Wow! It took my breath away, and so I took a moment.

What usually takes my breath is a punch to the stomach, daredevil drops from height, too cold, too hungry, too scared.

I was in a hurry and under pressure, with no time to appreciate nature, but I stopped.

Not too many years ago, happy people on exciting holidays would have traversed this track. Gasped in awe at the drop away, delighted in the natural features all around. Pointed out deer, birds, bears – who knows.

I looked at the track veering away into the distance, into the mist and imagined different times.

I remembered a loving, carefree family. Kisses and playtime, cakes and lemonade. Living parents.

That was so long ago it was as if a dream. Or something read in a book.

Books. Dreams. Not all lost, because I always had a novel in my backpack. It took up precious space, but it made life bearable. And there were plenty of pristine libraries in my travels. Nobody looted libraries.

The moment stretched, and I breathed deep.

Then I tightened shoelaces, sipped some water, hitched the pack higher on my back and began to pick my away along these now dangerous tracks.

Into an uncertain, but almost definitely treacherous future. [6 minutes, 211 words]

*  * * * * * * 

Thanks to Christine for running this challenge.

How it works:

https://christinebialczak.com/2020/07/14/simply-6-minutes-writing-challenge

• Set up a timer or sit near a clock so you can keep track of the six minutes you will be writing.
• You can either use one of the prompts (photo or written) or you can free-write.
• Get ready and write for 6 minutes, that is it! Can you write a complete story? Can you think of a new Sonnet? Can you write 400 words? 400? 500? There are no restrictions on what kind of writing you do, but you should try to be actively writing for six minutes.
• After you are done writing, include your word count and then post back to this page #Simply6Minutes or include your link in the comments section. Pingbacks are enabled.

What can I say that hasn’t been said

Grow a thick skin, give up or play dead

Friends say they’ve the hide of a rhino

I’m the absorbent amphibian

I should have evolved with experience and age

But somehow my heart keeps on breaking

Like a child I stand there and quake

A weakness I wish I could shed

I need to develop thick skin as an armour

Against a hard world, to protect

Soft and porous not a warrior makes

So I struggle, absorbing sharp barbs

When I lay on death’s bed, finally armour-plated

Hardened, impervious, insensitive

By that time I’ll not care, pushed aside all despair

And laugh in the face of the haters

Until then, I will work on the callouses

A hard shell, tough hide, unfeeling

Until then, I don’t know how to live in this world

Without constantly shrivelling [6 minutes, 144 words]

***

Thanks to Christine at Stine Writing for this weekly challenge. To write whatever you can in six minutes using the prompt provided.

I am beautiful.

On the surface, so tough.

On the inside, soft as velvet.

See my soul fly, with the wings of a butterfly.

See them flutter.

See them float.

See the display of colour.

In my heart

I am fleet

I can float

I can touch, soft and tender, on fragile petals.

In the world

I am hard

Tough as leather

Thick as tree trunks.

What I touch breaks

My steps destroy

My feeding needs, rapacious

Yet, I nurture my young

Wish for their future

for a lightness, love, safety

The freedom to fly,

bright as a butterfly. (99 words, 6 minutes)

Simply 6 Minutes Challenge Note

https://christinebialczak.com/2020/07/14/simply-6-minutes-writing-challenge

• Set up a timer or sit near a clock so you can keep track of the six minutes you will be writing.
• You can either use one of the prompts (photo or written) or you can free-write.
• Get ready and write for 6 minutes, that is it! Can you write a complete story? Can you think of a new Sonnet? Can you write 400 words? 400? 500? There are no restrictions on what kind of writing you do, but you should try to be actively writing for six minutes.
• After you are done writing, include your word count and then post back to this page #Simply6Minutes or include your link in the comments section. Pingbacks are enabled.

Photo prompt for Simply 6 Minutes

They’re always captured by my eyes.

The first thing they notice. How alive. How human.

The pathos.

Then they notice that I’m some sort of hybrid zebra-dog.

I want to say to them ‘pay attention’. I am in here.

Let me out!

Oh, you beautiful girl, they say. Oh, let me get a look at you. You beautiful thing, you.

She looks so sad, someone will add. Smoothing my head and stroking my ears.

I am sad! I’m screaming at you to please help me.

Trapped by a witch’s curse. Tormented by worry.

How are my children. Do they think I’ve left them?

How will I ever return.

One day I’ll bite. And they’ll be all, oh no. She needs to be put down.

And so, I remain patient, passive. I can’t afford to lose it.

But each day passing, means another day without my loved ones.

And them without me. Their mother. Their wife.

Oh, look. I think she’s crying, one says. Do dogs cry?

This one does. Every single lonely day.

And I have to shit on newspaper and eat disgusting crap from a tin.

And communicate with whines and barks.

The witch said, if your husband repairs his way, you will be freed.

I don’t know what he’s done. I don’t know if he will repent.

But if I ever see him again, he is done for!

He thought I nagged before.

He’ll wish I’d never returned. [240 words – 6 minutes]

Simply 6 Minutes Challenge Note

https://christinebialczak.com/2020/07/14/simply-6-minutes-writing-challenge

• Set up a timer or sit near a clock so you can keep track of the six minutes you will be writing.
• You can either use one of the prompts (photo or written) or you can free-write.
• Get ready and write for 6 minutes, that is it! Can you write a complete story? Can you think of a new Sonnet? Can you write 400 words? 400? 500? There are no restrictions on what kind of writing you do, but you should try to be actively writing for six minutes.
• After you are done writing, include your word count and then post back to this page #Simply6Minutes or include your link in the comments section. Pingbacks are enabled.