The Journey Part 2

#MenageMonday Flash Fiction Challenge
100-200 words
Three Prompts:
The Photo, above, courtesy of ABC News
The Phrase: “[didn't/don't/doesn't] want this” (you can choose one of the three options and this can appear anywhere in the story)
The Judge’s Prompt: The Phoenix – the bird, the legend, as a symbol, a statue, as an idea, as a concept, or even abstractly as a suggestion or condition.

My Entry: The Journey Part 2
(For Part 1 click here.)

It was too early for dusk, and yet the sky darkened.

Crouched in the remains of a burned-out building, Jessa squinted at the Bright through almost-closed eyes. She’d heard stories. The Bright would dim, but then it would reappear. She was almost sure of it. Should she begin her dusk trudge early?

The metal gridwork, remnant of the Before, felt like protection and she didn’t want to leave it. But she should take advantage of the encroaching darkness to move. There’d been no signs of another soul for more than three sen’nights and her journey must be almost over. The Colony was close. It had to be.

I don’t want this, she thought, closing her eyes and still seeing the crescent ball of fire on the inside of her lids. Stay or move? She prayed to the None, as she did every morning, every night, for Jazzy’s soul in the After, for her own safety. She wished… but there was no wishing, only doing.

She peered south, hoping and praying for the first vision of the rusted iron towers of the Colony. But there was only ruin.

Making her decision, she grabbed her precious pack and rose from the ashes.

200 words
Honorable Mention
Dee | @dee_768
Phoenix Says: I love the simple names for things: the None, the Bright, the Before, etc. I remember part one of the story, too. Plans to continue? I’d read it!

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