After a very long absence, I have decided to bring back my website and start writing once again. In the interest of getting things going, I will post this piece of flash fiction that I wrote August 23rd 2017. I hope you enjoy it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The valley below was a strange mix of crumbling concrete and green overgrowth. Jason scoped his rifle around the dilapidated buildings looking for signs of sentient life. All he could see were the broken remains of a civilization that once stood; a mix of metal and masonry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From his hilltop perch, he spied the outskirts of a small town. Jason guessed it was a row of small shops but there was no real evidence to support that assumption. The front of each building was broken, no glass, only frames where window panes had once been. Small bits of wildlife, mostly unrecognizable to Jason on this foreign planet scurried around quickly and then flitted away just as fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jason pulled his gaze away from the rifle scope and reviewed his surroundings. He was on a small hilltop overlooking an overgrown village. Trees edged in around him but remained sparse enough to observe any on comer. The grass was tall enough to provide himself cover in the event there were hostiles on this planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat happened to this planet\u201d Jason whispered. He was confident he was alone but there was a chance not all the former inhabitants were gone. Just as the words left, he heard a sound coming from the broken village. He whirled his rifle scope to survey the area from which he thought he heard it originate from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A shrill scream bellowed forth from the line of trees that formed the perimeter of the village. A small child (around 10 years young Jason estimated) burst forth through the trees. He was filthy and unkempt wearing rags for clothing. Four more children a few years older than the first exploded from beyond the tree line. Three wielded crude spears and the fourth was swinging a sling in the air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first child stopped abruptly suddenly realizing he was in front of the broken buildings (Jason could only assume their gender from their disheveled condition). He turned to follow what remained of the sidewalk down to the corner of that wrapped around the buildings. The child with the sling let released his shot. The shot whacked the wall beside the first child letting loose a loud thump. Jason realized the four children were pursuing the first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jason stood up and started down the hill as two of the spear holders let their weapons fly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNOOOOO!!!\u201d Jason yelled without thinking as one of the spears found their mark, piercing the first child squarely in the chest. The child collapsed instantly on the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The pursuing children stopped abruptly in their tracks, focusing on the sudden intrusion. They spied Jason immediately. A bewildered, unbelieving look swept across their faces. They turned and disappeared back into the tree line from whence they came.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jason ran down the hill and knelt beside the body of the small child, now lying in a pool of blood, the spear protruding from his back; the light of his life extinguished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat is going on here? Why did they do this to you?\u201d Jason muttered as he removed the spear. He rolled the body over; the boys eyes still open. Jason placed his hand down the boy\u2019s face in a waving motion to close his eyes. His sorrow suddenly replaced by anger as gripped his rifle, rushing into the tree line to find the attackers, hoping to make sense out of what had just happened.<\/p>\n\n