“What Pegman saw” is a weekly challenge based on Google Streetview. Using the location provided, you must write a piece of flash fiction of no more than 150 words. You can read the rules here. You can find today’s location on this page, from where you can also get the Inlinkz code. This week’s prompt is Roswell, New Mexico.
Roswell, New Mexico | © Google Maps
Dangerous mission
The two Hirluin stood quietly to honour their murdered colleague.
“Paava paid a high price, but her life was honourable,” said Taavu, placing his hand on Nim’s shoulder. Tears coursed down Nim’s face.
“I don’t mourn her life, but the pointlessness of her death. We are no threat. Why do these creatures take every chance to kill us?”
Taavu found nothing to say. He felt sick when he tried to imagine the hatred and fear these beings must experience to be able to kill so casually. He shuddered to think they would soon have interstellar travel.
Nim knelt and kissed his dead wife on the forehead. He activated the portal to return her body to Hirdl, and Paava was gone.
It was time to grieve. Tomorrow’s attempt to communicate with the lifeform of Sol III would be more urgent.
The patience of the Galactic Council was great but not infinite.
Love this. Sol III is a great name for Earth. Lots of good alien fodder this week.
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Dear Josh
Thank you for reading and commenting. I’m glad you enjoyed the story!
With best wishes
Penny
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This is excellent. Enjoyed your world-building and the gravity of the scene.
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Dear Karen
Thank you for reading and commenting. I’m glad you enjoyed the gravity of the scene.
With best wishes
Penny
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Love your shifting of our perspective, from that of the human to that of the aliens landed here. Love the menacing tone of the last line, in contrast to the gentleness of the mourning creatures.
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Dear Andi
Thank you for reading and commenting. I’m delighted you liked the different perspective.
With very best wishes
Penny
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An excellent story that left me wanting to read more, know more.
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Dear Brenda
Thank you for reading and for commenting so generously. I’m glad you enjoyed the story so much!
With very best wishes
Penny
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Excellent 👍 a big story made short !! Love to read the unabridged version 🤝
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Dear Narasimhan
Thank you for reading and commenting. When I read the comments you and Brenda left about wanting more, I thought about how I could expand the story. It’s not easy. What I’ve written is flash fiction that (hopefully) makes readers think twice about human violence. To write an expanded version, I would move into the realm of science fiction. Now that really isn’t my genre, I’m afraid. I think I shall ‘chicken out’ of the challenge to write more – at least for now!
With very best wishes
Penny
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Humans are a kind of trigger happy. They shoot when they don’t understand.
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Dear Abhijit
Thank you for reading and commenting. You’re right; lack of understanding is a big factor in human violence. If only we would stop and think about what we’re doing…
With very best wishes
Penny
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Dear Penny,
Why do we always have the idea that if there are aliens they will want to take us over? I love this tender tale from the other side. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle ‘
I also took a little different perspective. 😉
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Dear Rochelle
Thank you for reading, and for your kind words. Yes, I prefer gentler aliens who would like to help us become more civilised.
I’m looking forward to reading your story in just a few minutes!
Shalom
Penny
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Oh! This is fantastic! 🙂
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Dear Na’ama
Thank you for reading and for your lovely comment. I’m blushing!
With very best wishes
Penny
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this is excellent..science-fiction is not your genre????? I can not understand this comment, if I would be an author I would just write what I want without any genre borders, no?
I did not read lot of science fiction, but I like a lot to have the point of view from the other side AND to understand, that we are the greatest pollution of universe…I can really imagine that there must be time traveller, who try to stop us destroying everything!
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Dear anie
Thank you for reading and commenting. I’m glad you enjoyed the story, and its alternative point of view.
Different genres have different conventions, different tropes, different clichés to avoid. I think (hope!) I’m picking up some of the skills required for writing literary fiction, and that’s what I want to write. I don’t want to spend the time to become proficient in science fiction!
With very best wishes
Penny
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Well the most important thing is that we have joy and trust in what we do and we see our success within us or around…. I liked your little science-fiction step… 😊
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Dear anie
Thank you for your lovely words. I take great joy in writing, as you’d probably guessed!
🙂 🙂
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