at his blog, I Saw Lightning Fall. 100 words exactly and it’s supposed to be eerie, or haunting. I have participated for several years and always enjoy writing and reading the other entries. (Picture from the American Society of Cinematographers.) My story is called “Striver.”
Striver
My testimony, you gods. Yes, I fought you. Yes, I denounced you, killed priests, brewed wars, shattered your sanctuaries. Yes, I became king, made her queen. What of it? What you were, I wanted to be. I took life, yes. Like you. I apologize for nothing.
My end? I was never conquered, really.
I arose, scanning heaven. The ninth sun, which should have been rising, was half-dark –growing darker. It slowly fell out of the sky, careering down like a wounded bird, buried in the ocean.
We lived on for twenty terrifying minutes.
She begged me to save her.
December 22nd, 2012 at 2:49 pm
Nice. More haunting than eerie; feels a bit like Till We Have Faces. Very well done, sir.
December 22nd, 2012 at 3:28 pm
I like it very much. Thanks to you for bringing me into this annual tradition.
December 22nd, 2012 at 6:35 pm
Yeah, like James said, it reminds me of “Til We Have Faces.” Questioning the gods…
“…twenty terrifying minutes…” I like that a lot. I don’t really know why. It’s one of those stories that begs to be reread.
December 22nd, 2012 at 6:46 pm
Good one, Sam. I hope the gods nail this guy.
December 26th, 2012 at 3:27 pm
Fantastic, Sam.
December 28th, 2012 at 11:33 am
I was going to say Till We Have Faces, too, although I see a little Lovecraft here also. And that last line gives me chills. Horrible in all the right ways.