This story is in response @mariannewest 's prompt for day 99 of her 5-minute freewrite challenge. Today's prompt was sunset.
Jaeksn sat on the bluff observing the last sliver of orange-red sun sinking into the horizon ever so slowly. It would be several earth-days yet, in fact, until the last of that sliver disappeared completely and set these lands into a prolonged darkness. This very bluff would remain shrouded in black and cold until his far-off brethren, the tribes of the Dawn, were carried ever-forth by the rays of eternal sunrise all the way back to these same lands once again.
But Jaeksn wasn't of the Dawn. While he an his tribe basked in rays of a kindred subtle bronze warmth and mirrored slant, their rays came not from an awakening at their backs but from the sun dying ahead of them. Ever ahead, they were ever slowly chasing the trickle of it's late angular warmth.
As Jaeksn sat there on the bluff, he sensed the dwindling rays striking shivers across the cilia of his forearms. Better than any clock. Time to move.
Below him, he observed the people of his tribe disassembling their narrow encampment in the valley plains in preparation for yet another forward migration. He loped down the bluff towards the encampment to lend his strength to an effort repeated time immemorial. His tribe (and others like it to the North and South) made up the tail end of the People of the Marching Day. Jaeksn was of the sunset-chasers. He belonged to those who ran on the unending edge of day turning dark, the tribes of the Eventides.
Wow interesting world building packed into such a small writing sample.. Good job! Is this a world and character you write about elsewhere?
Thanks! And no, I haven't written about this elsewhere, the freewrite provided me the prompt for this world/character. But I kind of like the paradigm behind it so I might write more. I was thinking of what life would be like on a world that revolved much slower than earth (as in multiple years for a single revolution). I figured the dark side of the planet would become too cold and dark for too long to continue to support life/vegetation. If there were life on such a planet, then, it would have to exist wholly within the bright/warm side of the planet and would have continuously migrate to keep pace with the slow revolution of the planet in order to remain within that habitable zone.
It's amazing the world we can create in such a short amount of time. The true power of writing. I am the proud bringer of today's landmark prompt.
To celebrate freewrite number ✴💯✴
we have a special challenge to go along with today's prompt. Good luck and have fun! 🎈🎉
Day 100 - 5 Minute Freewrite Prompt: It was Saturday morning...