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Violet Sky #writephoto

Sue Vincent #writephoto

Sue Vincent #writephoto

Violet Sky

We gathered at the border of the road, called out of our misery by one of the children. The dawn bled, a bruised and bloody wound. How fitting for the sixth extinction.

Yet, it was a dawning.

I had thought, long before the die-off, that we might poison the planet and arise one morning in disbelief that we couldn’t survive on an obliterated world. Or perhaps disease would usher mankind to the pyres, our super-viruses ravaging our weak and chemical-laden bodies. Of course, mutual annihilation was a possibility, the promise of our youth and sum of our talent and treasure dedicated to war. The end always made for entertaining speculation.

Who would have believed the culprit was time, all spiraling down with the slow ticking of the clock, the December of the human race.

I peered at the upturned faces of our isolated band as the heavens thrust spears of light through the clouds’ closing gash. My companions’ bodies appeared to glow in the rare sunlight, their radiant souls shining through, reclaiming lost beauty. In their smiles, I witnessed the dawning of hope and hadn’t the heart to tell them we were ghosts.

**

Thanks to Sue Vincent of The Daily Echo for another enticing photo prompt. She tosses these out to us on Thursdays and reblogs our submissions. It’s great fun. Head over and give it a try!

107 thoughts on “Violet Sky #writephoto”

  1. reocochran says:
    March 4, 2018 at 11:49 am

    You’re welcome and my pleasure, too. 🎉 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  2. reocochran says:
    March 1, 2018 at 7:27 pm

    Aww, ghosts are beautiful and carry their stories, have wonder and wish for hopeful, happy endings! Yes, Diana! I can believe in this! 🌅

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Aoibha Walsh says:
    April 5, 2017 at 12:26 pm

    Gosh, this is very intriguing!!! Amazing!

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Eliza Waters says:
    October 27, 2016 at 3:33 pm

    Wow, great response!

    Liked by 1 person

  5. kim881 says:
    October 27, 2016 at 5:32 am

    I really enjoyed the chill at the end.

    Liked by 1 person

  6. Photo prompt round-up: Violet Sky #writephoto | Sue Vincent – Daily Echo says:
    October 27, 2016 at 2:00 am

    […] D. Wallace Peach at Myths of the Mirror […]

    Liked by 1 person

  7. Delyn Merce says:
    October 24, 2016 at 6:37 pm

    Wow, that final line is spectacular!

    Liked by 1 person

  8. Sue Vincent says:
    October 24, 2016 at 12:24 pm

    Wonderfully told, Diana 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  9. Aquileana says:
    October 23, 2016 at 8:02 am

    So beautifully penned… from the bruised dawn to the raise of Hope. There is a light even in apocalyptic times. I truly like this piece… Sending love and best wishes. Aquileana 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  10. Bernadette says:
    October 23, 2016 at 5:32 am

    When I saw this prompt, my thoughts also turned to sadness. You wrote this very eloquently. I mentioned you in my Friday post.

    Liked by 1 person

  11. Annika Perry says:
    October 23, 2016 at 1:40 am

    Wow, the ending carried a punch! Spooky surprise and after that lyrical scene setting to start with. Great response to the prompt and very seasonal.

    Liked by 2 people

  12. Robert Matthew Goldstein says:
    October 22, 2016 at 6:41 pm

    Beautiful prose for a beautiful image

    Liked by 1 person

  13. L. T. Garvin, Author says:
    October 22, 2016 at 4:54 pm

    My goodness Diana, you can even make the end sound glorious and beautiful. I agree with “beautiful apocalypse.” What a gorgeous picture, and the end….haunting and timely. You are an amazing writer, my friend.

    Liked by 1 person

  14. dgkaye says:
    October 22, 2016 at 2:54 pm

    Beautiful picture and perfect for Halloween, tale. The last line was haunting. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  15. Ali Isaac says:
    October 22, 2016 at 9:17 am

    The cour in that image is stunning, but your story is quite haunting and uncomfortable, perhaps because its not so far from the truth. Great writing.

    Liked by 2 people

  16. inesephoto says:
    October 22, 2016 at 7:25 am

    Great Halloween story, Diana. I guess that living as a ghost is better than disintegrate or something 🙂 It is like another chance. We might do better as ghosts.

    Liked by 1 person

  17. Lynz Real Cooking says:
    October 22, 2016 at 7:22 am

    This is amazing! I loved the ending and of course the vivid descriptions of everything! Wonderful

    Liked by 1 person

  18. Khaya Ronkainen says:
    October 22, 2016 at 1:36 am

    Mmm…affecting and dark, though deliciously written. The twist at the end, “hadn’t the heart to tell them we were ghosts”. Love it!

    Liked by 1 person

  19. Linda Visman - wangiwriter says:
    October 21, 2016 at 6:37 pm

    What a wonderful, though dark, response to the prompt, Diane! As I read it, I pictured our world and the dreadful possibilities for its and mankind’s future – possibilities that may not be too far off the mark here.
    I like the last line too and the hope that might be there.

    Liked by 1 person

  20. Joanne Sisco says:
    October 21, 2016 at 5:04 pm

    “The dawn bled, a bruised and bloody wound” … I just knew this story wasn’t going to have a happy ending …

    Liked by 1 person

  21. Steven Baird says:
    October 21, 2016 at 4:32 pm

    Exquisitely dark, Diana. A lot of beautiful language here; I particularly loved the last line. You certainly set a mood here. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  22. Sean P Carlin says:
    October 21, 2016 at 3:48 pm

    “The December of the human race” — I love that. A little disturbing that more and more works of fiction keep imagining it.

    Liked by 1 person

  23. anotherfoodieblogger says:
    October 21, 2016 at 3:26 pm

    A haunting story. (pun intended) 😉

    Liked by 1 person

  24. Bette A. Stevens says:
    October 21, 2016 at 2:27 pm

    Another thought-provoking and beautifully written short, Diana! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  25. Jacqui Murray says:
    October 21, 2016 at 12:23 pm

    The idea that mankind evolves to a ghost–or a robot–maybe isn’t so bad. StarTrek had a few species like that. I guess it depends upon what you think the goal of life is.

    Liked by 1 person

    • D. Wallace Peach says:
      October 21, 2016 at 1:36 pm

      True, Jacqui. Evolving into spirit may not be so bad. Then again, we already are becoming more bionic. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by and sparking the imagination! Happy Writing.

      Like

  26. Purpleanais says:
    October 21, 2016 at 12:12 pm

    Oh, this is beautifully written ❤

    Liked by 1 person

  27. balroop2013 says:
    October 21, 2016 at 9:49 am

    Negative thoughts are so powerful…that’s why they are the first ones to arrive! You have recorded them quite well Diana! Darker moments evoke some fabulous words of description.
    I have never seen the violet sky but this picture shows it splendidly!
    Thanks for sharing.

    Liked by 1 person

  28. patriciaruthsusan says:
    October 21, 2016 at 8:30 am

    Great post with lovely description. You do it so well, Diana. It seems they “really” waited too late. Good writing as usual. 🙂 — Suzanne

    Liked by 2 people

  29. Morgan says:
    October 21, 2016 at 8:07 am

    Amazing Diana. I had thought to go with an ‘end of days’ theme, as the image certainly stirred that notion, but the poem sang so I went with it instead 😉 this is marvelous though…filled with emotion and sadly, relevant!

    Liked by 1 person

  30. The V Pub says:
    October 21, 2016 at 7:08 am

    The December of the human race! Sounds quite foreboding, Diana. Nurse Kelley was spot on – a beautiful apocalypse.

    Liked by 1 person

  31. Richard Ankers says:
    October 21, 2016 at 6:39 am

    ‘the December of the human race.’ Loved that line.

    Liked by 1 person

  32. Nurse Kelly says:
    October 21, 2016 at 5:56 am

    OMG Diana. Seriously chilling. A beautiful apocalypse. Strange, to use those two words together, but that’s how I felt. Loved this.

    Liked by 1 person

  33. confabler says:
    October 21, 2016 at 5:47 am

    One by one you picked up the words from your magical basket and knitted them together into a blanket of dream.
    I snuggled right in and saw with my own two eyes, the heavens thrusting spears of light through the clouds’ closing gash.

    Liked by 2 people

  34. Dan Antion says:
    October 21, 2016 at 5:46 am

    You answer these prompts so well. This is very good.

    Liked by 1 person

  35. Julie Holmes, author says:
    October 21, 2016 at 5:32 am

    Love this, Diana! Beautiful pic, and great scene. Wonderful, flowing prose. Thank you for sharing!

    Liked by 2 people

  36. Cezane says:
    October 21, 2016 at 5:22 am

    Enjoyed this post as well as the beauty of the image.

    Liked by 1 person

  37. roughwighting says:
    October 21, 2016 at 5:03 am

    A perfect combination of photo and prose. A bloody dawn that, in your estimable writing, shone yet still with hope. Oh, those radiant souls!

    Liked by 1 person

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