Self-Review – The Future Has No Foundation

A Look at The Future Has No Foundation

Much like a lot of other 2021 stories, I rattled off The Future Has No Foundation pretty quickly.

I wrote this story during the third quarter of 2021. There was no specific prompt word for it, so far as I can tell. It’s just kind of this odd idea I had for a story.

Background

I have written post-Apocalyptic stories before. But in this one, there is a separation of two different types of people. Yet it’s not as stark as in the science fiction classic, The Time Machine.

Plot for The Future Has no Foundation

Minao hunts and gathers. She’s an older woman, feeling the weight of the world. But her world is turned on its head when a young teenaged girl named Tisa sits down to share Minao’s fire with her.

Minao is shocked that Tisa doesn’t know any number of fundamental truths about the world, like how to gather acorns, or how to hunt. And when Tisa starts to describe an almost magical place called the inside, Minao cannot believe that it’s real.

Characters

The characters are Minao and Tisa, and Tisa’s parents, Aven and Dhabi.

Memorable Quotes

She was a little thing, most likely still a teenager. “May I share your fire?”

“Only if you don’t attack me,” I said.

“I won’t.” She looked down. “Is that a big problem around here?”

“Where have you been, that you don’t know this?” I asked.

“Uh, away.”

“I see.” Suspicion was growling in my heart. “Have you eaten?”

“Just a little.”

“Here, “I said, handing her some of the acorns, hot from the fire. And it was extraordinary.

I’ve been making fires and tending to them for so long that my hands are scarred, and the burning does not bother me. My hands are even rougher from digging in the dirt or pulling out splinters or the like. But her hands were smooth, and she dropped the acorns as she cried out, “They’re so hot!”

“And you expected any differently?”

“No, I don’t suppose I did.” To change the subject, I suspect, she added, “I am Tisa.”

“Minao. You’d better pick up your acorns, for when they cool down, a bold squirrel is likely to take them.”

Rating for The Future Has no Foundation

The story has a K rating.

Takeaways

I like to think that wisdom will still be respected, even if the world seems to have ended. Both sides have important pieces of the puzzle.

And I also like to think that people can slowly learn to trust each other again. I certainly hope so.

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Want More of my Short Stories and Novellas?

If this story resonates with you, then check out my other articles about my shorter works.

Short Stories

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