Photo Copyright: Rochelle Wisoff-Fields
“Tell me the story again, Mommy,” begged Myrtle.
“Once more, then sleep, sweetheart,” Olive replied.
“There once was a sprout who tried to push out, but she just couldn’t find her way. She looked to the sun, but there was none, blinded by lazy haze. She called to the rain, but it fell in a blaze, so the sprout just withered away.”
“Mommy, will I ever see real plants and rain and sun and a bonfire under the stars?”
“Someday, when it’s safe outside, maybe we’ll discover a sprout up on the surface. Until then, we have our cyber-nature.”
This far-fetched tale brought to you by the Friday Fictioneers photo prompt. The challenge is to write a 100-word or less story based on the photo. I heard a rumor that today (9/4) is Rochelle Wisoff-Fields’ birthday. Happy Birthday to our gracious host.
Click on the badge below to read the other stories and poems:
Chronic Nonsense 
Enjoyed!
Thanks, Karen!
I hope this never becomes a reality!
Me too. Thanks for reading and commenting.
I liked this very much. A great idea from the prompt. I just wasn’t sure about the last line. It was too telling. I think the mother said that for the benefit of the reader rather than her daughter. Just a thought.
Claire
I don’t really like the last line either. Maybe too contrived. I changed it several times before posting, but I need to work on it again. Thanks for confirming my suspicion. I appreciate the feedback. Glad you liked it. 🙂
Maybe it would work with just deleting the last line?
Because the penultimate one gets across the idea that they are underground and things aren’t safe on the surface. Maybe that’s enough.
I deleted “subterranean” to start. I might come up with a new last line when I have a chance. I’ll think about it while I’m on the road. Thanks for the suggestion.
Wow! I love the interaction with the mom and kid. So natural and realistic. The cyber-nature angle was great, too. Super, Lisa!
Thanks so much!
Great concept. You infer a lot of backstory with only half your hundred words. Great piece.
Thank you!
Dear Lisa,
Sweet exchange between the mother and child. Sad scenario that I hope never becomes a reality.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thanks, Rochelle! I hope it never happens too. Imagine living in a cave.
Enjoyable, but thought-provoking story, Lisa. I enjoyed it but hope the reason for it never happens.
janet
Thanks, Janet! I like visiting caves, but to live in one and never see the sun would be horrible. I doubt it would be possible to maintain such a way of life for too long.
Great story, Lisa. What a cute little children’s verse the Mom contrived to entertain and educate her daughter. A very clever and imaginative use of the prompt.
Thank you so much. Glad you enjoyed it.
I love the mom’s poetic story. I hope this never comes to be. I’m not sure I could never be into cyber-nature. A really creative direction with the prompt, Lisa. I enjoyed it.
Thank you so much, Amy!
Gosh Lisa, this is Good! Scary that it could be one of many futures of our planet!
Nan 🙂
Thanks, Nan! 🙂
Thank goodness for cyber nature!
Yes, thank goodness. But, I heard Mother Nature is angry about it.
I certainly hope so!
Will the surface be clean enough in time for that child?
I don’t know, but maybe it will for her child.
Lisa, I agree that a future like that is scary.
We better stop the rampant pollution or we may see it sooner than we think. There’s no other place we can escape to. I’d rather not think of artificial nature. Well written. 🙂 —Susan
Thanks, Susan! It is scary. You’re right; where else is there to escape to? Colonies on Mars or the Moon? They all sound ominous.
A thought-provoking story that also has a lovely intimacy in the mother-child relationship
Thanks, Siobhan!
Great story, the last line is so powerful.
I enjoy that type of take on the prompt.
I love reading post-apocalyptic SF/Horror.
Scott