The Nugget
A Story Every Day in 2024 Feb 20th 51/366
Vince was panicking, floundering in the tides of bad luck that life continually sent his way. He just felt like he was getting his head above water and then, here was another tsunami setback: a bill; a roof repair; a bad investment; a divorce.
He had no idea anymore how to float.
Life wasn't prepared to throw him a jacket and he was weighed down by its saturation.
He felt the temptation of the roulette wheel and online gambling like a taunting devil but had so far resisted. He was desperate - for money, for happiness, for a reprieve. He wasn't sure how much longer he could go on.
There was nowhere to turn.
When his friend, Pat, had offered for him to go prospecting on a lease he had secured, he felt he had nothing to lose. He had no expectations and thought it would be a good distraction.
"Come on, mate. Come with me," Pat had coaxed. "What have you got to lose?"
As someone on the brink of losing everything, this was probably not the best reminder to give Vince but Pat was right.
"We can have a couple of tinnies and just hang out. Just escape from it for a bit. Hey, mate? Maybe find some gold!"
And so Vince took a couple of weeks off work and headed to the great red desolation to seek his fortune as so many had done before.
As they drove away into the wide expanse of Australia's outback, Vince felt better. He wasn't liberated but he was having respite. The space of the interior made him feel small, insignificant, another collection of atoms in a universe made up of many. It was like entering another existence if only for a while and a reminder of the otherness that life could offer.
He spent his days scouring the land, the motion of the detector and the beep of the machine meditative, his only concern an unexpected snake encounter or annoying flies. Laughter filled his evenings, under the shooting stars by the spitting fire.
It took him three days to find his first nugget.
The euphoria squeezed him like a lemon. He cried.
At last.
A lifejacket.
***
366 words
I'm trying today to turn over a new leaf and make a concerted effort to write stories that are filled with goodness, whether that's in the actions of the characters or in humour or love or whatever. I'm not sure that I can sustain it.
I love the dark as much as any writer and it is easier in some ways to find than the light, like coal in a mine, seemingly inexhaustible, but the world is such a dark place, Vocal isn't and I want to shed a little light from my small corner lamp.
Thanks for stopping by! If you do read it, please do leave a comment as I love to interact with my readers.
51/366
About the Creator
Keep reading
More stories from Rachel Deeming and writers in Fiction and other communities.
The steps to losing a child
Step One: Lose a child. Not what anyone wants to happen and nothing you can do to change it, but you can go through steps to becoming happy again. You can go through steps to loving again. You can go through steps to become a new you because after losing a child you will never be the same person you once were.
By Tabitha Hinkley6 days ago in Fiction
Draft with Revisions
My father told me what life was. You go to school. You get a job. You earn money. You retire. My father didn’t offer this as advice, no. He described it as routine, a set way of doing things that had worked before. Years of hardship, repetition, and caution shaped this path. There was no room for discussion. I never questioned it because that seemed pointless, even wasteful, and waste was not allowed in that system.
By Lori A. A.7 days ago in Fiction
Comments (10)
My first thought was, "Can one nugget possibly be enough?" Lol, here you are trying to shed light & I turn right around & immediately cast darkness upon it. (How will his partner respond? Will they still be friends or will envy cause even greater loss? See, just can't seem to help it.)
I really enjoyed this one! I’m amazed by your ability to develop a character so well in so few words!
This is a really special story, Rachel. It feels right. The euphoria squeezed him like a lemon is a wonderful line. Great writing!
That feeling of smallness in large spaces. I feel that! I like how the search helped him. Sage words.
YO! 😊 I think a combo of light and dark is always good but challenging to show these shades in a micro perhaps.. Anyhow come on OVER and let’s find some gold! Lol! 😁
I'm so glad he found a nugget. We all need that to happen at times. Just something to regain hope. Loved it!
Got to say, I was not expecting that ending!
"The euphoria squeezed him like a lemon." I loved that line so much! Also, yes, it's much easier to write something dark. At least for me it is. I can't speak for everyone. Your story would serve as a lifejacket to many. It'll give them hope!
Rachel your writing is superb.
You compressed poor Vince's struggle into a nugget herein with dexterity, such that I was elated for him in the end. Nicely done!