[Author’s Note : I’ve been putting together a serial for Lisa McCourt Hollar‘s #55WordChallenge. The following are the first four parts of the serial, and the #55WordChallenge prompts I wrote in response to. I have to admit, I’m having fun trying to keep the story going week to week.]
Part 1 – 01/24/2013
The fence marked the edge or our world. I walked along the fence, rifle ready. Nothing had come through the fence in years, but once, things had. We’d survived, standing against the chaos that engulfed the world when the fossil fuels ran out. Since then, we guarded the fence, the edge of our world.
Part 2 – 01/30/2013
As I walked along the fence one morning, I came to one of the gates, and checked its lock. The lock was broken. The chain it held the gate shut with hung loosely. Something had come in. I secured the gate with a new lock, then headed to the nearest village to sound the alarm.
Part 3 – 02/06/2013
When I reached the village, it was dark, the street lights were on. I entered quietly, hiding in the shadows, looking for signs of life. I jumped when the breeze blew the clothes on a clothes line.The church was empty, as were all the homes and shops. All I saw was my own shadow.
Part 4 – 02/13/2013
I made my way to the church, hoping I’d find someone. Its door opened silently. Its interior was lit only by moonlight. Everything was gone. No pews. No crosses. No altar. Just a very old book, sitting on a table. I opened it, and flipped through. It was written in the Ancient’s language.
My Soul's Tears 