Becky scanned the strange surroundings, but had no memory of how she had arrived. A raven sailed overhead. She stood on an outcropping of rock and tried to shout for help above the din of the pounding water thundering from the rushing river below. Her small platform began to shoot skyward as it began to shrink. There was nothing to hold on to. Her heart raced. She lost her balance and fell. Down through the air, she plummeted towards the jagged rocks and raging river while she screamed.
“What the?” Splash! She fell from the raft into the swimming pool.
~~~
You may have missed this thriller from a couple of months ago… Is Anybody Home? - 100 Word Flash Fiction
Photo by Susie Lindau
For more flash fiction stop by Madison Wood’s blog and check out the comment section
Have you ever had a fear of heights in reality or in a nightmare?
I’m going along with the dream theory as well, I think. It’s a hell of a rude awakening, that’s for sure! Still, coulda been worse – she could’ve actually landed on the rocks.
At the risk of publicly embarrassing myself, I must admit the first thing to come to mind on reading this was the following clip from a 2001 episode of… Monday Night Raw. Some background – the previous week the bald guy (former hero-turned-villain Stone Cold Steve Austin), stole the guy in red (former villain-turned-good guy Kurt Angle)’s Olympic gold medals (genuine in case you wondered) and threw them into the river. So the Olympic Hero did the natural thing – he kidnapped Austin, tied him up, blindfolded him and threatened to throw him into the river. The video’s quite long and contains a fair amount of Stephanie McMahon’s screeching, so I’d recommend skipping to the end here.
Ah, good times. The WWE’s crap these days.
Hahaha! Too funny!
It was a pretty intense nightmare she was having while napping in the pool…
Great story…I love heights myself, though, now that I am older, I admit I don’t put the same amount of trust in my equilibrium, nor will I be looking to take any of the chances I did when younger.
I did have a series of dreams back many years ago of being able to flap my arms and fly…That was awesome…But, I’ve since learned those are supposed to indicate sub-conscience desire to escape our physical situation at the time.
Well, now I know why I never have those dreams anymore…and why I was so reluctantly brought back to earth every time my X-wife awakened me from one…
Dang…wouldn’t it be cool if we could just flap our arms and fly…what a feeling those dreams gave me.
Anyway…time for me to wake up again…
Bye
Paul – you are so funny! There are so many dream theorists out there that at this point, I don’t believe any of them!! Hahaha!
Haha — I’m glad it took that turn at the end! Swimming pools aren’t nearly so scary as what I was imagining.
Mine’s here for this week: http://thecolorlime.wordpress.com/2012/02/24/to-starve-98/
You take fiction to new heights! i am sure everyone enjoys that!
Hahaha! You are so funny Yatin! Thanks for reading!
This is like a lot of dreams I have haha, loved it.
Mine too, although not quite like this one. That I remember anyway! lol!
Thanks Emma for coming by and subscribing!
Wow, I was tense there for a while. I used to be a white water raft guide in ocoee TN and this sounded very familiar at first!
That sounds like a job that would provide fodder for many blog posts! Thanks for stopping by to read today!
Loved the ending. Didn’t see that coming.
I am glad it surprised you Shirley! I always end mine with a twist.
Thanks!
Suspenseful. Great, surprise ending. Didn’t expect it.
Question: Did we get the same photo prompt?
Here’s mine based on Madison’s photo titled: Remnants.
http://www.triplemoonstar.blogspot.com
Thank you so much Lora!
I usually use my own photo. There aren’t any real rules with this group except that it should be short fiction and I always include how many words it is. 100, 125…
No problem with the extra comments. I will delete the dups.
Have a great weekend!
Well Becky sure has a vivid imagination! Better to be falling off the raft into the pool than from the platform to the river below, though
Now I hope I don’t have falling dreams tonight!
I was trying to remember what my dreams were last night, but at least I survived the fall if I did have a nightmare. LOL! Thanks Madison!
Susie this is just so awesome..you write amazing flash friction..
what a wet awakening
hugs
Soma that is so nice of you to say! Thank you.
It was wet and wild! Hahaha!
It takes skill to entrap my attention instantly, Susie…
Well done!
It’s a cinch Hook! I just take my hands and place them on either side of your face and say, “Read this Hook!” Hahaha!
(I woke up on the funny side of the bed today….)
Seriously, thank you so much!
Wonderful writing – fantastic ‘punchline’!
Hey, thanks JM! I am glad it “got” you!
This really is like what falling feels like in a dream. An excellent job! My link is right here: http://quillshiv.wordpress.com/2012/02/24/let-flow-what-is-left/
Thanks Quill! I am so glad since I was trying to capture that sense of being out of control and the fear that goes with it.
Always a good story. And I loved the Vertigo trailer!
Thanks Ralph! Love Vertigo. I am about due for another viewing…
I used to have the dream of falling regularly, but somehow I guess I got past some issues and my dreams are now about other things. Excellent description and your words flow trippingly (accidental pun). Anyway, I think it’s a fairly common dream and I’m guessing a good portion of the writers who read it will be able to relate. You really captured the way a dream feels, the not knowing how you got there scenario. But I am wondering what Traxen is doing these days!
Here’s mine: http://bridgesareforburning.wordpress.com/
I am so glad you could relate to it. Dream sequences are fun to write.
What has my little friend been up to? That is a good question! Hahaha!
I can relate to your character. I went to sleep in a lawn chair by the river once and awoke to find that my so-called friend had tossed me into the river, chair and all. A rather rude awakening, but better than sharp rocks.
here’s mine http://russellgayer.blogspot.com/
Hahaha! That is terrible! Did you wake up in midair and even a better question, is he still a friend?
Thanks for stopping by today Russell!
Hi,
I loved the ending to your story, well done.
Great photos, and what a great video you chose as well, I remember watching the movie Vertigo, the things that can be found on You Tube.
Thanks Mags!
I love Youtube! There are tons of old movie trailers.
I thought this would be a little easier to understand after last week’s complicated tale…
Susie, this is great piece…is it perhaps a scene from your adventures? In Africa, we believe you live your life in the dream, again. Like I play football and finds me playing in my dreams, even kicking out in real life…god bless you if you shared a bed with me! hahaha!!!
Here’s mine:
http://seewilliams.wordpress.com/2012/02/24/moriah/
You are too funny Charles! I have dreamt of having a fear of heights many times, but nothing like this nightmare…
Thanks!
The pool…I didn’t see that one coming…
Don I am so glad I surprised you! Hahaha! I have nearly fallen asleep on pool rafts at noisy WaterWorld of all places!
Har… excellent. Now about the pool…
Thanks Nelle! Hahaha!
Finally, a fear you mention thatI don’t have. LOL That “splash” bit, however… Yipes!
Intriguing story, Susie.
I haven’t had it too often, but when I did, it freaked me out!! i probably had good reason though. In every case there was no place for hand holds and I could have fallen!
Thanks August!
Ha, great ending!
Here’s mine: http://teschoenborn.com/2012/02/23/friday-fictioneer/
Thank you for reading!
What a wake-up from her daydreaming–I’m certain she was plotting the next big scene of her WIP.
Great job–I love the humor.
Mine: http://vsta.pr/zxAJ1y
She might have been! Hahaha!
Thanks!
Nice little twist. Nightmares like this are disturbing. Great job.
Thanks Others! I am glad that you understood what I was doing with it!
You are so good at those twists, super story. That vertigo looks like a mad film!
Thanks Catherine! Good old Hitchcock. He always got it right….
oh my gosh – i love this! Great flash fiction piece, Susie.
Thanks Darlene! That means a lot coming from another flash fiction writer!
I love your idea of posting flash fiction every Friday….I may have to do something similar on my blog!
hey! A lot of us do it.
Jump in on the fun!
Definitely Laureland and Darlene! You are welcome to leave a link in my comments on Friday and on Madison Wood’s blog listed above. It’s a blast~
Hey Susie,
I really liked the tense beginning. Some great imagery, got a little confused at “Her small platform began to shoot skyward as it began to shrink.”
Also, maybe it’s just my mood today, but I’m having a hard time with these “punchline” type stories. Something about them is setting me off. Personal opinion, though, so take that as you will.
If you were confused maybe you didn’t realize that she was having a nightmare.
Sorry Craig, but just a heads up – Mine will always be a bit of a riddle and will always include a twist which just may not be your cup tea.
Thanks for stopping by!
Nightmare eh? I thought it might have been a roller-coaster ride… hahahah, I was way off.
I think the twists just aren’t working for me today, because I don’t remember having the same reaction before. Different strokes, is all, I suppose.
Adventure dreams – the best kind. Nice twist there – enjoyed the flash.
Thanks Sandra! I am glad you came along for the ride!!
I am not a big fan of heights, especially ladders. I once went up into a Fire Station Lookup and my dad had to bring me back down because my legs were shaking so badly I could not climb down the ladder. Thanks for sharing & Have a Great Weekend:)
It really can be unnerving if you feel unstable….
Thanks! Have a great weekend too!
The last line had me pause for a moment and then I had the ah-ha moment. Great twist. Here’s mine : http://postcardfiction.com/2012/02/24/forgotten/
Thanks Janet! I am glad I gotcha!!
Feels like one of those dreams where you jerk awake with that strange feeling of falling – only this time she really did fall!
Great writing!
Exactly! She was dreaming and she did fall! Thank you Niiko!
That was terrifying and the last sentence made do a little head shake. It brought me back tot he games my brother and I would play. Your words did a great job of bringing me into the story!
http://wp.me/pVRF7-r2
I am glad Steven! The twisted ending was kind of anti-climatic, but ended with a big splash! Hahaha!
Yes, my fear of heights has gotten me into trouble more than once!! Wow, yes.
it can be so frightening when you think you could fall and hurt yourself…
Thanks for stopping by!
Definitely not how I expected that to end. But once I read the final sentence I was immediately brought back to my childhood and all the games of wonder and danger I used to play. Well done.
Mine’s here:
http://threedescriptors.wordpress.com/2012/02/24/flash-fiction-10-bones/
She was sound asleep on that raft! Hahaha!
Thanks!
Hello! Have a wonderful weekend!
You too!
I think it’s normal to fear falling. Sometimes, people dream of falling or losing balance so they wake up with sudden jerk then realize that they are just sleeping.
So true Allen and it can really get my heart racing!
In a dream I had a fear of dreaming but then I started dreaming inside my dream which compounded my fear and suddenly DiCaprio and JGL showed up and started shooting people
So awesome. You better write that one down! (I do get your note of sarcasm! Hahaha!)
This was nice, I was thinking it might be a dream when the platform shot skyward, Fun finish.
Thank you Judee! I am glad that you figured it out!
You are great at the twist ending!
Thanks Julie! I am glad you stopped by. Happy Friday to you!
I am petrified of heights and water..
My knees go weak as I type this.
HUGGGGGGG
Better stay off the lifeguard chairs! Hahaha! Thanks for coming by Linda!
Not the ending I expected. But a nice one…
Hahaha! I am so glad John. Thanks for stopping by!
Loved this as always! I used to rock climb and after having kids I have a weird vertigo that I didn’t have before. Even climbing the first platform of the Eiffel Tower freaked me out!
My daughter went through that and couldn’t get over the grated steps that she could see through.
Thanks Smidgen!
It was those steps, yes!! Exactly how I felt! It was silly, I thought “something” could fall through..