Copyright Kelly Sands
Approaching Storms
A storm was coming.
Rebecca stood, tied to a stake, on the uncannily silent beach, watching coal-black clouds gather and build. She had deserted. Tomorrow she would be shot.
Lightning blazed through the approaching tempest. In its fitful glow, a warship appeared, then many more. They were not friendly, Rebecca knew. The invasion had finally come.
Darkness thickened but still no alarm sounded. The sentries must be asleep.
She imagined herself raising the alarm, being pardoned—a hero. She pictured the invasion force rescuing her. The calculating wheels of self-preservation spun. She opened her mouth to scream, but still hesitated.
The Green-Walled Tower 
July 12th, 2014 at 2:39 am
Ack! What’s she going to do? Good writing!
July 14th, 2014 at 4:07 am
Thanks. 🙂 You decide what she’ll do. I realize that sounds like lazy writing, making the reader figure out the ending, but my thought is the point of the story is the dilemma, so giving either ending would be rather anti-climatic. I know it’s an infuriating style for some people.
July 12th, 2014 at 3:44 am
So, they were not friendly . . . except they just might be for our heroine. I find myself hoping that she gets rescued rather than raising the alarm for the others.
All my best,
Marie Gail
July 14th, 2014 at 4:05 am
Well, I didn’t have room for it, but her own side is rather despotic and oppressive. She doesn’t have much to lose, either way.
July 12th, 2014 at 4:53 am
I like a heroine.
Lily
July 14th, 2014 at 4:04 am
Yes, me too. 🙂 Maybe she’ll go that way.
July 12th, 2014 at 7:03 am
Now’s not the time for scruples, Rebecca! Scream!
Good to see you, David. Do I understand correctly that your time in Korea is coming to an end? Or am I confusing you with someone else?
July 14th, 2014 at 4:03 am
Thanks Helena, and you’re right: I’m no longer in Korea. I was in Canada briefly and now I’m in the US. I don’t know where I’ll settle down since I’m still looking for a job, but it won’t be in Korea anymore.
July 12th, 2014 at 9:32 am
oh, the suspense of it all . . . why not scream, Rebecca?? hmm. you got me wondering. 🙂
July 14th, 2014 at 4:03 am
Well, you can decide. It’s all in your hands. 🙂
July 13th, 2014 at 12:37 am
Dear David,
Perhaps she hesitates because she’s not so sure her life will be spared either way. As always good writing.
Shalom,
Rochelle
July 14th, 2014 at 4:02 am
Yes, she may be executed anyway or the other side might kill her. She’s only out for herself in this decision.
July 13th, 2014 at 12:49 am
Brilliant. What’s she going to do?
July 14th, 2014 at 4:01 am
You can decide what she’s going to do. 🙂 Personally, I think she’ll raise the alarm though.
July 13th, 2014 at 3:22 am
Doesn’t sound like she has much to lose either way. Let ‘er rip tater chip.
July 14th, 2014 at 4:00 am
Well, she’s calculating which side would be more merciful. Best to go with the home team though, you’re right.
July 13th, 2014 at 3:52 am
She who hesitates is lost, but she who is lost may mostly hesitate.
Good story.
Rebecca has a lot at stake. Har-de-har har. 😉
Randy
July 14th, 2014 at 4:00 am
A lot at stake indeed. 🙂
July 13th, 2014 at 9:09 am
He who hesitates…
July 14th, 2014 at 3:58 am
True. She just needs to pick a path and stick with it and if she’s going to raise the alarm, better not wait.
July 13th, 2014 at 1:27 pm
love how there’s action and suspense from line after line… always good writing here. 🙂
July 14th, 2014 at 3:58 am
Thanks KZ. 🙂
July 13th, 2014 at 1:37 pm
I agree with Russell, She’s going to lose either way, so sprinkle some pixie dust (from the floor) on her head and scream! It can’t hurt! Nan 🙂
July 14th, 2014 at 3:58 am
True enough. 🙂 I should have made her a double agent to make the dilemma even greater.
July 13th, 2014 at 4:15 pm
To scream or not to scream, that is the question … clearly a philosopher tied to a stake.
July 14th, 2014 at 3:57 am
Or just indecisive. 🙂 In this case, I decided that since the question was the story, I’d let you decide how it ends.
July 14th, 2014 at 5:13 pm
I’ve been trying to conclude a story for years which has resisted all my attempts. Only a couple of days ago I realised it was already finished, in that I need to leave the reader to make the connections, between what are essentially two tales. 🙂
July 14th, 2014 at 12:24 am
SCREAM!
July 14th, 2014 at 3:56 am
🙂 That’s a good ending for it.
July 15th, 2014 at 3:33 am
Great tension. What to do indeed? I hope she has long enough to think and decide.
July 15th, 2014 at 8:44 am
Sounds like she’s stuck between a rock and a stormy place! Oh no. I hope she’s a heroine. Great tension, David.
July 16th, 2014 at 6:59 pm
She’s not a heroine, but she can pretend. She’ll do whatever she needs to to survive. 🙂 It’s an interesting type of personality to write, although 100 words didn’t give me much room to explore it.
July 15th, 2014 at 5:16 pm
David, The home team has decided to execute her so she needs to get back in their good graces. I say scream the warning. The invaders don’t know her so won’t trust her, and will probably just kill her ASAP. Well written story so I say give it a happy ending. 🙂 —Susan
July 16th, 2014 at 6:52 pm
Thanks, and I agree. I like happy endings too.
July 21st, 2014 at 12:51 am
Palpable tension David! Sounded more like a lose/lose situation to me 🙂
July 21st, 2014 at 9:11 am
Pretty much, although if she can find a way to survive, it’ll all be worth it. Thanks for reading. 🙂
July 21st, 2014 at 1:49 pm
Why?
July 22nd, 2014 at 9:28 am
Why did she hesitate? Just still calculating which is best before doing something she can’t undo.
July 25th, 2014 at 4:17 pm
I’m late to the party here, but I’ve been playing catch-up after quite a hiatus. “Wheels of self-preservation”, indeed…I can see her dilemma!
July 26th, 2014 at 1:45 am
Thanks for the comment and for reading. I’ve been in and out for the last few months too, so I’m trying to be better at reading lately.