*) - Fire
In the midst of a thousand street turns and a million different faces, there lies a green paradise. Once through these gates, the city of London becomes a place, far away. The constant city noise is replaced by rustling autumn trees, as a breeze gently stirs the brown leaves in the grass, squirrels dance. The shadows of the trees offer a retreat. In the middle of the green grass, there is a wide dirt path. A path that has been walked on for longer then the ones who walk on it. As the path twists and turns its way through the shadows and leaves, it leads towards the cry of swans. The water glimmers in the sun as the swans dive to feed beneath the water of the pond.
Behind a curtain of trees, dark brown buildings peek through, wanting their presence to be noticed. The hollow emptiness of windows peer at those who find their path through the trees. The dirty water splashes against the edge of the pond as a swan takes off into the air competing with the roaring of engines above.
A figure approached the pond and settled on a bench under the careful watch of swans.
A faint smell of a smoky fire filled the Man’s lungs. It was dark now, but there was a strong orange glow in the distance. With the sound of crackling and bursting, the man came to notice the animals were nowhere to be seen. Looking up, he froze as the imminent reality became ice inside his heart. In these times of wood what would be left? Few were aware that this city was built to burn. The houses, the markets and carts; all built to burn. The streets were a maze for the trapped, trying to flee an orange plague that was taking the life of the city. The people here knew that plagues were to be feared. They all heard the stories and some had seen the effects of the most feared death. They had all muttered "Black Death" upon their lips in their pasts, and now, they were screaming as the living, orange plague swallowed them.
The Man sat in the orange glow, watching the burning city in the water’s reflection.
It was even darker and there was no fire now. The streets were still. The city was under a curfew; no light was to shine once the sun was set. The Man held his breath as he nervously wrapped a thick jacket around himself. The cold was sinking into his bones. He sat helplessly, frozen to the bench. A siren rang close by and he jumped to his feet. There was a roaring above in the night sky. They had come. A loud noise pierced through the air and rippled through the pond. More explosions rocked the ground and the figure fell to crouch against the bench. He buried his head into the bundle that he made of himself.
Fires had started once more and the orange in the sky darkened. The bombs continued to fall through the thick, heavy smoke. This time, the city could not survive. The figure pressed himself tighter into a human ball. The bombs were getting closer; he could hear them fall through the sky from the planes that flew over in a deafening chorus. Sudden darkness consumed him.
The sunlight hurt his eyes as he opened them. Had he survived? What was left of the city of London? He took a glance around himself. There were no fires, there was no smoke. The tall man rubbed his face and took another slow glance around him. He let out a heavy sigh and settled back into the bench. He jumped at the faint roaring of a plane, and yet another swan took off from the side of the pond. The figure held his face as he convinced himself that it was only a commercial plane. It was a different world to the past.
Who knew, by just looking at this green paradise, that it had survived so much, that it could have burned beyond recognition.
This paradise had survived many horrors in its long life, to become something peaceful and wise. The paradise was unmarked by pain and death and as long as history is made, it will still be the paradise that the people see now.
==========================
It's amazing! full of descriptive narrative, it gives a sense of actually being there, sitting alongside the man in the park. Killer bronzish digital painting.
Rating - 155/200 Points
Total Points after 2 Rounds - 291/400
Judge - Mohit Trendster
In the midst of a thousand street turns and a million different faces, there lies a green paradise. Once through these gates, the city of London becomes a place, far away. The constant city noise is replaced by rustling autumn trees, as a breeze gently stirs the brown leaves in the grass, squirrels dance. The shadows of the trees offer a retreat. In the middle of the green grass, there is a wide dirt path. A path that has been walked on for longer then the ones who walk on it. As the path twists and turns its way through the shadows and leaves, it leads towards the cry of swans. The water glimmers in the sun as the swans dive to feed beneath the water of the pond.
Behind a curtain of trees, dark brown buildings peek through, wanting their presence to be noticed. The hollow emptiness of windows peer at those who find their path through the trees. The dirty water splashes against the edge of the pond as a swan takes off into the air competing with the roaring of engines above.
A figure approached the pond and settled on a bench under the careful watch of swans.
A faint smell of a smoky fire filled the Man’s lungs. It was dark now, but there was a strong orange glow in the distance. With the sound of crackling and bursting, the man came to notice the animals were nowhere to be seen. Looking up, he froze as the imminent reality became ice inside his heart. In these times of wood what would be left? Few were aware that this city was built to burn. The houses, the markets and carts; all built to burn. The streets were a maze for the trapped, trying to flee an orange plague that was taking the life of the city. The people here knew that plagues were to be feared. They all heard the stories and some had seen the effects of the most feared death. They had all muttered "Black Death" upon their lips in their pasts, and now, they were screaming as the living, orange plague swallowed them.
The Man sat in the orange glow, watching the burning city in the water’s reflection.
It was even darker and there was no fire now. The streets were still. The city was under a curfew; no light was to shine once the sun was set. The Man held his breath as he nervously wrapped a thick jacket around himself. The cold was sinking into his bones. He sat helplessly, frozen to the bench. A siren rang close by and he jumped to his feet. There was a roaring above in the night sky. They had come. A loud noise pierced through the air and rippled through the pond. More explosions rocked the ground and the figure fell to crouch against the bench. He buried his head into the bundle that he made of himself.
Fires had started once more and the orange in the sky darkened. The bombs continued to fall through the thick, heavy smoke. This time, the city could not survive. The figure pressed himself tighter into a human ball. The bombs were getting closer; he could hear them fall through the sky from the planes that flew over in a deafening chorus. Sudden darkness consumed him.
The sunlight hurt his eyes as he opened them. Had he survived? What was left of the city of London? He took a glance around himself. There were no fires, there was no smoke. The tall man rubbed his face and took another slow glance around him. He let out a heavy sigh and settled back into the bench. He jumped at the faint roaring of a plane, and yet another swan took off from the side of the pond. The figure held his face as he convinced himself that it was only a commercial plane. It was a different world to the past.
Who knew, by just looking at this green paradise, that it had survived so much, that it could have burned beyond recognition.
This paradise had survived many horrors in its long life, to become something peaceful and wise. The paradise was unmarked by pain and death and as long as history is made, it will still be the paradise that the people see now.
==========================
It's amazing! full of descriptive narrative, it gives a sense of actually being there, sitting alongside the man in the park. Killer bronzish digital painting.
Rating - 155/200 Points
Total Points after 2 Rounds - 291/400
Judge - Mohit Trendster
No comments:
Post a Comment