Flash Fiction: Changed #writephoto

He surveyed the area from atop his vehicle. Even though he had never seen it from this height before, it still looked as gorgeous as he remembered. The lush greenery that exhibited all the shades of green that one could imagine was still the same. He remembered walking among it as a child, breathing in the same fresh air that he once had, years ago. Even the very sunlight was the same shade, giving the same warmth. Nothing had changed here. However, he had changed.

No longer was he a carefree kid, passing his days in the forest, playing with his companions. He was an imperial captain, in the service of His Majesty. It was a time of war and he had been deployed in his homeland to quell the unrest that dwelled among the subjects. The rebels as they were called, were giving shelter to His Majesty’s enemies. The decision to send him to his homeland, made tactical sense, he recognized this. However, he did not particularly like courting war in his childhood playground. Many years ago, he used to come to this very area, every day. He would play soldier along with his playmates and while away time making onomatopoeic gun sounds. The rocks hid a passageway to a dense part of the forest. It used to serve as his base as a kid. Now, the rebels had made it their home.

He knew there was only one way to do this. Now was not the time for sentimentality. It was time to take action. He hated doing it, but the only way to force the rebels out of hiding was to destroy the environment that had been a cherished part of his childhood. He drew in a deep breath and turned to his troops.

“Burn it down.”

 

Word Count: 300

Written in response to Sue Vincent’s Thursday photo prompt: Fallen #writephoto

Thank You Sue for the wonderful prompt! 🙂

 

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