The gathered crowd huddled together, stealing warmth from their closeness, and hoping the reduced exposure to the elements would protect them from the harshly frigid conditions. They shivered as one. Their blankets and parkas rippled in the breeze despite their best efforts to keep them wrapped firmly in place. They all hoped for a miracle.
They willed Phil from his hiding place. They urged him on. They needed to know what his prediction would be. They needed it to be different from the curses the forecast had already hurled in their direction. They needed winter to be done.
The feeling of hope, the feeling of desperation, was so prevalent that the occasion was eerily quiet compared to prior years. The crowd stood on their toes. They held their breaths. They watched unblinking as the furry creature emerged from his burrow to definitively decide the fate of the seasons.
The quiet was shattered as one woman screamed and another fainted. There were groans and shouted curses among the men. Children began to cry. A low murmur of disapproval rose to a cacophony of chaos. Phil, wisely, turned and tried to return to the safety of his home, but it was too late.
A man named Phil, a cruel twist of fate, had already broken free of the mob, rushed forward, and was able to snag the hog by the scruff of its neck before it could descend out of reach. There was no collective cheer of triumph. No celebration. No outpouring of relief. There was just a constant murmur, a force of guiding pressure, that ushered the two Phils into a truck.
The mass watched as the vehicle sped away. They all knew where it was headed. They all knew the inevitable outcome. While some had begun to sober from the effects of disappointment and despair, it had gone too far to stop it. From the moment it saw its shadow, the ground hog never stood a chance.
They remained together in their solidarity, together in the righteous vengeance and horrible knowledge of the atrocity about to occur, until the explosion from the rock quarry reverberated back to them. Then, eyes askance, ashamed, saddened, confused, they dispersed to their separate homes, to prepare for the six additional weeks of winter they would have to suffer through. They would go to their beds that night fervently hoping that the day would repeat itself on the morrow, that they would be given another chance to do the right thing, that Phil would be given another chance to not cast a shadow.
But, February 3rd dawned under a fresh blanket of snow. It covered the town. It covered the quarry. It covered the burrow that would forever more be vacant. It could not cover the stains on their hearts.
While they used the cold as an excuse to avoid each other, everyone knew it was the truth in their eyes they couldn’t stand to see. Eventually they would pack up their lives and secrets and move away from each other, trying to run from what they had started and finished that long ago February 2nd. The ground hog would never cease to haunt their dreams, though.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Word Count: 532
This bit of silliness is obviously a twist on the movie Groundhog’s Day, if you didn’t catch that while reading it, and was inspired by this week’s Papi Prompt!:
What: 500-1000 word maximum flash fiction story
Use the following: The Ground Hog never stood a chance…
When: Due before next Monday to be included in the results.
How: Ping back [to the Papi Prompt post linked above].
I know the answer, but how many of you are ready for winter to be over?
Here, in California, I’m still waiting for winter to start. Want to trade places with me?
You know I am ready to go!
I know, I know.
And, I’m sure if I spent more than one winter someplace that actually had weather I’d be tired of it too. But, really, it’s going to be 80 again this weekend. In February. Gross…
I am ok with winter, but not back and forth seasons. 25 degrees yesterday, 70 this weekend.
That’s what we are having here too. Sort of… only it’s 40 to 80 instead of 25 to 70…
Only you could make the whole ground hog experience an edge of your seat story!
What? You don’t like the movie?
I’m not sure we can be friends anymore if that’s what you are saying…
No I’m saying your writing is better than the movie!
I’m okay with that. 🙂
I thought you might be
Oh, and thanks for the compliment. No matter what else I say, we will always be friends when you heap praises like that on me. 😉
That’s perfect oh great Jester of the amazing kind and a talented writer, leader, friend add in funny…
Careful. Flattery works on me.
Sleepless warrior, gifted with the Queen and Pince, oh amazing everything….
Sleepless warrior… I like that one. Armed with dulled senses and nerves on edge, caught between the world of the real and the hallucinated, I battle on… for the words, for the truth, for a few more hours of sleep.
ha! that you do. battle on Sir Sleepless warrior
Thank you, fair lady, I shall do my best.
You’re humble minions shall cheer you on and provide coffee during the week and beer on the weekend.
Can we reverse that?
You mean beer during the week and coffee on the weekends?
Yes, that.
Sure done!
Nice. Now pardon me while I get drunkehs.
ha! have you been talking to TD?!
Always.
My spidey senses thought so, you sound like him lol
I have a habit of picking up nuances from the people I like. I’m a collector of sayings. An incorporater of mannerisms.
You know, a thief.
But, there is hope. So, I should be okay in the end.
Awesomesauceh! 😉
Indeed. 😉
I always wondered what would have happened if that awful cycle ended that particular time.
The world would have been poorer for it…
The groundhog is a cruel and mercurial overlord.
He had it coming.
It’s amazing how much power something so little has. I guess we should have learned that lesson from Lord of the Rings…
Amen to that Guap!! And nice job on the story Matt!! I would be happy to truck some of our overwhelmingly high snow banks if you would care to experience some winter!! 😀
Send the trucks!!
It’s mid 40s here! Love the story.
That sounds lovely. Nearly a perfect temperature. Cold enough that you have to bundle up, but not so cold that your nose is going to fall off.
It’s beautimous!
beauty mouse?
beautiful fabulous?
peanut butter jelly time?
Option 2! 😀
Aww, okay. I was really hoping for Option 4.
Ha! I almost did that…but PBJ…Ew…let’s do pizza instead?
Mmmm, pizza, yum! Okay, sounds good to me.
wonderful and please bring on the spring. soon.
If I had the power to send you spring, and take your winter, I would.
Whew… those people actually got off lucky. At least they didn’t have to listen to Sonny & Cher every morning for the rest of their lives…
But… I’ve got you babe…
Plus, it’s cold out there this morning… It’s cold out there every morning.
Reading the comments is almost – I said almost- as much fun as the post itself
Here in Ontario we have Wireton Willy – and more snow than in years past. But tomorrow — rain warning and bonus thunder storms
So the snow will melt and it’ll be get the ark time
Stay high and dry!
Love Groundhog Day. As soon as you mentioned the 2nd Phil, that’s exactly what I remembered!
I like your twist on things though. 😀
Thanks!
Groundhog’s Days is one of my favorites too.
Ground Hog Day is an amazing movie. I thought you made it your own, well done DJ, thank you for participating!
Awesome. I’m glad you liked it. Thanks for the prompts!
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