In the blink of an eye [Jan 2014]

“Self-Father?”

“Yes, Self-Son?”

“Why did the hairless ones do this to themselves?”

“I would have to say that it is because they are so short lived”, the father paused, “and that they were always in a hurry for some odd reason or other, maybe because they knew that they were so short lived. They had no patience as a species.”

“But they had great potential, didn’t they? I guess I must admit that I’m confused by all that has happened recently.” The son looked out at the setting sun. “I know there were those who tried to live peacefully with nature…I’ve observed them. What happened?”

“But those hairless ones did not hold power.”

The son looked up at his father aghast. “But of course they did! They lived peaceably and worked with our Mother, not against her! I saw it with my own two eyes.”

Self-Father looked down at his Self-Son with sadness in his eyes. “You misunderstand what I am attempting to convey. We are a long lived species and over the rotations have attuned ourselves to the power that we yield through the Mother. The hairless ones had an entirely different concept of power. They thought that power was the ability to influence events and each other through things called war, and bartering and withholding or granting favors. It was something that the majority of them could never escape. You yourself have seen the hairless ones go from living in caves, to living in tents, to living in structures. They’ve gone from traveling on foot to domesticating animals to making machines to do much of their labor to launching themselves into orbit. All in the blink of our lifetime’s eye.”

Self-Son looked back out over the valley beneath his home. “So, you’ve seen this before Self-Father? What will happen to them now?”

Self-Father smiled and patted his Self-Son on the shoulder. “Do not worry to much. The survivors will pick themselves up and start over again, and yet I still hold out hope. They seem to get a bit smarter every time they do this.”

Nice Story! I liked it so much, I read it again! S&F for you!

reply to post by TDawgRex


Concise and accurate depiction of our shortsightedness.

Thank you all. it just came out of nowhere.

Even I found the story strangely compelling as I wrote it. It was as if it wrote itself.

reply to post by TDawgRex


That's a great read. I enjoyed that, Thanks for taking the time to write one for us ...Good luck to!

reply to post by TheDoctor46


Thank you. It really didn't take much time as for once the story flowed freely in my mind. But I did want to keep it short and sweet and try to spur the imagination of the reader. This is the short stories forum after all. LOL

reply to post by TDawgRex


Dodgy Oyster ?

reply to post by Timely


While just the phrase brought a smile to my face, can you explain that to me?

Does it mean I ate Bad oysters? Which would not be a good thing...but I like the word combo. Sounds like something I would say during a long pause in conversation, just to break the silence.

reply to post by TDawgRex


Yes, as in Bad - psychotropically. Lol !

reply to post by TDawgRex


That's really poignant, I'm strangely moved by that. That imagery is going to stay with me for a long while.
Good story, you're a lovely writer.

B x

S&F

reply to post by beansidhe


Thank you.

But I think I have a ways to go to get better. Everyone here at ATS is helping though, whether they believe it not. If you look over my other short stories, almost all of them are apocalyptic or militaristic in nature. I'm trying to break that habit.

Just don’t ask me to write a romance novel.

reply to post by TDawgRex


Well you know what you have to do now, don't you?
I'm looking forward to some romance!

(Not ours obviously, your story. Although, never say never...)

reply to post by beansidhe


I'm just a old goat who has no luck in the romance dept. So I'm sure any romance story I wrote would be depressing in the long run.

Though, maybe a Sci-Fi Western (or either or) I may be able to do so. I'm a big fan of David Weber and he seems to be able to do so...so hell, why can't I?

reply to post by TDawgRex


Seems to be only you who thinks you can't. Go for it!!

more sir, may i have some more please? this is really thought provoking as i do believe we have had many go around's at this world to get it right and we are so far from that now there is only one alternative...play it again sam.

I wish I could write something so profound and moving in a single post. Ever time I try to make something deep, it turns out to be reeeeeeally long.

Very nice!