Ficlets

The Sun And The Children

Beyond the beltway, off the crumbling black two-lane highway, was a clearing. In this field stood a stadium, once a place for unimportant football games and indifferent county fairs. And today, in the stadium, the children and the sun.

A break in the infinite cloud: a golden and final shaft of light poured in, sparkling with dust and dandelion seeds. Beneath, filling the stadium and spilling over, stood the children, who stared unblinking at the light flooding through the rent in the charcoal sky. Silent and unmoving, on the pitch or in the stands or around the stadium perimeter.

One might see and hear frantic parents shuffling through the crowd, calling out names to the empty spaces between their children or yanking them away to take them home. This was futile: parents who carried their children away found them missing again the next morning, back in their places at the arena; woke up in silent houses to find doors still locked, barricades untouched, shackles empty – and who could have said how? Or why?

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The Sun And The Children
Howie Amourscow
Posted about 1 year ago

Intended not so much as a “sequel” as a variation on a theme, picking up a riff from Batak Beatix’ fine piece and carrying it along a few bars. As such, it shouldn’t really be seen as a continuation; it may take place in the same world as the other story or in a similar but different place, before or after or parallel if it is there.
And if I blew a false note during my solo, my apologies to the bandleader.
The Sun And The Children
Fyora Cartagan
Posted about 1 year ago

I very much enjoyed that. And I think it does at least relate to Batak Beatrix’ ficlet. Very well done!
The Sun And The Children
Stovohobo
Posted about 1 year ago

I loce the descriptions, nice imagery.
The Sun And The Children
Batak Beatrix
Posted about 1 year ago

Very interesting variation. An excellent solo.
The Sun And The Children
Alexa ♥
Posted about 1 year ago

Eerie little tale.