No Mans Land

Author: MaKayla Songer
Word Count: 152
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He stared in shock at the alien landscape before him. His heart leapt into his chest and he struggled for breath, his pulse racing.
How had this happened? How had he got here? Where was here?
Chris closed his eyes and willed the brilliant, terrible scene to vanish, then pulled them sharply open and felt his heart shudder again. What sort of monstrous beasts lived in this beautiful wasteland? How long before they found him?
And how long before anyone back home even realized he was gone?
He wanted to pretend this was a dream, that’s what they did in the movies. But Chris was not an imaginative man. The wind rippling through his graying hair and the sickly-sweet scent of flowers were somehow too strange to be disbelieved. He had never dreamt anything this odd in his entire life.
Maybe this was where all those missing people ended up.

No Mans Land

This was inspired by a beautiful painting by Cynthia Adams

I had intended this to be the challenge entry for one of the Flash Fiction challenges (Missing). I had misunderstood the challenge though, the image had to be found when searching for artwork with the keyword ‘missing.’ So I wrote another one that was actually appropriate for the challenge. I still liked this one though, so I thought I’d put it up.
I’m open for some constructive crit if anyone wants to throw any at me. :D
And Microsoft Word says it’s exactly 150 words.

No Mans Land belongs to the following groups:

Flash Fiction

Cynthia Adams, 4 months ago

Thankyou MaKayla…I am honoured you wish to use your writings for my work…go ahead sweetheart and add the image to the writings..Well done petal.
Hugs.
MaKayla Songer in reply to Cynthia Adams’s comment, 4 months ago

Thank you very much! I’m glad you liked it. :)
TrEaSuReDiMaGeS, 4 months ago

Beautiful work you two!!! :-)) Outstanding!!!
MaKayla Songer in reply to TrEaSuReDiMaGeS’s comment, 4 months ago

Thanks! :D
Anne van Alkemade, 4 months ago

Excellent work MaKayla. Very nice, and a really interesting way to look at the landscape. They are so beautiful and too real to be true – so you can only imagine what it would be like waking up there.
deliriousgirl, 4 months ago

OH WoW!!! This is terrrrrrific!!! Love the picture too!!! _{so this reminds me i’ve got to get busy on a freekin story!}
MaKayla Songer in reply to Anne van Alkemade’s comment, 4 months ago

Thanks! I loved this painting by Cynthia the moment I saw it, and then when I got the first BMail for the challenge I immediately thought of it again.
I’m not sure I would mind too much – as long as I had a clear way to get back. :D
MaKayla Songer in reply to deliriousgirl’s comment, 4 months ago

Thankiees! Isn’t this picture so beautiful?! All of Cynthia’s artwork has an amazing sense of color.
Yes you should! :)
Louise Kuskovski, 4 months ago

Fabulous picture. Great intrigue through your writing. Would love to learn more, where did those people end up?
Alison Pearce, 4 months ago

Beautifully written and compliments the artwork very nicely!
MaKayla Songer in reply to Alison Pearce’s comment, 4 months ago

Thanks!
MaKayla Songer in reply to Louise Kuskovski’s comment, 4 months ago

Thanks! In the land portrayed in the painting, of course. :D One of these days I might actually transform this from flash fiction into a short story but… we’ll see. :)