Becky scanned her strange surroundings, but had no recollection of how she had arrived. A raven sailed overhead and cawed. Standing on an outcropping of rock, she shouted for help. Her words became lost in the din of pounding water thundering in the river below.
Her small platform shot skyward. It began to shrink. Her heart raced. She threw out her arms for balance, but she fell. Plummeting through the air, she would land on the jagged rocks missing the river by a few feet.
“What the…?”
Splash!
She had fallen from the blowup raft into the swimming pool again.
~~~
You may have missed this thriller from a couple of months ago… Is Anybody Home? – 100 Word Flash Fiction
Photo by Susie Lindau
Have you ever had a fear of heights in reality or in a nightmare?
Susie Lindau's Wild Ride 
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!
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My daughter went through that and couldn’t get over the grated steps that she could see through.
Thanks Smidgen!
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It was those steps, yes!! Exactly how I felt! It was silly, I thought “something” could fall through..
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Not the ending I expected. But a nice one… 🙂
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Hahaha! I am so glad John. Thanks for stopping by!
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I am petrified of heights and water..
My knees go weak as I type this.
HUGGGGGGG
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Better stay off the lifeguard chairs! Hahaha! Thanks for coming by Linda!
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You are great at the twist ending!
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Thanks Julie! I am glad you stopped by. Happy Friday to you!
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This was nice, I was thinking it might be a dream when the platform shot skyward, Fun finish.
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Thank you Judee! I am glad that you figured it out!
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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
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So awesome. You better write that one down! (I do get your note of sarcasm! Hahaha!)
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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.
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So true Allen and it can really get my heart racing!
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Hello! Have a wonderful weekend!
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You too!
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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/
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She was sound asleep on that raft! Hahaha!
Thanks!
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Yes, my fear of heights has gotten me into trouble more than once!! Wow, yes.
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it can be so frightening when you think you could fall and hurt yourself…
Thanks for stopping by!
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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
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I am glad Steven! The twisted ending was kind of anti-climatic, but ended with a big splash! Hahaha!
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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!
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Exactly! She was dreaming and she did fall! Thank you Niiko!
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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/
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Thanks Janet! I am glad I gotcha!!
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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:)
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It really can be unnerving if you feel unstable….
Thanks! Have a great weekend too!
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Adventure dreams – the best kind. Nice twist there – enjoyed the flash.
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Thanks Sandra! I am glad you came along for the ride!!
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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.
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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!
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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.
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I love your idea of posting flash fiction every Friday….I may have to do something similar on my blog!
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hey! A lot of us do it. 🙂 Jump in on the fun!
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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~
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oh my gosh – i love this! Great flash fiction piece, Susie. 🙂
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Thanks Darlene! That means a lot coming from another flash fiction writer!
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You are so good at those twists, super story. That vertigo looks like a mad film!
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Thanks Catherine! Good old Hitchcock. He always got it right….
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Nice little twist. Nightmares like this are disturbing. Great job.
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Thanks Others! I am glad that you understood what I was doing with it!
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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
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She might have been! Hahaha!
Thanks!
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Ha, great ending!
Here’s mine: http://teschoenborn.com/2012/02/23/friday-fictioneer/
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Thank you for reading!
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Finally, a fear you mention thatI don’t have. LOL That “splash” bit, however… Yipes! 😉 Intriguing story, Susie.
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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!
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Har… excellent. Now about the pool…
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Thanks Nelle! Hahaha!
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The pool…I didn’t see that one coming…
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Don I am so glad I surprised you! Hahaha! I have nearly fallen asleep on pool rafts at noisy WaterWorld of all places!
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