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Tuesday, 21 April 2015

R is for Riparian


For this year's A-Z Challenge I have selected a word from the dictionary for each day and written a story around it with a 100 word limit. For extra interest I have chosen words that are unknown or unfamiliar to me. All definitions are from the Oxford Dictionary & Thesaurus 2007 Edition. Today's word is: Riparian.

 Riparian: Relating to or situated on the banks of a river.
He enjoyed a riparian existence, sitting on the riverbank and casting out his line. This particular section was new to him and he was keen to see what he could catch.

The bank had looked pretty solid, but as he stepped closer to the water his boot sank into the soft soil. He managed to pull it out with a “glop” noise, but when he put his other foot forward it was pulled down and he couldn’t move at all.

“Help!” he shouted, but no one was around.

His heart went still as something gripped his ankle and tugged hard.
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31 comments:

  1. Hilary Melton-Butcher21 April 2015 at 09:07

    Hi Nick - lovely story .. I was thinking of Wind in the Willows - they had a riparian existence ... but here you've introduced a nasty twist to your story ... his day of happiness has turned to great anxiety and stress ... what next? Cheers Hilary

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  2. Tasha Duncan-Drake21 April 2015 at 09:36

    Uh-oh - I do believe he has stepped into something's trap. Not good for him at all! Great little story.
    Tasha
    Tasha's Thinkings | Wittegen Press | FB3X (AC)

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  3. Heather R. Holden21 April 2015 at 11:39

    My inner horror fan can't help but love the dark twist this took. Great story!

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  4. Jennifer Hawes21 April 2015 at 13:20

    Sounds like my childhood nightmares! I remember watching an old black and white movie called the Mole People?? They did that! Grab your ankles.

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  5. Tamara Narayan21 April 2015 at 13:50

    Yikes. Maybe he will wake up and everything will be okay?

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  6. betty21 April 2015 at 14:19

    Oh oh, I fear for our Riparian adventurer!

    betty

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  7. Annalisa Crawford21 April 2015 at 14:24

    Oh dear - you would have thought a riparian like him would know to take more care!

    Annalisa, writing A-Z vignettes, at Wake Up, Eat, Write, Sleep

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  8. A Tarkabarka Hölgy21 April 2015 at 14:46

    Uh-oh... That can't be good. I knew there was a reason I didn't like fishing... :D

    @TarkabarkaHolgy from
    Multicolored Diary - Epics from A to Z
    MopDog - 26 Ways to Die in Medieval Hungary

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  9. Shell Flower21 April 2015 at 14:47

    Now there's a word I recognized. We have lots of riparian zones around here. Poor guy, just wanted a chill day of fishing, but sounds like he's the one that got caught.

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  10. Michael Di Gesu21 April 2015 at 15:01

    Scary ending, Nick...

    I had to laugh when I saw your title.... it reminded me of one of my favorite British sitcoms, Keeping Up Appearances.... The hostess, Hyacinth Bucket, or Bouquet, as she so often reminded people, was hosting an afternoon picnic with Riparian entertainment .... Too funny!

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  11. Julie Flanders21 April 2015 at 15:17

    This seems straight out of my nightmares. Yikes!

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  12. loverofwords21 April 2015 at 15:26

    Ah, one word I have heard before. Love the little twists to the stories you write, Nick.

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  13. Chrys Fey21 April 2015 at 15:44

    It started out as a calm and peaceful story and then became thrilling. Nice twist.

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  14. Kathryn Thornton21 April 2015 at 16:59

    I love this word. I find ways to use it just because.
    The hunter becomes the hunted.

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  15. cleemckenzie21 April 2015 at 16:59

    I enjoy a riparian lifestyle, too. Love the peace I find there. And guess what? I knew this word today. That's two for eighteen.

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  16. T. Powell Coltrin21 April 2015 at 17:11

    Oh dear. Oh my. I'm worried. What.is.pulling.him.down???

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  17. Keith's Ramblings21 April 2015 at 17:34

    Oops! That's unfortunate. I wonder what the derivation of riparian is?

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  18. Susan Gourley/Kelley21 April 2015 at 18:12

    That is exactly why I don't like riverbanks. There could be something there.

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  19. Elizabeth Varadan, Author21 April 2015 at 18:24

    Riparian seemed like it would have such a happy context. Surprise! Remind me never to go fishing near that section of that riverbank.

    On a more serious note, you accomplished a lot in this 100-word flash fiction. Good for you.

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  20. Peaches D. Ledwidge21 April 2015 at 18:51

    My heart would go still, too, if something I can't see, grabbed my ankle.

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  21. Nick Wilford21 April 2015 at 19:11

    Thanks, folks! As soon as I saw this word, I knew what I was going to write. True story: I was out walking the dogs at the weekend and came to a little stream in between fields. It looked innocent enough with little dirt banks, but I ended up with two feet sunk into sucking mud, straddling a stream. My 6-year-old was with me, pointing and laughing - not much help. I eventually managed to get out, minus one shoe. I tethered the pups to a fence post and went to get it to find the mud had covered it over, so I had to dig it out with bare hands. I tried to wash it in the stream which didn't work too well, as I then had one soaking wet foot.

    Sorry that this comment is probably longer than the story I wrote. Suffice to say I won't try anything like that again!

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  22. Sophie Duncan21 April 2015 at 19:27

    Uh-oh! Strange river banks can be dangerous places!
    Sophie
    Sophie's Thoughts & Fumbles
    FB3X
    Wittegen Press

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  23. L. Diane Wolfe21 April 2015 at 20:00

    Something is lurking under the mud.

    I think we've all gotten a shoe stuck in mud like that.

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  24. Alex J. Cavanaugh21 April 2015 at 20:27

    He's dead.

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  25. Liz A.21 April 2015 at 20:32

    Eeek.

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  26. Scribbles From Jenn21 April 2015 at 22:21

    The fisherman got caught!! It's seaweed, right? Nothing serious or deadly like a sea monster, just seaweed...

    Scribbles From Jenn - Visiting from the A to Z Challenge

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  27. Anonymous21 April 2015 at 22:51

    Yikes. Scary twist at the end.

    ~Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine~
    Member of C. Lee's Muffin Commando Squad
    Story Dam
    Patricia Lynne, Indie Author

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  28. J E Oneil21 April 2015 at 23:21

    Ooh, creepy! Another great story, Nick.

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  29. Li22 April 2015 at 00:42

    I'm with Michael De Gesu - the first time I heard this word was on Keeping Up Appearances! :)

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  30. Mina Burrows22 April 2015 at 19:06

    So much for relaxing near the water. Jeez!

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  31. djinnia24 April 2015 at 03:00

    Something went fishing other than the human! I was twisted enough to laugh.

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