PHOTO PROMPT © Roger Bultot
Last of its kind
It enters the waterway silently, a translucent behemoth. Those night fishing along the pier stare agog, then pull out their cell phones. Soon its image is plastered across social media.
When camera vans reach the scene breathless reporters, fed with data through their earpieces, parrot guesstimates.
July’s bright moon pulses down on what some chatter is a wet surface. Others say it is crying.
Only Professor Sagan, watching on a screen from his home in Antarctica, knows what it is: the last iceberg on Earth.
Sagan’s stereo plays Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 Op. 92 II. Allegretto as he takes the pills.
[101 words]
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields is the host of Friday Fictioneers.
Tao Talk 
Ohh wow. What a twist at the end! I never saw that coming. The last iceberg on Earth! That would be a stark reality indeed. Great take!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Shweta, it’s the first thing that popped into my head when I saw the image. Thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s amazing. I really enjoyed your take.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great take on the prompt!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cheryl, thank you!
LikeLike
You held the tension there up to the great final reveal!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Neil, thank you :)
LikeLike
was it really the last iceberg? it could be the iceberg lost after it had broken free from where it was stuck in antartica. :)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sagan lives in antartica so he would know.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Another sad story…(K)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hope this vision gets diverted.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ecellent!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Dawn.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Excellent!
LikeLiked by 1 person
:)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Another sad one! It was good though.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you very much, Max.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Judging by the 80ºF weather we’ve been having in New York this October with absolutely no rain all month, it’s just a matter of time before this is a reality. That is a very scary prospect. Interesting take, Lisa.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nancy, I pray every day that this glimpse of the future is diverted. Cannot believe you’ve had no rain in a month! And 80!? I will ask Rain Main to do a dance for you all. (reference to a poem I wrote awhile back.)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Please do! We need all the help we can get! No rain and none projected for the foreseeable future. In my Wordless Wednesday post, you can see how dry the soil is in my bed of wildflowers. Yes … wildflowers blooming in October!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like how you capture the media frenzy over a decaying iceberg, the last of its kind. A stark warning about climate change, well done.
LikeLiked by 1 person
James, many thanks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s scary and sad.
LikeLiked by 1 person
:( i know
LikeLiked by 1 person
😱
LikeLiked by 1 person
The vibrant verse goes perfectly with the pic– which I really like!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Have you considered writing a 100-word story to the pictures for Friday Fictioneers? I think you’d be a natural for it.
LikeLike
awww shucks. :-D
I might try one , one of these days !! Thank you. :-)
LikeLiked by 1 person
The story is brilliant; such a perspective on the view! And the drama of the music is perfect… that’s one of my favourites.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love the version you posted. Slowest version I’ve heard, such low-end bass. Incredibly good. Blasting out of the speakers, it sounds like something beyond human capability.
LikeLiked by 1 person
<3
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Steve. I heard that music in a couple of movie and tv series soundtracks and fell in love with it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My pleasure. It’s funny; only the first part is very slow, then it goes to a more common tempo in the middle which, relatively speaking, sounds almost playful in what I always consider a very serious piece of music. That version is mind-blowing… something one might not expect from a conductor so young-looking. Truly cannot judge a book by the cover.
BTW if you are into her at all, you most probably would enjoy Sarah Brightman singing a scorching vocal adaptation someone arranged and titled “Figlio Perduto.” Saw that show (Luna) in St Paul, Minn. in 2000. Wowzers.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s the same melody so how can they give it another name? You’re right, wowzers!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think in most places there is a writing credit to Beethoven or at least they say, “based on.” At least there should be since his music is the foundation of the song.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hope so. I didn’t see it at the youtube. Also, did you see what my blogmate, Keith, said about his mother in-law being the music teacher for her and was responsible for getting her ready for The Phantom of the Opera?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I just saw that! Wow, that is some claim to fame. That would have been very early in her career, I believe.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Keith would know more, but yes, that was quite awhile ago.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Here’s hoping this little horror story isn’t prophetic :(
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ditto :(
LikeLike
Fiction this might be, but it could well become reality at some time in the future. There’s only so much we can do to control nature.
Thanks for featuring one of my favourire pieces of music!
Btw, Steve mentioned Sarah Brightman – my mother-in-law was her original singing teacher and trained her for her role in the launch of Phantom of the Opera!
LikeLiked by 2 people
You’re welcome, and I adore that song also. Oh wow on your mother-in-law being Sarah’s singing teacher! I love Phantom of the Opera music. “Music of the Night” especially.
LikeLike
I hope this is not prophetic. We are indeed destroying our planet. Great tension and what a sad ending.
LikeLiked by 1 person
it’s Brenda by the way and not anonymous…😁
LikeLiked by 1 person
:)
LikeLike
Brenda, me too. I hope divine intervention diverts us from this path.
LikeLike
Dear Lisa,
Dare I say this one left me with a chill? Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Rochelle, happy but sorry to have chilled you with this possible future. I hope it never comes to pass. Thank you.
Shalom,
Lisa
LikeLike
I have to echo Rochelle. I got a chill, too. On the bright side, we can try that Titanic thing again.
LikeLiked by 1 person
:)
LikeLike
That’s a twist. Fabulous piece. A terrific warning I doubt people will heed. Nicely done
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks much, Laurie.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, I can go one better. How about a hot world with no ice at all? I did the research on the new coastlines, threw in sailing ships, pirates, dinosaurs, and probability-based magic. It’s a fun story: https://www.amazon.com/Ice-James-Pyles-ebook/dp/B09MYJ6B1L
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sounds interesting, James!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, you could * ahem * buy, read, and review it (hint, hint – unabashed plug). :-D
LikeLiked by 1 person
:)
LikeLike
Again, a fantastic ending, great twist!
LikeLiked by 1 person
:) <3
LikeLike