Flash! Friday: Besieged

by Michael Seese

Only one entry for Flash! Friday this week. My Friday was a little weird. I worked from home, because the kids were ff school. So I didn't get to go to the gym, where I often write my stories, between the breaks of pain. Then, after dinner, we had to go buy a microwave because the old one conked out. To top it off, there was a water main break in front of our house, so we can't drink the tap water without boiling it. If my dog had died, I could have written a country song about  my day.

But I still write one.

The prompt was The Iliad.

The story elements to use in our exactly 150-word story were:

* Conflict: man v man (not gender specific)
* Character (choose one): a prideful superhero, a hot-tempered king, a mighty warrior, a soothsayer, the most beautiful woman in the world, the kidnapped daughter of a priest
* Theme (choose one): the glory of war, mortality, fate vs free will, friendship
* Setting: a besieged city
We also could have used this picture:

I came up with "Besieged."

The day started with morale low, and sinking rapidly. News filtered through the ranks that the attack was imminent. Through the haze, we could just make out the enemy, moving freely outside the walls.

Many among the populace tried to go about their business, swimming through their daily routines, seeing sanctuary in their little bubbles. I could not.

An uneasy silence settled upon us, slithering across our skin. Then, a wave of dread washed over as he advanced. Closer. Closer. The women huddled in the castle. I thought about my children, safe in their school. For now. At that moment I vowed to fight to the bitter end... la fin amère. The sky opened. Terror rippled through the city as the aerial assault commenced.

"Have no fear, my brothers!" I yelled. "We will rise above this."

Tumbling rounds began drifting down.

Rounds? Ooh! Shrimp flakes AND algae wafers!

"We surrender!"

So until next week, or I have something interesting to talk about....