This is my first submission for the Writing Adventure Group. I have put the instructions for the challenge at the end of the post.
Beautiful Brock
Edward was almost sick when he first saw it. The sight unnerved him and squashed the thought of breakfast after his daily walk through the woods. Brock was dead. How could anything so beautiful now look so disgusting? He must have been caught by a speeding car as he tried to cross the road. What a waste!
The next day it was even worse, but Edward was captivated. The crows had taken the eyes and magpies had torn at the innards. At least poor Brock had given a few feathered friends a hearty feast.
On the third day he was covered in flies and bluebottles. The noise and smell of death hung in the breeze as they crawled on the rotting flesh and buzzed in the air around him. He almost seemed alive again.
A week later poor Brock was empty. He’d fed a few birds, and been recycled into maggots and worms. They in turn had fed more badgers and would help the set survive the winter. Now what remained would put a smile on the faces of the children at the local school.
Edward picked up what was left of poor Brock – some bleached bones and a dried and wizen pelt in almost perfect condition. He popped him into the canvas bag that he’d brought especially from home. Later that day he would go into town and take it to the taxidermist who would resurrect him as he once was. Handsome Brock, a proud teenage badger.
Instructions for WAG #8 – Rose Coloured Glasses
Go out and choose an unfamiliar object (in other words, one you have no history with) that strikes you as ugly, repulsive, annoying, etc. Some ideas might be: a wad of squashed gum on the pavement, a dead squirrel on the side of the road, an ugly sign, a loud construction site, a tacky sculpture in a charity shop. Write about it in such as way as to make it appealing to your reader. Really sell it! Use whatever words you want and cheat as much as you want, but do your best!
Okay that was really gross, and yet... and yet. You did a wonderful job here!
ReplyDeleteThere was something both bizarre and compelling about this piece.
Well done!
One word: Ew. I was both repulsed yet strangely drawn in. Kind of like an accident by the side of the road when you want to look away bit just can't.
ReplyDeleteVery descriptive!
Welcome to WAG!
Peter, you certainly left me wanting to see the "renewed" Brock; your pursuit of the decaying, while not actually badgering me, left me knackered. Nice piece of work.
ReplyDeleteVery powerful, repulsive yet attractive, well done!
ReplyDeleteOkay, the graphic was graphic enough, but I love the way you put a happy ending (not for Brock of course!) in turning this little "Two Years From Now Who Will Care" tragedy into a "Two Years From Now Little Kids Will Be Learning About Natural History" victory.
ReplyDeleteNicely done, Mr. Spalton!
Poor Brock! Interesting piece!
ReplyDeleteInteresting, different perspective on a mundane and usually almost invisible subject. Nice!
ReplyDelete