PHOTO PROMPT © Dale Rogerson
For twenty-plus years, they’d lived each weekend at the cabin from spring to fall. Social distancing forgotten, they kayaked Duckweed Lake by day and listened to loons calling at dusk from the patio. Mid-October they winterized the place before heading back to Greenville for winter’s prison.
It’s April; time to go. Spring means high water — but it’s never been this high. They stunt drive the now deeply-gouged mud road their place sits on. Their driveway is impassible, so they slog along its 500-feet. She wails when she sees their refuge submerged up to the top step of the porch.
[100 words]
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields is the sunny host of Friday Fictioneers.
Tao Talk 
Great take on the prompt.
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Thank you, Sadje 🙂
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You’re welcome
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Nah! It’s not climate change. It’s just a bit of weather.
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Climate change perhaps? Or just a freak event? Either way, it’s going to be a lot of hard work instead of a respite!
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I hope it’s a freak event also, but…
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Climate change makes many people lose their hopes and dreams.
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Yes it does 😦
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Great contrast between the 20 years of happiness and the destruction of this one year. A climate change warning? ‘Wail’ is exactly the word to describe a reaction to this devastation.
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Thank you for the great feedback, Jenne 🙂
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A sad tale that makes you wish at least SOME things would remain the same. But change is and always has been the watchword.
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You’re so right in all respects. Thank you for reading and commenting, Dora.
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My pleasure Lisa.
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Awe nicely done! ❤
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Carol anne, thank you.
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What a shame their beautiful place was destoryed. Good story!
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Yes it was. Thanks, Mason!
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You’re welcome.
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My great-grandmother got flooded out of her house once. I think only a fire’s worse.
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It’s happening more and more…
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Having been flooded in the great flood of 2007, I know how they feel, its a shit situation worsened by the fact that a lot of which is damaged is damaged for ever. We lost our honeymoon photos and others. Great take on the prompt.
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Shrawl, so sorry to hear you’ve experienced this.
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I was on telly and recognised in the supermarket and we got a lot of nice new things. Looking back it was more hassle, a dismal chapter in our lives, but I think my son came out of it, so not all bad!!
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I felt so sad for the couple’s lost retreat. It’s very difficult to lose something with so many good memories. Sad, but well-written.
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Thank you for reading and your lovely comment, Brenda.
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My first instinct on the photo was a climate change story, but I think I’ve done quite a few of them… Not that you said “climate change”, but.. Nicely done.
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Trent, thank you. I’ve never seen the water so high around here, and that concerns me. Last fall, when things kind of subside and dry out the water was high. I think deforestation north of here (to plant acre after acre of blueberry bushes) has a lot to do with it — not to mention all the rest 😦
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Yuck, so this is pretty close to a real life story. i do think the deforestation thing would really add to it – with nothing there to stop it, the water just runs off instead of soaking in.
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Looks like their break is going to be busy cleaning out the muck. Well told.
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Exactly, James. Thank you for reading and your comment.
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Well, there’s an unwelcome surprise! Got their work cut out for them.
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Yes they do. I hope the place can be salvaged…
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Their emotions, the yearning for their cabin and the disappointment is very profound. Great story.
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Thank you very much, Gah.
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That’s quite an anti-climax to their happy days. I hope the place can be salvaged and made livable again.
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Thanks for reading, Jolly. I do also.
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This will be the fate of too many houses in the next few years I think. (K)
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My DIL’s aunt and uncle’s house was destroyed last year when the dam broke and released all of the water.
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Yikes. I hope they got away safely. A friend of mine’s sister bought a house on a river in New Jersey–big mistake. It is only going to get worse.
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They did get away safely and luckily their adult son had room at his place for them to stay. I really don’t know what their current status is; will have to ask my DIL. So sorry your friend’s sister made that mistake. I’ve been seeing more lakeside property for sale than usual around here, but they are still asking unreally inflated amounts because it’s a seller’s market right now; also just heard the price of construction lumber is now through the roof (no pun intended.)
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I heard that too. Strange times.
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They still have their memories but they can’t replace what’s now lost. A poignant piece indeed.
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Thanks, Keith.
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Oh no. I hope they will be okay. I have this deep fear of getting caught in the middle of a flood, not knowing if the waters will rise higher, past the point of being able to leave safely. I have recurrent nightmares about that, so this all felt very real to me. Well written.
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Get yourself a small inflatable boat and some oars and ease your mind. You never know what’s coming. Thank you, Anne.
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Dear Lisa,
Heart wrenching story. Hope they can create a new retreat. Well written.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Rochelle, I hope so also. Thank you.
Shalom,
Lisa
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well, i just hope they have enough insurance coverage. 🙂
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I hope so. So many insurance companies have disaster loopholes to let them squirm out of paying. One I’ve seen more frequently is where the State has a rating system for flood zones. If you’re in a flood zone then “shame on you for being there we aren’t paying.” even though those designations are new and you’ve had a place there forever.
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I hope they can pitch a tent on a dry spot and get the cabin sorted out … perhaps salvage the rest of the season … Well done!
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Thanks, Na’ama! Hoping they can also.
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😀
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Hopefully, their memories will keep their hopes of rebuilding alive.
So many people are devastated after hurricanes and storms. It’s
difficult to understand unless you’ve been through it. Hurricanes are
common here in sunny Florida. I’ve been through a few I’d rather not remember.
But, anywhere you live there’s something to be concerned about when it comes to Mother Nature. Great story, Lisa … Have a wonderful weekend,
Be Safe 😷 … Isadora 😎
ps – is Greenville – South Carolina?
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Isadora, I appreciate your response to this. You’re right, unless you’ve been through it it is hard to fully understand, which I’ve been blessed enough not to have felt such devastation. There’s a Greenville, MI, towards the middle of the state.
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aahhhh … greenville, sc is a great artsy town. My daughter lives right outside of it. 👍🏻
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I named it that for the sound of it. The one here is smalltown usa.
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One of the most difficult parts of writing for me os trying to come up with names for people and places. My daughter lives in Simpsonville … recognize that?
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No I don’t recognize it, but I recognize The Simpsons, but they live in Springfield 🙂
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There a show on tv. I think it’s The Simpsons or South Park. I’m not sure. It’s one of those. I don’t know why I’m going on about the name. Excuse my banter. 🤪 😂 😎
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🙂
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Nicely told story. Flooding is so distressing. I hope your couple manage to clean up and dry out their refuge.
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I do also, Penny. Maybe they can have the place lifted and put on stilts? Thank you for reading and commenting.
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Good idea!
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I always wonder at those who build so close to water. They do know the dangers and this couple was lucky that it took twenty years for this to happen. Hopefully they can salvage and rebuild (higher up!)
Well done.
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Thanks, Dale, I do also.
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🙂
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So sad for them to arrive to that. I hope they can reclaim their little getaway cabin.
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Ditto. Thanks for reading and commenting, Ali.
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Oh heartbreaking. You have captured her devastation so well.
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Thanks, Laurie!
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In some ways it’s their Paradise Lost story. Whether climate change or freak storm it’s always heartbreaking to have this happen.
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Yes it is. Thanks for reading and commenting, Subroto.
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Great take, floods are so devastating. All the hard work gone and so much more hard work to get everything back to being habitable.
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Thank you, Michael, unfortunately true.
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Everyone needs a place like that to go… hope they rebuild soon
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Floods are so challenging, I would also wail if I could
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