Moonfall
"You've got to jump off cliffs and build your wings on the way down."
- Ray Bradbury -
Life worth living can be risky.
This week, @jayna's 50 word prompt is "chase."
A midday stroll on Iapetus - Image courtesy of Reimund Bertrams
Moonfall
by Duncan Cary Palmer
"Damn!"
He should've turned back, but the rare specimen projecting from the crater ledge below was irresistible. Stretching to reach it, he'd fallen.
Brad slowly pulled himself up, stubby spacesuit gloves scrabbling for purchase on the steep, friable slope.
Finally, he lay panting on the crater rim, prize in hand.
~FIN~
A few words about this week's story.
Though sometimes I go for the low-hanging fruit, more often than not I like to challenge myself to find a creative spin on the prompt. This week's prompt was "chase," and I noticed that chase is embedded in the word "purchase."
I usually to choose a road less travelled, so rather than applying the most common economic definition of the word, I picked a secondary meaning.
To make the tale exciting, I went for an exotic, outer space location. Picturing our hero, Brad, prospecting for treasure on the edge of a crater on Saturn's moon Iapetus seemed just about right.
As you can tell by the location and the spacesuit, Brad is likely to push the envelope—and he does, tumbling down the slope of the crater when his reach exceeds his grasp.
Because he's the hero of our tale, not only does Brad achieve his original goal—he gets the rare lunar mineral specimin he was reaching for—he also survives his dangerous adventure, managing to work his way back up and out of the crater.
Brad, you rock!
you can still reward it: CLICK HERE.
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Nice story, @creatr! And I love the happy ending and the "backstory" too.
Thank you, Jayna! :)
I like the 50 word format and i'm surprised how deep and rich a story can be when so few words are used. The creative spin was a nice touch and I appreciated the description. I wouldn't have caught that myself but it gives the story a lot of depth. Brad both chased (or pursued) the item and purchased it from the rock. Very clever. Well done.
Hello, @leaky20,
Thanks so much for reading and commenting on my story. I don't often write backgrounders to my 50 word pieces, but I somehow felt the urge this time.
Actually, the sense in which I used the word "purchase" is this secondary definition:
Thanks again for reading! And, if you have the chance, please check out My Library... ;)
On the part of taking the road less travelled, there is a saying that 'ease is a greater threat to progress than hardship'
I believe that saying is quite true... ;)
Thanks for your support. :D
"prospecting for treasure on the edge of a crater on Saturn's moon Iapetus seemed just about right" - brilliant place for a setting... very imaginative..Brad's the man 👍
Thanks! :D
The story has been especially impressive to imagine our descendants working in outer space pursuing a better quality of life. Receive my affections @creatr
Thank you!
Interesting way to tackle the prompt. I enjoyed the imagery of this piece the most and the more obscure use of purchase. Well done @creatr
Thanks, @cizzo!