An old oak tree tops the isolated hill. Leaves gone with the cold wind of change. At its feet, stone slabs rest weary upon scrub. The green drained from the earth. The howl of the wind echoes in the void here.
A solidarity figure rests high in a saddle. The dark clothes match the scene. The horse looks made of shadow. It’s head raised. It’s nose twisting to find a scent. The tail snaps side to side. Time had slowed. The pale Sun frozen in the sky casts a hazy glow.
A muffled voice shatters the scene. It’s origin distant. It’s direction approaching. The solitary man hears but fails to garner his attention. Horses show from the other side.
Three encumbered by three men.
The solitary man walks the shadow horse toward the tree. A left hand produces a single strand that arches gently over a branch. At its termination, a loop dangles.
Of the four men, only one regrets it’s killing time.
Sounds like the opening scene to a good western starring Clint Eastwood. Thanks for linking up with #momsterslink. Hope to see you again today.
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My inspiration was a black and white picture with an old oak tree and an old cemetery. I could hear the echoes of the wild west in it. 🙂 thank you. I should be dropping by later
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Tagging you from the #momsterslink
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Thank you! 😀
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Eerie, dark, and vivid. Great post! Visiting from #momsterslink
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That’s the flavor I was looking for. Stark, Erie, the kind of place hair stands on end. Thanks for dropping by! I appreciate it
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I don’t know why but this kind of makes me think of Billy the Kid. Back in the 90’s when Young Guns and Young Guns 2 came out, I was obsessed with Billy the Kid. I even did a project report on him and reading this, I was picturing Billy as the solitary man and Pat Garrett with his men, coming to kill him. Now, Billy wasn’t killed at the top of a hill (that we know of) but this is what went through my mind while reading this. Weird right? Popping over from #momsterlink
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Never thought of that angle. I saw a picture earlier with the tree on a hill with a cemetery. It scared hanging tree. My little twisted mind started playing and old west justice won out. I’m glad it fit the bill the kid idea. Thanks darling
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Thank you! Sometimes my mind just goes to weird places. Lol!
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Sometimes? Weird places build better thoughts. 😀
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Very true and I have passed it onto my 9 year old. Lol!
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Best to raise them well before the internet takes over.
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Very true!
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This is very good, Mark!
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