Magnifique [5MinuteFreeWrite]
![magnifique](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://steemitimages.com/DQmPKNFUavdwDjLbkL4wWDYXQxnTn5Aefwekkg2w2tMuDKB/magnifique.png)
Background Source
Car horns blared and construction equipment thundered across the block. Their sounds combined made for a deafening cacophony of apocalyptic proportions. It takes a special skill to sleep through the barrage of noise that echoed all over the city. Sadly for the painter, he didn't possess such a talent.
The raggedy man shot up from his makeshift bed as soon as he was blasted by the ear-splitting racket. His hair was disheveled, and his beard was riddled with dry paint. He squatted in front of a mural that he had been commissioned to work on some years ago. Even though it had been deemed completed some time ago, he never really accepted that decision, thinking that there was still something missing.
Years ago, the man was regarded as a painter of some renown. He specialized in murals, and was awarded the task of adorning the public library. Thinking that it could be his Sistine Chapel, he accepted the honor and devoted his life to emblazoning it with his masterpiece. He didn't know it, but that was the beginning of the end for him.
In the following years, he would go on to paint a masterpiece unrivaled at the time, but in the process, resulted in him losing his family and severing ties to everyone he knew. He became obsessed with his project, which caused him to grow detached to everything else that mattered. With every brushstroke, he lost a piece of himself to the wall.
The city council commended his dedication, and awarded him the money he was owed. But, he refused to accept it until his work was finished. His artwork changed along with his life and the times. It never really seemed like he was ever going to complete it. As his funds ran out, he was forced to accept the payment so that he could finance his independent venture. He sold his house and everything he owned, then moved in directly beside his mural. That was fourteen or so years ago.
Now, completely alone, he stared at the wall, contemplating about the missing piece that would complete his artwork. He thought about everything that he had lost and all the sacrifices that he had made. When he started this journey, he was tasked to decorate the public library, but now the hodgepodge of imagery represented his life more. He picked up his brush, dipped it in black paint, and drew a straight line.
"Magnifique!" he gleefully shouted. His eyes were glassy and his mouth was agape. He clasped his hands together and rested his tired chin on them. Basking in the glory of his life's work, he couldn't help but let his tears flow.
After a few moments, a wrecking ball swooped across and demolished the wall.
In honor of @improv's beard shaving and his fabulous 5-Minute Free Write Series. I was in the zone for this one! Reaching this many number of words surprised even myself. I didn't know I was capable of such a feat, and you can too! Once you do, make sure to comment me and/or @improv with the link. I don't want to speak in behalf of him, mainly because he has a mouth of his own, but personally, I would be excited to read your entry haha!
The mechanics are simple: you set the timer to 5 minutes (no more, no less), sit in front of your computer, and you write your ass off until you're told not to, but then you bargain for just a little more and then your phone slaps you in the face while telling you 'NO.' Check his profile out for more of these wonderful freestyle fiction! :D
Pare! I did a little shoutout to you here: https://steemit.com/steemit/@theywillkillyou/1-000-followers-in-43-days-thank-you-thank-you-thank-you-for-all-your-support
Thanks for all your support during my time here :)
Haha! I read (and commented on) that way before I saw your comment here :) I'm just glad I'm able to contribute to your journey here in any way I can, pare. You've really accomplished quite a lot considering your time here, and I know that you're going to become a smashing success in the months to come. I believe in you :D
Thank you thank you as always brotha!
Don't mention it, pare! Trust that I'm always happy to help you out :D
This story is real and can be true in many contexts when artist are attached with their arts so much that they forget everything else, it is not their falult but the art has this much power to change anyone completely. I loved this story.
I know you could attest to that, my friend. I just hope that you don't suffer the same fate. I'm happy that it resonated well with you. The art community is who I wanted to appeal to with this short tale anyway. I appreciate you dropping by! :D
Very Cool piece of writing. Whether stand alone or part of a challenge, this was a nice read.
"He became obsessed with his project, which caused him to grow detached to everything else that mattered. With every brushstroke, he lost a piece of himself to the wall."
Thanks, man! I'm glad you enjoyed reading it. You know this was actually a movement started by @improv :)
And like a wrecking ball you smash my expectations, yet again. So much story for so little time, all packed in and leading somewhere. I like this. I love the ending.
High praise, brother! I hope I won't peak any time soon, as I fear that I don't have the capability to sustain all these expectation-smashing. This #freewrite has been a real challenge for me, and I can't wait to see what you come up with when you find the time. You know, for this one, I actually started from the ending and worked my way up from there. It was quite an exhilarating experience! I'm glad you loved the ending :D
No I'm sure you haven't peaked yet. Just getting started in fact. And the 5 minute exercise is a real challenge. To extract a story in that time, and with the amount of words you'd get in is quite a feat. Whether writing every day, or facing these types of challenges, it all helps us grow as writers.
Thanks, mate. You know that it's very much appreciated! :D
I skirt the rules a little bit by having the basic premise in my mind before I start the clock. If I would start writing with a blank slate, I would probably end with nothing haha! This one was a nailbiter, I didn't know if I would even finish the last paragraph, but thank the heavens that it's where I built the story from so I made it in the nick of time.
I don't think it would be possible to come up with the idea AND write it all in 5 minutes. Now that would be a challenge. Just writing this level of quality in the 5 minutes is a huge success.
I like toast 🍞
A real challenge indeed! Thank you, mate! That's a huge compliment coming from you :D Much appreciated, as always.
5 minutes? Wow, that's impressive. Well done, Jed. Still a little depressing though. :)
Hahahaha! I love Jed ;)
It's quite depressing, isn't it? I really didn't want to bum people out, I was just inspired by the ending when I thought of it. I actually worked my way up from the ending. It's quite amazing how long 5 minutes could take haha! I'm glad you enjoyed the story, Luke :D
Bang! Smashed down at the apex! I didn't see that coming!! Five minutes too, toperoo!!
Magnifique! Job well done for me then. As I was writing this, I kept thinking "What would Boom Meister not expect?" I'm glad that you didn't have a clue! Whew! I was careful not to leave any teases, and I'm glad I caught you by surprise ;)
It was a photofinish, too! Perhaps I shall endeavor to write under 10 minutes next time so that I won't bruise Le Brain. Write one as well, dude! I know you're going to put on a show with this one!
Hehe, I will have to check it out as I did not even know there was such a thing!
Do so, dude. Do so. I, for one, cannot wait to read a Boom version of a FreeWrite. I just know it'll blow me away!
Or just waft against you gently, so much so that you think. Waht was that?
Somehow I did feel that when you screamed that ungodly wail when your little lady harumphed you in the nethers the other day. Ahh! Finally! That's what's been nagging at my brain all this time! Haha! I forgot to include that in my earlier comment.
Hehehehe, yes, what a wail it was. I think the earth shook. Yes. It definitely shook!
It definitely did, dude! One might argue that it was off-the-charts, since the Richter scale didn't even return any accurate measurement. That means it was immeasurable!! :O
That was incredible, you are definitely inspiring me with this new challenge. I've actually thought about doing a similar one-- with notebook and pen. But I'd probably have to go ten minutes on it, I defintely type at least twice as fast as I write freehand. I'm going to experiment a little at my parent's down at the lake. My idea is to get people to go out in nature somewhere and away from electronics to be inspired :)
Really though, I want @improv's innovative challenge to spread like wildfire. It's way harder to do, but it's so easy for people to read quickly. Once influential people like you and @naquoya start making them, I'm sure people will follow suit or at least give the tag a look.
10 minutes is fine. FreeWrite isn't exactly that strict about the time you can use, it's just strict about the deadline when you start writing. With the way things are going, I'm going to give 10 minutes a shot as well. I have too much to say, and I don't think I'm built for flash fiction haha!
I'm glad you enjoyed it, sis! With this one, I initially thought of the ending and wrote the story from there :D
Oh, that's a good way to go about it, thinking of the ending first! I'll have to try that with my next one. I did write one that I will be posting some time this week :)
Oohhh looking forward to it! :D I love experimenting with writing. I think I'll write a middle next time, then just populate the beginning and ending haha!
Haha! I actually just got done writing you a chat if you get a minute ;)
I replied there and have complied :)
Well. That was thoroughly depressing XD Good setup and slapping in the face with emotion in 5min!
It is depressing, isn't it? I thought of the mandala and I thought, how would that encapsulate human life. After that, I wrote the ending and worked my way up from there. In my quest to entertain, despair was necessary. I'll try to be cheery for my next stories, but I can't make any promises haha! I hope you enjoyed reading nonetheless, mate :D
It doesn't have to be sunshine lollipops and rainbows to be entertaining XD It was quite satisfying.
Haha yeah, I get it. I'm not sure if I've ever written anything that's pure positivity in my life. I'm just glad people are enjoying the work :D