[ KAM-bər ]
Noun
- The slightly convex or arched shape of a road or other horizontal surface.
Let’s Create!
** Either a story beginning, a story ending, a piece of flash fiction, a poem, painting, dance move—inspired by the word, camber, where does it take me? Where does it take you? Learn more about “The Word” here.
Don’t do it, Geff!” said Rojjer.
“Yea… it’s not safe!” Aami said.
Geff looked at his two friends, hearing their words, listening intently, trying to see their side of things. Not even their side of things, but rather everyone’s side except for his.
He turned halfway around, looking away from his friends, over his right shoulder, towards the place that pulled him.
The hard, stone pathway, straight as an arrow, curved to the right up ahead. It turned into a break in the mountain, out of sight. A tunnel to… no one knew where.
The furthest anyone had ever gone was to peek around the corner. It was said that the darkness beyond consumed the man, sucked his life-force into the heart of the mountain.
Geff turned back to his friends. “It’s just a path. It’ll just lead to some other place.”
“You don’t know that!” Aami said.
“Geff,” Rojjer said. “Look.” He waved a sweeping hand away from the mountainside path over the valley. “Our home is in the light. All is seen. All we know, we see, and so what we can not see is not for us to know.”
“That makes no sense,” Geff shot back…
… “Yes, our valley is beautiful, but… but don’t you ever dream of more? Don’t you ever look up at these mountain walls”—Geff slammed an open palm on the stone behind them—”and think of them as a trap? A cage?”
His friends stared at him, and their faces gave their answer. No, they never had that thought. This place was enough for them. It was paradise. Which meant paradise was apparently not enough for him. That thought worried him.
“I can’t explain…” Geff said, turning back to his friends. “I have to go.”
“Please… see reason, Geff.” Aami grabbed his hand affectionately.
Geff turned back and hugged her, and then held her shoulders at arm’s length.
“Thank you for caring,” he said, giving her one last smile, and then turned around.
Geff took his first step towards the curve ahead. He followed the turn and entered the darkness of the mountain…
Notes/Thoughts/Ideas
My initial idea was to think about a group of people stuck thinking in straight lines and thinking about only what they could see. You can’t see beyond a bend… sometimes, at least.
Yet, as I got towards the end of writing this, I began to imagine another ending that I didn’t write here. I think what would be even cooler is if he turns the corner and sees what the first man saw. Something that makes him go mad!
The reason I didn’t write it… is because I don’t know what that would be! What could cause someone to lose their mind like that?
It would have to be something obvious, yet only applicable to a group who are afraid of the unknown as they are.
Sometimes, these stories bring me to great ideas, and sometimes they lead me to what could be a great idea if I figure it out : ) So, now… you have a chance!
What do you think of Camber?
What would drive Geff crazy? Hmm…
Leave your thoughts, ideas, your own story beginning/ending, flash-fiction, or whatever in the comments! Where did camber or my story take you?
If you liked this story, check out my podcast of short stories, More Than A Story.
Today’s word is from Word Genius.
Get THE WORD Every Day!
Enjoy a One-Minute Story, Learn a New Word, and Create With Me! Delivered to you every Tuesday and Thursday morning.