photo courtesy of Anshu Bhagingarwala 
This unusual photo is the inspirational prompt this week for Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers. Can you write 100 words in response ?
SPOORS
They came into the country unnoticed, in the soil of an imported pot plant. Under the radar, potent. It was reported that the first incident occurred in cities and industrial areas. Observers described people who’d been afflicted by the tiny spoors — they would stop, mid-stride, at the sight of a tree, entranced. One woman gazed at a lavender bush, busy with bees, for half an hour. Farmers spraying their crops with pesticides were frozen to the spot.
In Parliament, debate raged. What were these strange entities ? Should the country arm ? The climate conference was deferred. No time to discuss global warming now.
March 18, 2019 at 1:54 pm
Chilling! Mother Nature might be fighting back!!
Loved it!
-Rachel
March 18, 2019 at 2:25 pm
Thanks Rachel, glad you liked the story. I’m curious about how Mother Nature might fight back …?
March 17, 2019 at 1:48 pm
A fantastic piece of writing! NIcely done.
March 18, 2019 at 2:30 pm
Thank you Esha, pleased you liked the story.
March 17, 2019 at 1:20 pm
Perhaps these spoors are the cure for environmental shortsightedness. A fascinating take on the prompt.
March 17, 2019 at 1:47 pm
Thanks Magarisa – I’m glad you liked the story.
March 17, 2019 at 8:55 am
This is fantastic. I love it. Just my kind of story.
March 17, 2019 at 1:51 pm
Thanks so much Margaret- glad you enjoyed the story.
March 16, 2019 at 7:56 pm
Oh, I liked this – very imaginative take on the photo prompt!
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
March 17, 2019 at 1:57 pm
I appreciate your feedback Susan, thanks.
March 16, 2019 at 12:23 pm
As others have said, a great take on the prompt. Original and well written. I do love watching bees, so perhaps I’m already afflicted!
March 16, 2019 at 3:09 pm
Thanks Lynn – appreciate your feedback. I think you are indeed afflicted … what next ? Rooted to the spot by a tree ?
March 18, 2019 at 1:47 pm
Quite possibly, which will be fine if the sun shines and someone keeps feeding me cups of tea! My pleasure
March 16, 2019 at 11:10 am
I love the idea of the world slowing down to take in nature.
No wonder parliament/big business are concerned.
March 16, 2019 at 3:18 pm
Thank you Patrick – pleased you enjoyed the story. I like the idea that there’s a slow, quiet power in nature.
March 15, 2019 at 11:11 pm
A condition that forces the afflicted to stop and smell the roses. I love that idea.
March 16, 2019 at 3:26 pm
Thanks – I appreciate your comment.
March 16, 2019 at 4:29 pm
You are welcome.
March 15, 2019 at 6:49 pm
I loved the image of the woman watching bees on the lavender bush. That might have been me – I love doing exactly that, although I don’t think I’ve ever clocked up half an hour! That was a very ingenious take on the prompt.
March 16, 2019 at 3:33 pm
Thanks very much Penny – so pleased you liked the bees. If you find half an hour of bee watching has gone by, perhaps the ‘spoors’ have reached you ?!
March 15, 2019 at 1:03 pm
A different take from almost everyone else. Expertly told, enjoyed it very much.
March 15, 2019 at 1:14 pm
Thanks so much – really pleased you enjoyed the story.
March 15, 2019 at 3:26 am
I loved this take, Francine. Let’s hope the pesticide sprayers did not have their finger on the nozzle when they froze!
March 15, 2019 at 12:30 pm
That’s great Dale – so glad you liked the tale. Wonder if the spray would have frozen too !?
March 15, 2019 at 12:35 pm
Can’t help but wonder now…
March 14, 2019 at 12:31 pm
Revenge of the Flora. I love it.
March 15, 2019 at 12:46 pm
Thank you – glad you enjoyed the tale. ‘Revenge of the Flora’ would be a great title for a story !
March 14, 2019 at 12:04 pm
Dear Francine,
This puts me in mind of an episode of Star Trek where Mr. Spock and other Enterprise crew members were affected by such spoors on a planet. The most poignant moment, after Kirk found the antidote was anger and delivered Spock, the camera hones in on Spock who says, “For the first time in my life I was truly happy.”
Well done story. May we all be afflicted with those spoors. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
March 14, 2019 at 7:35 pm
I appreciate your comment Rochelle – agree with you entirely – may we all be afflicted by such spoors. Interesting link to Spock, a few years back I guess, so climate change was clocked then. I’m moved by the green movement started by the Swedish schoolgirl – its their future as she says.
March 14, 2019 at 10:55 am
I bought a pot plant yesterday – now you’ve got me worried!!
March 15, 2019 at 12:47 pm
Thanks Keith…..you have been warned !
March 13, 2019 at 9:16 pm
Spoors that make us finally appreciate nature and the planet we live on. I’m almost on their side!
March 15, 2019 at 12:53 pm
Thanks Iain – pleased you’re nearly converted. I’m with the Spoors.
March 13, 2019 at 8:08 pm
When the fungi hits back there is nowhere to hide.
March 15, 2019 at 1:00 pm
Ha ha – what an image – look out, the Fungi are coming….can’t you just see the film poster ?
March 15, 2019 at 11:10 pm
There’s a Fungi Among I!
March 13, 2019 at 7:58 pm
I’m guessing once enough people are infected the climate will be pretty much safe.
March 15, 2019 at 1:04 pm
Yes Ali – that’s what I was imagining. As if ..?
March 13, 2019 at 7:05 pm
Wouldn’t it be ironic if the spores were somehow the result of global warming?
March 13, 2019 at 6:52 pm
Nice topic! Very original write.
March 15, 2019 at 1:10 pm
Thank you Violet – I appreciate your feedback.