WLC#39: The Viewpoint

Hello, hope you are having a grand day. Today I am attempting to participate in a new challenge hosted by XingfuMama which is about Whatsoever is Lovely Challenge – It could be anything: a picture or you can go into detail and tell it as a reflection, story or poem.

I would like to present a true story. It happened on my recent travels to Gavi near Thekkady, Kerala, India, where I found myself guilty of being biased and judgemental.

Here we were at a viewpoint deep in the midst of the rolling gorgeous greenery of the Gavi inside the Ranni reserve forest. The sky was overcast and breeze was cool and I was in seventh heaven of delight. I gobbled up the sights – the short tree, the light green, the stocky one, the balding one, while the driver-cum-guide attempted to spot wildlife for our perusal.

To be honest, there were none. Just a couple of dogs, mom and child, gambolling about. What do they eat in this wilderness I wondered. I was distracted by another jeep load of chattering tourists that drove up to ‘our’ point and disembarked. There goes our peace and silence.

One of the tourists went straight to the parked truck. Can you imagine? At this scenic sight, all he could think of was food? Or perhaps a try at the balloons? Sheesh. I rolled my eyes.

I flushed and cringed at my petty thinking. He had rushed to buy biscuits for the dogs. Hats off to the kind gentleman with his heart in the right place.

Thanks for visiting. Have a super day.

A Survivor’s Tale

Photo (c) Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

A Survivor’s Tale

Words 98

It was dark and the weight crushing.  

Life oozed out bit by bit.  

I struggled to survive, one breath at a time.

 Loneliness engulfed me. 

Oh the pain the anguish the isolation – all for what?

Doubts racked me.

Why struggle so much?

Who cared whether I lived or died?

Why not just give up?

Give in.

I tried.

Believe me, I tried hard to give up.

But I didn’t know how.

I only knew one thing.

My time would come.

And it did.

That’s my story. What’s yours?

She swayed and dipped, offering me yet another luscious mango.

***

Written (after eons) for the Friday Fictioneers – a story in 100 words or less. Thanks to Rochelle for hosting the challenge and the photo prompt. To read the other stories inspired by this prompt click here.