Worthless - WSF2023 non-writer

Worthless

Johnny thought, as he stared at the large black monolith that had mysteriously appeared on his small farm. It was big, and black, and shiny, and Johnny had believed it was the answer to his prayers.

"Stupid Rock."

The morning he first saw it, in the back of his dying 120 acre farm, he thought it looked exactly like something he'd once seen in an old movie about cavemen and spacemen; Johnny never understood that movie.

"Stupid Rock."

Now, three months later, here he was alone with it. The science teams had abandoned the farm. After scans and probes and measurements and whatall, they learned little to nothing about the object, except that it wasn't worth their time to investigate further. So, they packed up and left.

"There goes the rent. Stupid Rock."

Johnny was going to lose his farm. He was about two weeks away from foreclosure when the thing appeared and instead of being afraid, he was hopeful. He immediately notified the local newspaper, and the college, and NASA. When the science teams did show up, he charged them fees to set up their tents and equipment on his property; for the "loss of farm productivity."

This allowed him to stave off the wolves at the bank, but the balance owed was far from paid. He needed that extra money. You see, a variety of factors had decimated Johnny's farm over the past few years and he'd taken out a second mortgage; just until things got better. Things got worse.

"Them science boys don't know what you are, but they don't want to buy you? I bet they're workin' with the bank and they're gonna buy the farm. Stupid Rock."

It was a hard life, but Johnny liked farming, and though he didn't have many, he genuinely cared for his farm animals. He could barely afford to feed them, much less pay the new mortgage, but the chickens, the cows, and the two horses always came first. He figured he had about a month left before the bank's grace period ended and he'd have to say goodbye.

"You're just a big black tombstone, aren't ya? Well, I ain't gonna let 'em have my livestock. Stupid Rock!!"

He kicked the monolith with his boot, and headed back to his four-wheeler and for home. He stopped suddenly when he heard a low hum coming from the shiny black rectangle. He listened. There was a vibration, and a sound like running water, and as if by magic, a man-sized doorway appeared in the side of the monolith that was facing Johnny.

He hesitated only a second before moving towards and through the doorway.

"I guess sometimes all it takes is a good swift kick in the..."

And Johnny disappeared.

The End

I like it!

It makes me think of the - I'm gonna say millions - of possibilities to follow.

You could run with this far, far, away!

a reply to: Maxmars

Thank you. I really appreciate it.

I saw the prompt and got the idea. I enjoyed writing it.

a reply to: Dapaga

That's the real trick, isn't it?

There's so much room for this to grow... I can't tell you how hopeful I am that you make writing a habit.

It is most worthy...

a reply to: Maxmars

I think like any art, writing requires focus. Making the time for that focus is sometimes difficult, but when I do it, I enjoy it.

a reply to: Dapaga

Well done. I agree with continuing this somehow.
Stupid worthless ro-

a reply to: Dapaga

I love the way you let it end, really.

a reply to: SprocketUK

Thank you.

a reply to: BeNotAfraid

lol.. we'll see. Thanks.