Triple Exposure (Friday Fictioneers, July 2012)

Posted on July 19, 2012 by Sandra

grapevinesThis week’s 100 word photo prompt from Madison Woods’ Friday Fictioneers is entitled Grapevine.  It evoked lots of memories of happy years spent in South Africa, and inspired the following (not so happy) piece:

Triple Exposure

A white rosebush once stood sentinel at the end of each row of vines, waxy leaves jewelled with raindrops, velvet petals unfurling under the hot Cape sun.

No rosebushes now.

The vines are blackened, withered by chemicals conceived by incompetents, combined by zealots.

The once red earth is now cracked and grey; a yellow haze lingers over the blue peak of the Simonsberg.

The all-clear sounded months ago, but few people have ventured outside.

Just we three.

Every morning we’re sent out, ostensibly to clear the land.

In our hearts, we know we’re just another bunch of rosebushes.



About Sandra

I used to cruise the French waterways with my husband four or five months a year, and wrote fiction and poetry. Now I live on the beautiful Dorset coast, enjoying the luxury of being able to have a cat, cultivating an extensive garden and getting involved in the community. I still write fiction, but only when the spirit moves me - which isn't as often as before. I love animals, F1 motor racing, French bread and my husband, though not necessarily in that order.
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78 Responses to Triple Exposure (Friday Fictioneers, July 2012)

  1. dmmacilroy says:
    July 19, 2012 at 11:47 am

    A bitter haarvest, Sandra, but beautifully described. (I can tell you have experience with rose bushes.) You and your two companions working futilely under the haze shrouded peak of the Siomonsberg make for a compelling cautionary tale. I don’t want to live in that world, but perhaps I already am.

    Aloha,

    Doug

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    • Sandra says:
      July 20, 2012 at 7:09 am

      Thanks for commenting Doug. I wasn’t sure about this one, because I’m not sure how many people are familiar with the purpose of the rosebush planted at the end of each row of vines. For those who aren’t – the rosebush is prey to the same pests, diseases and viruses as the vine, so by planting a rosebush the viticulturists are ensuring an ‘early warning system’. Examination of the rosebush will indicate the row of vines is at risk and early treatment can begin. Though I don’t think anybody’s planning treatment of my three characters – I think the phrase ‘sacrificial lamb’ is more the order of the day. 😦

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  2. mysocalledDutchlife says:
    July 19, 2012 at 3:27 pm

    The first sentence is divine and campures completely the essence of what has been lost and the losses still to come. Bleak future, but a great read.

    I’m early doors too: http://mysocalleddutchlife.wordpress.com/2012/07/19/through-the-grapevine-ff-200712/

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  3. Adam Ickes says:
    July 19, 2012 at 4:47 pm

    A bleak future that is all too likely in this day and nice. Nicely told, Sandra.

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  4. EmmaMc says:
    July 19, 2012 at 10:09 pm

    As the others have said, this is bleak and tinged with realism. Makes me feel quite somber but is beautifully written.

    #FridayFictioneers Last of the Summer Vines

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  5. billgncs says:
    July 19, 2012 at 10:52 pm

    I hope you show your thorns! Nicely told…

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  6. sustainabilitea says:
    July 19, 2012 at 10:59 pm

    Beautiful writing to tell a horrible story! Excellent job!

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  7. raina says:
    July 20, 2012 at 1:05 am

    Not so happy tale that is well told. Futile labour…hmm. Thanks Sandra.

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  8. littlewonder2 says:
    July 20, 2012 at 2:41 am

    That last line was so good. It can be taken both ways, but I took it tragic way.

    This was a pretty brilliant idea to use. Mostly what I love is the fact that they’re the only ones who have seen it since the event. Other people, that I’ve so far seen, have done withered crops too, but you do it well.

    Friday Fictioneers – Heard It Through the Grapevine

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  9. Linda says:
    July 20, 2012 at 7:24 am

    A world view none would hope to see and beautifully examined in such a short space of words and a new way to looking at the ‘withering’ 🙂
    http://womanontheedgeofreality.com/2012/07/20/friday-fictioneers-the-grapevine/

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  10. Kaitlin says:
    July 20, 2012 at 8:08 am

    Lovely job. Great description and awesome understory in the space of 100 or so words. Mine is here. http://kaitlinandmichaelbranch.com/2012/07/20/friday-fictioneers-13/

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  11. Joanna (Lazuli Portals) says:
    July 20, 2012 at 9:33 am

    You conveyed so much in just a few words. Yes, sombre, and cautionary, but also very well written.

    http://www.lazuli-portals.com/flash-fiction/sweet-and-sour

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  12. boomiebol says:
    July 20, 2012 at 9:47 am

    Very well written! Thanks for stopping by mine

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  13. Judee says:
    July 20, 2012 at 9:59 am

    Oh my, how I have missed reading your fiction! The last line on this is so poignant. I’m kind of a fan of this kind of fiction, and you do it so well! I’ll try to catch up eventually with more of your work, but hey, it’s something to look forward to, even if I don’t have that much time right now. 🙂

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  14. The Writers Village says:
    July 20, 2012 at 11:12 am

    I didn’t understand it at first . I searched Simonsberg on the web and then your comments in the response to Doug. I needed that. i reread your prompt two more times, like tasting a delicate wine to get all the nuances, and how the last line keeps punching me in the gut, oh so delicately (I know a delicate punch is n oxymoron but):

    In our hearts, we know we’re just another bunch of rosebushes.

    Wow. What a profound statement and what a great allegory.
    Thanks, Randy

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    • Sandra says:
      July 20, 2012 at 3:41 pm

      I’m glad you got it Randy. I think it was probably a bit obscure, but for me the rosebush at the end of the vine row is something I take for granted.

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  15. unspywriter says:
    July 20, 2012 at 11:40 am

    Beautiful and horror-full at the same time. I can see how the people would think that their purpose was the same as the rose bushes. An excellent little story:

    Here’s mine: http://unexpectedpaths.com/friday-fictioneers/asylum/

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  16. jenniferreck says:
    July 20, 2012 at 12:20 pm

    Very lovely. Thank you for reviewing mine and I’m glad I got to read this as well. I love well-written dystopian novels. This sounds like the beginning of one!

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  17. theforgottenwife says:
    July 20, 2012 at 1:56 pm

    Wonderfully written! I really liked it and I would love to read more!! I think that’s the best mark of a really well written Friday Fictioneer entry – that we want more! Good stuff!! Thanks for commenting on mine – http://theforgottenwife.com/2012/07/19/friday-fictioneers-july-20-2012/

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  18. Brian Benoit says:
    July 20, 2012 at 3:00 pm

    I loved that first description, with just the right verbs used (jewelled especially) and the way the story gets dark immediately from there, but in a very realistic, post-industrial kind of way. Nice job.

    Brian (here’s mine: http://pinionpost.com/2012/07/20/terroir/)

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  19. Russell says:
    July 20, 2012 at 4:23 pm

    Sandra,
    I loved the description of the raindrops on waxy leaves. Oh, how I wish we could see some raindrops here! We have rosebushes near our grapes and the darn Japanese beetles love them both. I love the analogy between the rosebushes and the three clearing the land. Sacrifical lambs indeed. Thank you for taking the time to read & comment on mine.

    Here’s the link for others who might want to swing from that vine.
    http://russellgayer.blogspot.com/

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  20. Susan Wenzel (@SusanWenzel) says:
    July 20, 2012 at 5:17 pm

    I couldn’t agree more with “conceived by incompetents, combined by zealots.” But, ahh…what a painful view of a post-apocalyptic world illustrated by your white rose bushes.

    ~Susan (www.susanwenzel.com)

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  22. erinleary says:
    July 20, 2012 at 6:27 pm

    I like the last line a lot – just a bunch of rosebushes. I went back and reread the first and it was a great way to complete the circle.

    Mine is here: http://erinleary.wordpress.com/2012/07/19/flash-friday-fiction-12/

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  23. Jan Brown says:
    July 20, 2012 at 8:33 pm

    I liked this story very much! I wasn’t familiar with the role of the rosebushes at the edges of the vineyard, so I learned something, too!

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  24. Gilly Gee says:
    July 20, 2012 at 8:58 pm

    A dark place Sandra and this story is really thought provoking with great imagery 🙂

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  25. Student Hearts says:
    July 20, 2012 at 9:25 pm

    I love it! You are able to paint a picture so well. A talent I am very envious of!

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  26. Karen says:
    July 20, 2012 at 9:38 pm

    Great piece of flash fiction 🙂

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  27. Kris Kennedy says:
    July 21, 2012 at 1:25 am

    I feel like I got an education in 100 words. Very sad, and yet, beautifully written. The imagery is so real.

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  28. Ilyan Kei Lavanway (@ilyanlavanway) says:
    July 21, 2012 at 1:41 am

    I love the apocalyptic feel. My favorite line is “conceived by incompetents, combined by zealots.” Make s me think of chemtrails and the corrupt political agendas pushing for mass depopulation over a prolonged time so nobody can discover who is to blame, and no one is held accountable.

    Pre-Fall by Ilyan Kei Lavanway for Madison Woods Friday Fictioneers 100-Word Flash Fiction

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  29. sphrbn says:
    July 21, 2012 at 4:00 am

    Beautiful description.

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  30. Vb holmes says:
    July 21, 2012 at 7:35 am

    Powerful story and great wake-up call–I’m so glad you explained why the rose bushes are planted at the ends of the rows of grapevines.

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  32. glossarch says:
    July 21, 2012 at 12:36 pm

    I really liked this one. The parallelism between the people and the rose bushes is powerful and sobering.

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  33. silentlyheardonce says:
    July 21, 2012 at 1:47 pm

    Sad but it could be our reality. Sooner than we think. Nicely written.

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  34. flyoverhere says:
    July 21, 2012 at 2:21 pm

    Like the canary in a coal mine. Good work!

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  35. Madison Woods says:
    July 21, 2012 at 11:58 pm

    I did not know about the rosebushes, vines, and beetles relationship. I liked your analogy a lot more after understanding but it was great to begin with even with my haze of ignorance.

    As for your commenting on your blog. I don’t know why it would suddenly start doing that to you, but the spot to check is under your dashboard > settings > discussion OR maybe you’re not logged into your account when you’re leaving comments? Wish I knew better how to advise.

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  36. Lora Mitchell says:
    July 22, 2012 at 2:21 am

    Kudos to Sandra as usual. I mention rosebushes (roses) in my (non-fiction) story as well, but had no idea why they were planted at the grapevine trellis. Now I know. Well done. I’m #68 on the list.

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  37. Sandra says:
    July 22, 2012 at 8:40 am

    Thank you Lora, I noticed the roses in yours too. Nicely done.

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  38. rich says:
    July 23, 2012 at 4:34 am

    oh wow, we’re just rosebushes. that’s very pretty andmeaningful.

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  39. JKBradley says:
    July 23, 2012 at 12:48 pm

    Well done! Made me think of the canaries that miners would bring deep into the earth to notify them if the air became too toxic.

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  40. claireful says:
    July 23, 2012 at 2:36 pm

    Lovely piece of writing Sandra. I have to admit to likely bleak fiction, rather than ‘feel-good’. I had to have the rosebushes explanation though.

    Thanks for visiting mine.

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