I wrote this in response to Carrot Ranch’s weekly flash fiction challenge
When he pulled up the data, I was gobsmacked. Sure, I’d been there. I’d seen what was left of civilsation. But I’d had no idea of the scale of it all.
“It’s like an iceberg.”
He cocked his eyebrow at me.
“We’ve only been able to see, what, ten percent of the actual remains? This new technology changes everything.”
I budged him out the way to marvel at the new discoveries. Markets and homes, all made from easily rotted thatch that had now disappeared, retaken by the jungle. Only the indentations in the land mark the once sprawling empire.
MdD
Thanks to Carrot Ranch for creating a weekly flash fiction prompt! And thanks to Norah Colvin for introducing me to Carrot Ranch. The weekly challenge is open to all writers!
What was the prompt for this week you ask?
March 25, 2015 prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less) include a juxtaposition between the ordinary and natural worlds. It can be civilization and nature; an edifice and a nest or cave; a human act and a natural occurrence; acculturation and adaptation. Compare or contrast as the prompt leads you to write.
Versus Blurb 
That technology fascinates me! I read an article about using sonar and digital mapping to expose all that is underground at Stonehenge. Wow. Gives us sight where we can no longer see once nature reclaims a spot. Great writing…I could easily see the characters and the scene as their study unfolded. I’m so delighted that Norah Colvin led you to the ranch! Thank you!
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I was inspired by a documentary I saw about the Khmer empire, and they used lidar imaging for that. It blew my mind! I’m a sucker for history mysteries 🙂
I’m so pleased to join in! I’ve been writing a short story almost every week since I started my blog, and last week was the first time I just ran out of ideas! But now that I’ve joined in I have no excuses! Your prompts are brilliant!
Thanks for having me.
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Yay! I’m so please you have joined in Marigold. And what a great story to start off with. I knew Charli would welcome you. She is a wonderful leader!
That technology is amazing. There must be so much there, under our feet, hiding away, waiting to have its stories exposed. I often wonder about all the other lives that have lived in this spot: how did they live? what did they think about? what was important to them? It is amazing each time we find out that little bit more.
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It was so fun to work off a prompt again! I often wonder about that too… thinking of all the lives that have lived and what the individuals achieved and learned. So much is so easily lost. We have to keep learning!
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Definitely have to keep learning. That’s what life is all about!
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Absolutely!
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Welcome to Carrot Ranch. Glad to see a new face – particularly another one from Queensland. Your flash reminded me of the Ancient cities of Angkorr Wat and particularly of Ta Prohm Temple that was totally covered by jungle and from the comments thoughts of these or the like were also on your mind. It is just amazing what technology can do. I too find it fascinating to think of the life that occupied these cities. Ta Prohm they have worked out that it had at least 18 high priests and 650 dancing-girls amongst the 12,500 people who lived within its walls. Another 800,000 people lived outside the perimeter in villages, employed in occupations to serve the temple’s needs. I just find that mind boggling for the 12th /13th century.
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Wow, you sure know a lot about history! Nice to meet you Irene!
I was completely drawing from Angkor with this short story, but as Charli pointed out it’s applicable in so many parts of the world. How many forgotten civilisations still lie undiscovered beneath our feet? There’s still so much we don’t know about our own history, the mind indeed boggles!
Then there’s the flipside: everything that has a beginning has an end.
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Nice to meet you also Marigold. I don’t know that I know so much about history but that aspect of Angkor Watt and surrounds had me really fascinated. I am intrigued by people and ghosts of people, their lives, loves and hates and this area fuelled my passion in a big way.
Charli is right – there are probably oodles of places yet to be found. The lost city of Atlantas is one that we know existed. What may have existed in the Amazon now buried by the rainforests.
Everything that has a beginning does have an end but a trace left behind for future generations is something to aspire to.
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Enjoyed the read. I am an archaeology lover and it is amazing what they can do with the thermal scanning… I am not sure if that is what it it really called. I didn’t google. But we had one set up at a local historical site to find building foundations and gravesites. WONDERS!
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Thank you Roger! I love this stuff too. So many mysteries out there to solve. The advances in technology are truly wondrous.
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