Gene Cooney says:

Friday Fiction: 100 Word Challenge

Sunrise. The field was littered with the wreckage of the prior day’s battle and the unit’s toehold, for it could be described in no loftier terms, was as solid as the muddy ground under foot. Was it only a year ago that we marched from home to the beat of drums chests swelled with pride?

The new day was at hand and, to a man, each wondered if he viewed his last. Yet, clear dawns always bring new hope. False at times no doubt, but the more ephemeral, the more tenaciously we cling.

Time to rise. Sufficient unto the day.

Toni Giovani says:

The sun was setting in a partly cloudy sky. The temperature was 29 degrees Fahrenheit with a forecast calling for an overnight low of 20 with light winds at 5 to 10 miles per hour. Mama, who was responsible for homeschooling the family’s brood of 12 children since The Great Shutdown began after Joe Biden died under mysterious circumstances after being in office for only one day and Kamala Harris became president, carefully took down one of her treasured jelly jars passed down from her great great grandmother so she cold hold it up to the waning rays of sunlight in the window. Looking at her jelly jar in the light of the setting sun reminded Mama of happier and more carefree times. Outside, their oldest child, Jimmy,, who just turned 17 after being 16 for a year, was killing the family dog so the family could have some meat. Fortunately, the family dog was an English mastiff, guaranteeing them a supply of meat as long as they kept it deeply packed under the fallen snow.

Sissy, the youngest child who had recently turned four after being three for a year, asked, “Mama when is Daddy coming back.” Mama explained, “Sissy,” Daddy has gone to help release the Kraken. “What’s the “Kwaken,” asked Sissy? “It’s really hard to explain, ” answered Mama, “But once the Kraken is released, we can have electricity again. “Ya, the Kwaken,”, shouted Sissy Boo Moo Moo! Mama looked down at Sissy Boo Moo Moo, saying, “Oh Lil’ Sissy, once the Kraken is released, Donald Trump will be president again and we will all be safe and secure again. “Yay Pwesident Twump and Kwaken!” squealed Sisssy. “Now go brush your teeth with a stick,” said Mama, returning her mind to more serious things lest her mind got lost in the past.

Suddenly, Mama saw a long tentacle appearing from the gentle rise from behind the house, then another and another and another and another and another and another until Mama lost count. Finally, a large squid like head, which Mama thought looked like a hybrid squid-octupus head, appeared over the rise. Mama, screamed, “Oh my dear God, children, the Kraken has been released!” Suddenly, the Kraken’s long tentacle arms were squirming throughout the house and homestead. Mama’s horrified eyes saw that the Kraken had several children tightly grasped in its tentacles and was pulling them towards its open mouth. “Mama,” screamed Sisssy Boo Moo Moo, the “Kwaken is gonna eat me!!!” “Oh dear,” sighed Mama, “I think we’ve made a terrible mistake.”

Within just a few minutes, the Kraken had caught and devoured the family’s 12 children, leaving only Mama behind. Mama, overcome with shock, thought the Kraken has spared her because adults weren’t as tasty to the Kraken as young people. To Mama’s surprise, she saw that she was still clutching the glass jelly jar in her hand. She looked into it and saw an aura like image of her great great grandmother in shimmering rainbow colors. To Mama’s surprise, her great great grandmother, whom Mama had never met because great great grandmother was dead by the time Mama was born, began to speak. “Mama,” said great great grandmother, “You sure did screw up.” That was the last thing that Mama remembered before blessedly passing out.