Copyright: Barbara W. Beacham
This is my weekly contribution to Monday’s Finish the Story, hosted by Barbara Beacham. Every Monday, Barb supplies a new picture prompt along with the first sentence for the story. The original story to be written should have only 100 to 150 additional words. I’ve bolded the first sentence given with the picture prompt. After the link, click on the little blue frog in the blue box to read the other stories.
The link for all the other stories is as follows:
https://mondaysfinishthestory.wordpress.com/2015/03/23/mondays-finish-the-story-march-23rd-2015/
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Word Count: 2+18-150=170
WILD RIVER by P.S. Joshi
When the team heard the dam explode, they knew they had limited time to make it to safety.
It began as a great day for the rafting exploration of the upper Gambeze River people’s new settlement. The government of Bangara had relocated them fifteen years ago when the dam project was begun. There had been threats and trouble from factions that objected to the project.
The explosion had been planned and they had to work fast as the water thundered toward them.
Each tightened his grip on his paddle. The rush of water picked up the large reinforced, rubber boat like a huge hand and hurled it forward. It just missed the river rocks. The current now propelled them along at tremendous speed.
Their only chance was to reach the fork in the river where the force of the water would be divided and the speed would decrease.
It should be just ahead. Finally, there it was. Each pushed his paddle to the left and it was done.
Musings on Life & Experience 
Yay, they escaped! I like the water picking up the boat like a huge hand.
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Thanks, Ali. I’m glad you liked the way I described the scene. Most of the action was in that wild ride, so I had to make it extraordinalry by description. I had sheets of “active verbs” in front of me. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Like Draliman, I also like the imagery of the water being like a huge hand, picking up the boat and hurling them forward! Good take on the prompt. 🙂
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Thanks, A Fairy Mind. I’m glad you liked the description also. I tried to bring that wild ride visible using good action verbs and good visible nouns. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Lovely description of the great rush of water, Suzanne, and I love the fictional names you’ve given to the river and new settlement. Naming them makes the story much more real. A nice, happy ending, too. 🙂
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Thanks, Millie. I’m pleased you liked the description,as well as the names I used, and I made it real for you. I like happy endings also. 🙂 — Suzanne
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What a wonderful story Suzanne! They all made it! Your piece is so well written that I could visualize the story in my mind… Thanks again for participating, and I hope to see you next week! Be well… ^..^
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Thanks, Barb. I’m so glad you enjoyed the story. Thank you for the encouragement. I’ll be looking forward to next week’s prompt. You be well also. 🙂 — Suzanne
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YW!
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Lovely image of the action of the water on the raft Suzanne, and they all lived happily ever after….
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Thanks, Michael. I’m so glad you liked the story. Thanks for the encouragment. Yes, I love happy endings. 🙂 — Suzanne
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An interesting overlap of politics and the raging power of the river. Nicely done.
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Thanks, Diana. I’m so glad you liked the story. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Like many of the commenters, the sentence “rush of water picked up the large reinforced, rubber boat like a huge hand and hurled it forward.” has wonderful imagery. The active verbs made me feel like I was on the river with them. And, it had a happy ending! 🙂
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Wonderful exciting story Suzzane! I enjoyed reading it and like the others, I loved the names and imagery you used.
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Thanks, Joy. I’m very pleased you enjoyed reading the story. I thought the names would add reality to it and am glad I succeeded. 🙂 — Suzanne
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