Sunday Photo Fiction – Running For The Future

Every week a photo is donated to use as a prompt for a story in 200 words or under.

If you want to see what others have written, then click on the InLinkz frog image, and if you want to have a go, then click on the Sunday Photo Fiction image.

© Jules Paige

One hundred metres. That is how far he had to run to the end of the pier. Training to be the best of the best took nearly all of his time. Running for the Olympics was one thing, but this was different. Now he would run in the Human Race.

With the destruction of the planet not far off, only the best runners, swimmers, boxers and all other sportsmen and women would be eligible for the ark he wanted. His goal, to reach the other end of the pier in less than ten seconds. He would then be eligible for selection to join the ark and take the journey to a new star system, to colonise Trappist 1

All athletes were allowed only one chance as so many wanted the coveted spot. He grinned to himself at the thought of how he nobbled some of the other athletes. From a tiny pebble in a shoe, stitching a thistle into a pair of shorts, a small sponge to make the shoe smaller.

Now, he stood at the beginning of the pier, waiting. At the nod, he took off at full sprint, slipped and fell in the water.