IFC S2R10: A Hero Short

in #ifc5 years ago (edited)

Preamble


rabbit (1).jpg

Pixaby

This post is part of this week’s challenge in the Information Finding Championship (IFC).
The topic of the week is “Hero’s.”

For my entry I have decided to write a short story that has been broken up into several smaller stories. My inspiration for the idea comes from a dream that I had the other night. I should mention though, that I rarely write fictional stories and do not believe that I am any good at them. I have also mostly forgotten the dream that the story is based on which now exists in my mind as fragmented memories. Lastly, I would like to mention that I am experimenting with my writing style here, in that I am going to try to convey the story in as few words as possible. With that in mind, it may require a lot of imagination on the reader’s part. So, here goes.

Genesis


In the beginning. On a world like ours, at a time unknown, an eternal train runs on endless track. It sits high on a mountain, keeping time and giving strength to the world and its people below. People come from miles around to be in the train’s presence and draw strength from its power and its beauty.

One day a man of darkness gathers an army and builds a structure around the train, closing it off from the world below. The man himself continues to draw strength from the train, using its power for himself. He eventually becomes king and darkness spreads across the world.

He builds simpler versions of the train across the country and people pay him to see them and sit in their presence. The king has men tell stories of the train, convincing the people that they are evil, and that the train is their only salvation. Over time, the people forget about the beauty in the world around them and eventually they relinquish all control of themselves over to the king.

But the train keeps moving and time carries on.

Love


On a farm resting in a field surrounded by forest, a boy walks into a garden. He’s been told to kill the rabbits that keep eating the vegetables. He sees one quietly eating lettuce.

He raises his bow to take the rabbit just as it turns to look at him. The two get locked in a stare that seems to last an eternity. It’s as if the boy is looking through the rabbit’s eyes. He sees another boy that looks just like him, pointing a bow back at him. He can feel his heart pounding and realizes that his life is about to end. The boy lowers the bow and the rabbit bolts out of the garden.

Something has awakened in the boy. Something that was buried deep inside him that he had forgotten.

Off in the distance a figure stands in the shadows watching.

The Dwarf


In a village near the farm a dwarf puts on a show in the streets. He is not well received by the crowd. The crowd boos and yell obscenities. He is laughed at. The boy walks up to the dwarf and hands him a coin. Some of the crowd moves on while others continue to watch.

“I liked the show,” he says to the dwarf. “Where are you from?”

The dwarf tells the boy that he is from a place far from where they are. He tells him that he ran away from a life that he wasn’t ready for and that he has been away for a long time. The boy listens to the dwarf’s story and then tells him that he will be back again to watch his show the following day.

But the dwarf leaves that place.

A Shifting Tide


The dark king senses that something has changed in the world. A small shift. A power that had been forgotten has suddenly awoken. Though it is small at first the dark king fears it. He senses it growing stronger and knows how quickly it can spread. Determined to stop its spread, the king creates new rules for the people and doubles his influence in the streets. The king’s men tell stronger stories about the train, mixing fantasy with desire and fear until madness again fills the streets.

Despite the fear and madness all around him, the boy continues to spread kindness wherever he goes. He is like a light shining in the darkness and with each person that the boy encounters the light gets stronger and more powerful. Small pockets of light begin to appear in different places across the country.

From high in his tower the dark king sees the boy and sends his men out after him.

United


Back on the farm a figure approaches the boy while he tends to his garden. Before walking off into the forest he says to the boy

“You will not be alone on this day.”

The boy sees a crowd of people coming down the path towards him. They are angry and full of hate. They screaming in his face and tear at his clothes. The boy listens and when they are finished he offers them food and comfort. One man approaches the boy and spits in his face before knocking him to the ground. The crowd gets frenzied and as they take turns kicking the boy. They are in a trance.

A thumping sound begins to rise in the air. It quickly becomes a thunderous roar. The crowd stops and looks up from what they are doing. They find themselves surrounded by thousands of rabbits beating their feet against the ground and staring at them intently.

The crowd looks back at the boy with his clothes torn and his skin bruised and bloody.
Suddenly they are fearful and ashamed. They quickly leave the farm.

Ending?


In a world like ours a battle between the light and the darkness wages on. Every now and again a hero awakens among the crowds of people and adds a little more light to the darkness. All the while a train continues to run on an endless track.

Sort:  

Awesome story you got in there. You were amazing in your short story. Mostly most people lack the ability to make a whole book in a summary to give the same meaning. But you were awesome with your story.
I really enjoyed reading your story over and over again. Every word in there was worth the time spent on it. And your picture too is so perfect. Great work and keep the story spirit up

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Thanks for the words of encouragement. I'm glad you liked it.

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You are welcome

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Thank you for that little stories , I like the one with dwarf and a boy. We, human do not like something that is not like us, sometimes we just hide it in ourselves but in the past it was normal to show the emotions openly. I believe no matter how good the dwarf would be he would not be accepted by that crowd and I can imagine that he left that place. There is no sense to be there longer, it is wasting time. But it is brave for someone to step up and behave differently. I believe that is something we all should look for in us, courage! Wonderfully written and I like your photograph of rabbit :)

I'm glad that you liked it. Thanks for sharing your thoughts :)

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For someone who does not write fiction often this is great work. It would be great even for those who write often and think highly of their craft.
I was genuinely caught in the plot. Like the boy seeing himself from the rabbit's eyes. That scene was superb.
Great work. Please, keep writing.
Even if fragmented, you have quite amazing stories to be told and there is an audience for them.
What is life, after all, but a bunch of fragments we all try to make sense of.

I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for the thoughtful comment.
"Life is a bunch of fragments that we try to make sense of" - I like that. :)

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A great theme and story, you really did make your dream come to life, the best part was when the rabbit and the boy locked eyes, that is intense I mean you can see all the emotions through the eyes and especially through the eyes of your prey I was happy that the rabbit escaped though. And I absolutely agree that there are opposites in the world between good and evil and once now and again good prevails over evil with the help of heroes.

You are truly a talented writer, @leaky20. It's difficult to write good short stories, but with you.... you make it look like it is a breeze, and I know it must have taken you awhile to come up with those ideas. Great imagination and creativity. Two thumbs up. Three if I had a third.😊

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Thanks for the comment and support I'm glad that you enjoyed it

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Hi leaky20,

This post has been upvoted by the Curie community curation project and associated vote trail as exceptional content (human curated and reviewed). Have a great day :)

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