It was time!
Paula, whipped out her lucky red ribbon, as she and Rita raced towards their fighter jets.
Within moments they were airborne.
Rita fell in behind Paula- scanning her radar.
All too soon, she picked up a menacing red dot.
With practised ease, she banked sharply to the left – Paula, to the right.
Too late!
In one fluid motion, Rita ejected and was thrown clear of her aircraft.
As her body twisted in the air, a sudden wall of flames hit her in the face- setting her chute on fire.
Everything went black.
She awoke wedged between the branches of a tree.
“Paula?” she croaked.
Silence.
Floating nearby, on a single branch, was a red ribbon.
Before she passed out again, Rita murmured the lines from her favourite poem;
“These memories were left here with the trees”
Her eyes closed.
©Vivian Zems (144 words)
Dverse Poets Pub- Prosery
“These memories were left here with the trees”- from the poem “How to Write a Poem in a Time of War.” Jo Harjo
September 16, 2019 at 10:50 pm
So visual – like watching a film.
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September 16, 2019 at 11:15 pm
Thanks Sarah!
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September 16, 2019 at 11:28 pm
Cool take on the prompt.
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September 16, 2019 at 11:51 pm
Thank you 😊
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September 16, 2019 at 11:28 pm
Very creative; nice job, and quite cinematic. The image of the red ribbon will stay with me for a time.
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September 16, 2019 at 11:51 pm
Thanks Glenn🙏🏾
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September 17, 2019 at 12:19 am
Fast-paced and exciting. I’m not sure if the other pilot survived, but I’m glad at least she did.
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September 17, 2019 at 11:33 pm
Thank you 😊
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September 17, 2019 at 11:45 pm
You are welcome, Vivian.
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September 17, 2019 at 12:58 am
What a great story! I’m glued to the computer monitor. More, please? 🙂
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September 17, 2019 at 7:46 am
Lol! Thank you 🙂
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September 17, 2019 at 1:37 am
So vivid–as others commented, it was almost like watching a movie. I couldn’t figure out how you’d put in the prompt line–nicely done!
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September 17, 2019 at 7:45 am
Thanks! It was tough. Started out as a 300 word story….then after some cutting and stitching, I had what I hoped was a decent scene. I’m glad yu liked it. 🙂
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September 17, 2019 at 12:38 pm
I did. Thanks. 🙂
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September 17, 2019 at 2:11 am
Very exciting!
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September 17, 2019 at 7:46 am
Thank you!
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September 17, 2019 at 3:42 pm
I’m with Sarah, a particularly visual piece, Viv, and full of action!
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September 17, 2019 at 7:48 pm
A very original response to the prompt.
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September 17, 2019 at 7:50 pm
I would love to see Top Gun with female pilots… a very very sad end though.
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September 17, 2019 at 11:31 pm
Thanks Björn!
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September 18, 2019 at 7:01 pm
Excellent writing Vivian ! Good use of the prompt line. Enjoyed reading this very exciting tale..
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September 18, 2019 at 9:51 pm
Thanks Rob!
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September 18, 2019 at 11:44 pm
Have you read “The Overstory”? The pilot in that book is saved by a tree. It’s a powerful image and you’ve rendered it well. (K)
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September 19, 2019 at 7:19 am
No, I haven’t. I’ll be adding it to ‘to read’ list. Thanks for the tip and the comment🙏🏾
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