Thursday, March 06, 2008

(Fiction) Friday followed by Sunday Scribblings

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(FICTION) FRIDAY - FIRE
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Flames licked the black smoke-filled sky. Echoing all around, banging, crackling, the ear-splitting sound of exploding windows. Shards of glass flew through the night air, and flaming timber crashed to the ground throwing showers of orange sparks high into the night air.

Robot like firemen scurried from the building, their suits blackened by the carnage which raged within. ‘Stand back’ shouted a dozen voices as the building started to submit to the ravages of the fire. ‘For God’s sake move back’. A massive explosion shook the very ground they stood on, and million balls of fire rained down from on high.

‘He’s coming round’. The paramedics were risking their lives staying so close to the scene but, his leg was still trapped a fallen brick wall. ‘He’s trying to say something. John, can you hear me? You are going to be OK. Just stay strong. What are you trying to tell us?’

‘Get Carol, get Carol’ pleaded John. ‘Get my little girl. Please get my little girl’.

‘Carol’s his daughter’ shouted a voice from the crowd. ‘The poor little thing is only seven’.

All around people gasped, covered their mouths and stared upwards in horror.

‘Which room John? Where is she?’ But it was too late. Johns glazed empty eyes stared out motionless. His whole body was still. Lifeless.

‘I can hear something’ yelled a man. ‘So can I’ screamed another. ‘Kill the pumps’ shouted the Fire Chief. ‘Everybody shut the **** up’

All was quiet except for a hissing of steam and the occasional crackle from inside the building as the flames continued to devour everything in their path.

A moaning whining pathetic crying came from an upstairs window. The crowd gasped as one, and all eyes turned toward the only part of the block which had so far escaped the flames.

‘For Christ’s sake, were has the hoist got too?’ pleaded the chief. ‘We can’t reach her with our ladders’.

A tiny face appeared. ‘Daddy – Daddy. Where are you?’

‘We can’t wait, she’ll have jump. There is no other choice’. 'It’s too high up. Well ever catch her’

Already people were dragging mattresses from their houses and making a soft landing place below her window. Above that the firemen stretched their net.

The child watched in horror at the scene below. Even at her tender age she knew what she had to do. ‘Jump child, jump now’.

She spun round as a wall of fire appeared behind her. Then pulled herself up onto the window ledge, let out a chilling scream, then leapt into the air.
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Twenty years later a young woman sat in the garden where an apartment block once stood. She placed a bunch of flowers on the bench, and gently stroked the carved letters on its backrest.
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They read ‘Daddy. I passed you on your way to heaven'

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SUNDAY SCRIBBLINGS - THE EXPERIMENT

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When I was a wee small thing I experimented with different ways of attracting my Mum’s attention. One day I’d scream and the next I’d stamp my feet. Another I’d rattle my cot like a chimp in a cage and sometimes I’d throw my toys all over the room. But none of them worked.
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At little school I experimented with ways of getting the attention of my teacher. I’d wave my arms, I’d pull a funny face. Once I purposely knocked something over and on another occasion I let go a noisy fart. It didn’t get me anywhere though.
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When I was teenager I experimented with different ways to get the girl! I splashed myself all over with Brut, I wore a cap at a jaunty angle. I wrote poems and walked with a swagger. I stuffed a tea towel down the front of my Speedos, but none of them helped.
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As a young man I experimented with ways to get a job. I told the truth, and I tried embellishing the facts. Once I pleaded, and I even had a go at playing hard to get. I dressed in a suit, I dressed casual. No joy.
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I experimented with hobbies, but when I went fishing I felt sorry for the worm. I had a go at painting but I got more paint on me than the canvas. When I played golf I spent most of the day in the bunker and the only time I tried to assemble a plastic aeroplane kit I had to go to hospital to get a wing removed from my hand. So I decided to try and visit every pub in the country and I’m doing quite well
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I experimented with finding the ideal woman. I was sophisticated one day and a slob the next. I tried putting on an American accent and had a go at sounding like a DJ. I replied to lonely hearts, and I advertised in the lonely hearts. Nothing.
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I’m still experimenting with life. I’ve tried telling myself that I am unique, and I’ve attempted to be one of the crowd. Sometimes I’ve tried planning for the future, but right now I’m living for today.
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So now I’ve decided to stop experimenting. What will be will be, and nothing I can do will change it. After all, life aint that bad!
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Ps. A couple of weeks ago I placed my article towards the middle of the list, and last week I tried posting it late. This week I’ll have a go at contributing early and we’ll see which works best!
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30 comments:

  1. what a great post. Sends chills through me.

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  2. That's a very tragic story but the love shines through.

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  3. sorry can't talk now, must find tissue

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  4. oh Keith, I missed your space, I did! This was superb.

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  5. Experimenting - think I have tried nearly everything you have, save the towel in the Speedo thing.
    Funny how we force ourselves to keep trying when we should just enjoy being.

    great post.

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  6. Nice posting. Reminded me of that baby they had to throw out of a burning building in Germany. A police officer caught him.
    http://maciesreads.blogspot.com

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  7. The Fire piece sent chills racing up and down my arms. What a powerful piece, and one I am very glad was followed by the description of your experimenting, which got me smiling again.

    Very well done Keith, really well done.

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  8. Greeting dan peace,

    From my perspective, life is a study. We study to understand the life.

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  9. I got goose bumps from your FF entry ... I really liked the last line. A fitting and touching ending to the story.

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  10. omg, the friday fiction was heart rending...the image of te fire, teh sorrow everything came out so vividly..and it was so sad
    :(

    and then u made things up by making us smile...u love experimenting with our emotions don't you?

    :)

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  11. Heh..it's real and down to earth thoughts. I like it. Great piece of work.

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  12. awesome pieces there keith... the fire rages on...yr short stories are so good and flow so easily.. beautiful story beautiful end... growing up never stops, i think that's what makes life so interesting.. it was great to read it from a man's perspective..

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  13. oh this was superb Keith, keep experiementing, life would turn boring otherwise.

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  14. Keith: friday fiction is really heart moving. Sunday scribbles is beyond words. You expressed it so well.

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  15. Experimenting - guess that's what it's all about and there's no one to say whether something else would have worked better. A clever experiment - now hope they don't all work at once - overwhelming... Great post!

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  16. I really like reading your Sunday Scribblings.

    Your Fiction Friday is tender and moving.

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  17. Kieth,
    Despite your resolution to cease I see you're still expeimenting with life. ;)
    It's part of being human to try and try and try again.
    Nice job.
    rel

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  18. This is great no need to change your awesome keep doing what your doing.

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  19. These are both sooo very well written. I love your take on the experiment. Job well done.

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  20. That first story gave me chills. The second made me smile at how hard we try. I like your new approach. Well done and good luck!

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  21. kieth, That is an awesome tale & is so well written. I loved the narration flow & I loved the plot!

    Yes, we go on experimenting, trying to be anything but ourselves.

    The only secret to success though is to just be Natural.To just be YOU!

    Everyone is unique and its better to be your original self than to be a carbon copy!

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  22. Yet another great collection.

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  23. Well done, you experimented with my emotions, dragged me down, then zoomed me up ;) Thanks muchly!

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  24. I'm glad I'm stopped by to read it.

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  25. thus far the experimental posting first seems to have worked out very well...

    hysterical post... loved it...

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  26. Beautiful and sad take on the FF prompt. Superb. Just superb.

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  27. Keith you did a great job on both prompts......and so quickly too! My goodness......the fire story pulled me right in.....and such a poignant ending.

    Our lives are one big experiment! I think we continue to try on different masks and clothes to figure out just who we are......for such a long time, we hanker to be accepted and just like everyone else and all of that and then something happens......we grow up or wake up around age 40 or so and say to ourselves......hmmmmmmm! Frig it!! I gotta to be ME!! and the masks are tossed out, and the clothes are let out :) ..... and our true selves begin to be revealed. I think it happens when we realize that the scars and bumps and bruises we have accumulated along the way are BEAUTIFUL and need to be displayed with pride and pleasure.

    May you have a glorious weekend. Happy trails to you.

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  28. wow that 1st. story Keith, wow excellent read.
    experimenting post makes me want to recommend- Just be comfortable being you my friend! :)

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  29. You are such a good writer! Sorry for getting here so late!

    Refluxing Life

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  30. Heartfelt genuine post. Sadly we crave attention for what seems like a lifetime, then one day we don't! Well put together poetry, I loved it!

    Hugs Sherrie

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