Gone Fishing – Sunday Photo Fiction

Continued from a previous story, here. This is written for Sunday Photo Fiction. Love the historically important pic, Alastair! A story about creative thinking begins after the photo.

Genre: Steampunk/Humor

Photo by: Alastair Forbes

Gone Fishing

Arteigna’s hair was matted with sweat. Her dress was torn and her breaths came quick.

She smiled and nuzzled Hansen’s cheek as they lay on the airship’s charting table. Their passionate celebration of their new found freedom left both exhausted and sweaty. She wondered dreamily if he was as tired as it seemed. Knocking at the airship’s cockpit door nixed the thought. Hansen hurriedly pulled his pants up while Arteigna arranged her dress more appropriately.

Hansen opened the door and admitted the XO (eXecutive Officer), Hampton. He laid some dungarees on the charting table. “Fresh clothes for the lady, Captain. I hope the timing is acceptable. I did wait until the shouting stopped.”

Arteigna turned away with a sheepish smile.

“Well done, Hampton,” grinned Hansen. “Anything to report?”

“We’ve been out of fresh meat for a week, and the crew is grumbling. One other thing you’ll have to see for yourself.”

The trio trekked through narrow passageways. “We’re cruising low over the river Elbesson as you ordered, sir,” said Hampton.

“I know this river,” said Arteigna. “It has the best-tasting fish in the region. Cardinal Pinnacle banned fishing there so only he could eat the fish in it. Since then, hundreds of families went hungry.”

“Quite right, m’lady,” replied Hampton. “The Elbesson has become infested with Bull Sharks in the meantime. No one pulls them out anymore.”

They arrived at a lookout in the open air. Angrily, Hampton pointed below the airship. The ancient Cardinal Pinnacle had donned his life-support suit and tied himself to a mooring line. The murderer of nearly a million people scowled with menace, dangling 75 feet below.

“How did he survive? That monster is unkillable,” spat Arteigna.

Ever the cool thinker, Hansen said, “We just need to be more imaginative. XO? Would a fat Bull Shark count as fresh meat?”

“Indeed it would, Cap’n,” grinned Hampton, as shots rang out from the other end of the lookout. Marines leaned over the railing to fire at the universally despised Cardinal. “Belay that infernal plinking!” bellowed Hampton.

“But, sir!”

“You’re shooting at the bait!” Hampton shared a wicked smile with Hansen. “We’re going fishing, boys.”
________________________________

Each Sunday, Alastair Forbes presents an original photo as a writing prompt. All are welcome to join in on our voyages of the imagination. Here’s this week’s prompt: http://sundayphotofictioner.wordpress.com/2013/12/29/sunday-photo-fiction-december-29th-2013/