June Ficlet: The Future (Supernatural)

[hells_half_acre]

Today's dice told me to choose a prompt from yalumesse's list. The prompt the dice chose was #26, which became my...

Prompt #1: in a tense you don't often use

Of course, the problem with me is that I need prompts that tell me what to write ABOUT, not how to write. Also, technically I already did that this month, because The Time Traveler is written in the present tense which I rarely use (I pretty much always stick to past tense, I'm not sure if you've noticed). So, at first I was just going to take the day off - but I have a pretty good record for writing every day so far... so I didn't really want to ruin that (though I'm sure it's only a matter of time).

So, I decided that since I'm in charge around here, what I would do would be to scroll through the prompting post and see if anyone left a prompt that would be good to write in a weird tense that wasn't past or present. And lo and behold...

Prompt #2: We saw Dean fishing and peaceful in a dream, why is that his happy place? (sylvia_locust)

And so...

The Future
Words: 317

After this is all over, and if Dean isn’t dead – and who is he trying to kid, he’ll probably be dead – Dean will retire to the country. Sam will have his life somewhere nearby and Dean will get himself a house by a lake. He’ll get himself a house by the lake and he will build a dock. Every day that the sun is shining, and maybe even when it’s not, he will sit at the end of his dock with a fishing pole and just listen to the water. He’ll listen to the wind rustle the leaves on the trees. He might bait the hook some days.

But the only sound will be the water and Dean will be the only sentient life for miles – and that is how he’ll spend his days. It won’t matter if he’s a monster. It won’t matter what he’s done. The wind and the water won’t care. The fish won’t care. And Sam, in his house somewhere nearby, with his wife and his kids and his dog – because Dean has decided that Sam will get everything – Sam won’t care either. Sam will drop by and talk to him, tell him about how wonderful his life is, how happy he is... and Dean will be happy because Sam is happy. Dean will be happy because he gets to be in the quiet and he will not care about the world beyond the end of his dock and the lake. He will not care about the world beyond Sam’s house that is somewhere nearby. They will keep an eye on each other, have each other’s backs.

When this is all over, Dean will retire to the country and Sam will buy him one of those ‘Gone Fishing’ signs and Dean will put it on the door and sit down at the end of his dock. On bad days, he’ll bait the hook.

The End.

Comments

[vyperdd.livejournal.com]

This was really good. I love the rhythm and the flow and the repetition, as if Sam being happy and having a house nearby is what really matters to Dean.

Well done on writing this in the most difficult tense of all. I've never tried future tense and doubt I could do it half as well as you've done.

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

I actually really love using the future tense, but it's hard to find pieces that can support it.

[little-creek96.livejournal.com]

Aw, Dean. That's so sweet. Very nicely done!

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[caranfindel.livejournal.com]

Absolutely love this.

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm glad. :)

[supernutjapan.livejournal.com]

That's a really nice piece. I like that line about not mattering if he had been a monster - fits so well with this season. Man, he deserves this.

I liked the idea of repetition at the end too - you are all about poetry these days aye? :D

After this is all over, and if Dean isn’t dead -

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Haha, yeah, I think it's because I've only ever been able to use the future tense in poetry before, but never in prose.

And whenever someone mentions the future tense, my first thought is always: "I will go with my father a-ploughing/to the green field by the sea..."

[sylvia-locust.livejournal.com]

Wow, that was beautiful. I love the rhythm and repetitions... like water lapping at a dock :)

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm so glad you liked it. :)

[borgmama1of5.livejournal.com]

Dean will be happy because Sam is happy

That is the crux of Dean, isn't it?

Somehow, this short little piece just broke my heart...

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

Yeah, it kind of ruins my idea that all my SPN fic this month was going to be cheerful - oh SPN, you make it so hard. :P

[quickreaver.livejournal.com]

Perfect little slice of life! Shorties are perfect for odd tenses, too. I couldn't read a whole novel in it, though, but for a strategic strike, it's ideal. :D

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

Yeah, it'd be a pretty weird novel. I'm not sure how that would work... but I like it for poetry, which is probably why this verges on the poetic.

[cappy712.livejournal.com]

We don't know what the future holds but this was nice.

Thank you for sharing.

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

Thank you for reading!

[painangrrfear.livejournal.com]

This made me tear up a little. Building a dock isn't exactly rocket science but it's not as straightforward as an oil change either. I'm sure Dean could manage it just fine. Weird that that's what I'm taking away from this story.

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Well, he did work construction when he lived with Lisa. Also, it's funny that I didn't even think twice about that line.

I'm glad you enjoyed the story! :)

[painangrrfear.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's basic carpentry but setting the pilings can be a pain, especially if the lake bottom is muddy like the one I grew up on. LOL this is why I don't write ficlets. Dean building a dock would inevitably turn into an epic of slogging around in mud and seaweed and multiple trips to the hardware store. Best I keep that as a mental image to giggle over.

I did! It was a lovely story.

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Haha, yeah, I've only built a raft before, and you don't have to worry about pilings. You just have to tie it to an anchor. But I'm sure Dean is up for the dock-building challenge!

And hey, an epic of muddy-Dean would be good to! ;)