4th Platform Building Campaign 1st Exercise - Flash Fiction

One-Eye from the movie
"Valhalla Rising"

Shadows crept across the wall like fingers on an unseen hand, moving slowly towards where he sat. The advancing hour meant it was nearly time. He stood, gripping the cold chain that held him bound, and felt the stirrings of the savage he kept suppressed within. Shortly they would both be unshackled, again.

He closed his eyes and exhaled, slowly. He brought his hands up and examined the scars earned over a lifetime of fighting. The rust from the chain left an orange stain on his fingers, but he did not wipe it off. Soon enough they would be covered by a different color.

He took no pride in having survived longer than any other fighter he knew of. Before long his time would pass to a younger, stronger man. That time, however, was not today.

He knelt once more on the cold dirt to offer a prayer to the Gods that saw fit to preserve his life but not allow him control over it. He dropped his chin to his chest and began the prayer that would transform to death chant, surrendering his thoughts to the rhythm as the intensity of the dirge grew and around him everything faded.

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Write a short story/flash fiction story in 200 words or less, excluding the title. It can be in any format, including a poem. Begin the story with the words, “Shadows crept across the wall”. These five words will be included in the word count. 

If you want to give yourself an added challenge (optional), do one or more of these:

• end the story with the words: "everything faded." (also included in the word count)  (DONE)

• include the word "orange" in the story  (DONE)

• write in the same genre you normally write  (DONE)

• make your story 200 words exactly!  (DONE)