Dawn spread her multi-colored spender across the sky, painting each cloud with her brush.
Stan took a deep breath, held it for a second, then let it out, a routine that sent bolts of energy charging through his body.
He took another step out of the lush, tropical green onto the ledge, getting a better view of his little slice of paradise and the shimmering ocean beyond.
The golden glow of the clouds faded as the sapphire sky deepened.
The warm sea beckoned.
“When will a freakin’ rescue ship ever come to take me from this God-forsaken place?” Stan muttered.
***
word count = 100
Friday Fictioneers is hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. This week’s prompt is here and uses a photo by @ Bradley Harris. If you want to join or see other stories, go to the inlinkz linkup.
Trent's World (the Blog) 
Wow! I wasn’t expecting that.
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Heehee, yep, set up that paradise carefully and then… Thanks!
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He started out sounding like he liked it there! What happened? He isn’t happy?
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It might look like paradise, but being stuck alone on an island cut off from civilization was not part of his plans… A gilded cage is still a cage.
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Yeah, I guess Gilligan was lucky!
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Yep. Not everyone has a best friend and a professor to help them on their deserted island, let alone a Ginger or Mary Ann….
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Great turn-around at the end. Not expected at all. We need to be connected with humanity – we are social creatures. At least most of the time.
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I like a private get away from humanity, but I think I’d be like this guy if stuck in my private paradise by myself for too long… Thanks.
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That was great. Such beautiful description and then, wham.
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Thanks!
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even the little spice of paradise is not enough to compensate for what he is missing
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A natural paradise might be nice, but there is more to (human) life than that…
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Dear Trent,
So poetic and idyllic and then BAM! Well done, sir.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Yep, that was my plan. Thanks!
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Just because it looks like heaven doesn’t mean it is!
Here’s mine!
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A gilded cage is a cage just the same…
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Excellent!
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Thanks, Resa!
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Oh wow. Thee ya go, a classic in the making. Well done, Trent.
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Thanks, Bill.
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I guess you can have too much of a good thing!
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Yes, too much of a good thing, but also the issue with being a prisoner in a gilded cage.
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So true, no man is an island. I like how he appreciates and at the same time loathe his paradise.
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We don’t always appreciate how interconnected we all are until we do become an island, or, made literal, are stuck alone on that island. Thanks.
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Loved the fabulous twist in the tale. In my head he was basking in his own personal paradise.
Great one Trent and I’m glad to be back on your wonderful page after a longish hiatus.
Be well, my friend.
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Thanks, Natasha. Nice to see you here. I had a major blogging slowdown so I am slowly catching up with people – I’ll try to stop by :)
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Same story. ☺️
Wrote a post today after such a long hiatus.
https://natashamusing.com/2022/01/balanced-flow-wordoftheyear-woty2022/
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Will be by :)
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That was very well done. You drew me in with the descriptions, then spun me around with the final line.
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Thanks! That is exactly what I was trying for.
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A prison that’s a paradise is still a prison. Happy new year, Trent.
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Very true. A gilded birdcage, but bigger. Happy New year :)
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Haha! Nice flip! I did not see that one coming :)
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Thanks, Dale. I did hint in the title, but it would have been a bigger hint if I named it “…Is Another Man’s Hell” ;)
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Sorta… But that’s pushing 😉
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lol, yep
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