Self-Review – A Path Not Taken … Much

Let’s Look at A Path Not Taken … Much

While I suppose that I can never really be sure as to exactly what I was thinking when I wrote A Path Not Taken … Much, I can say that the narrator ends up having a particularly bad day.

I wrote this story during the second quarter of 2018.

Background

I was most likely thinking about the old Ray Bradbury story, A Sound of Thunder when I wrote this one. Although the story and the endgame are just a little bit different.

And plagiarism/copyright violations have never, ever been my intentions.

Plot for A Path Not Taken … Much

Without too much of a plot to speak of, the narrator is somehow relating their complaints about the rules for visiting this particular alien world. And I say somehow, because it seems as if, by the time you get to the end of the piece, that that would not be possible.

In any event, little do the narrator and the reader, for that matter know—those rules are there for a damned good reason.

A casual disregarding of the rules leads to the main character’s spectacularly bad day.

Characters on a Path Not Taken Much

The only character is a narrator who I neither name nor describe. But the whole short story is rather sketchy, so that totally tracks.

Memorable Quotes

The first thing they tell you is not to stray off the path. And I did, so that one’s on me. Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.

But what they don’t tell you is that the parts off the path are kind of the most fun. Although I’m sure the tour guide wouldn’t say so.

It’s an alien world, they said. The natives might not take too kindly to someone just barging in, they said. And every visitor is an ambassador for Earth, they said.

Oh, please. It’s not like I’m some diplomat or something.

Rating

The story has a K rating.

Takeaways for A Path Not Taken … Much

I think this one works pretty well as a kind of ultimate FAFO story. You know, fuck around and find out.

I can see a few places where I could cut some words and trim down the prose. Since it’s 174 words right now, it is not outside the realm of possibility that I would be able to cut it down enough for it to be accepted as a drabble somewhere.

And so, this little dollop of a creepy short story just might find a home after all.

And then I can dedicate it to all of those annoying people who I have ever known, who thought that the rules did not apply to them. Well, they did, and they still do.

Jerks.

Want More of my Short Stories and Novellas?

If this story resonates with you, then I hope you will check out some of my other blog posts about my shorter works.

And finally, for a complete list of my shorter works, please be sure to check out the Hub Page—Short Stories.