Those Shoes Bore Witness To the Devastation | LMAC FreeStyle Collage No. 138

I'm back again to share with you my current freestyle collage. My theme entails a small cluster of brush that held worn out shoes. I wanted to depict a catastrophic event which deposited the shoes in the brush. A flood perhaps.

My collage is a "freestyle." However, if you'd like to join in visit: Let's Make a Collage - A Contest for All Creatives on Hive - Round 241 - ✨45 HIVE in the Prize Pool!.

Those Shoes Bore Witness To the Devastation

The water receded. It took several months for some semblance of normalcy to return.

For the many residents downstream of the dam, they bore the brunt of the flash flood. When the elders determined it was safe to do so, wearily, the villagers ventured out of their shacks. Those shacks that were still standing.

They arrived at the edge of the river to pay their respects for neighbors, family and friends lost in the flood. Whispers filtered through the crowd as they stood behind the wobbly fencing that miraculously survived the rushing waters.

Among the survivors were a father and son. Grateful their fishing boat remained intact, they dared to test the water now filled to the brim with items unsafe. Their livelihood destroyed. No fish could survive in the mud and other debris.

"Look father, there's sign of a miracle," eight-year old Simi smiled as he pointed toward the sky. He missed his father's somber expression.

Shaking off his grief temporarily, he shuddered before responding with words not meant to worry Simi about their immediate future on the river.

"Yes, son, that we, along with the entire low-lying area, weren't washed away is a blessing. Give thanks more lives weren't lost. Let this be a lesson to all who turn a blind eye to our plight on this river bed."

Jonas paused, then stated softly, "But alas, I speak to the wind and receive no answer."

"Why can't we just move inland, father? This has happened each year that I remember."

"Look around you, son," he replied, suppressing the urge to cry. "This is our pitiful home. But I thank God for it each day upon waking. We've no other place to go where we're welcome."

Jonas glanced to the right. Immediately, his hands clutched his chest as he recognized a pair of shoes. They belonged to his eldest son.

Simi followed his father's gaze. "Why are those sneakers in the brush?"

"Those shoes bore witness to the devastation. Unfortunately, the wearers can't tell what happened. Your brother was the owner of that blue one I recognize wedged into the highest branch," Jonas declared in a crackled voice. "Hurry, we must retrieve it so we can remember and share his story when the time presents itself."

Jonas and Simi maneuvered the boat downstream toward the brush. He'd no hope of dislodging the shoe. But he was willing to try. For Simi's sake.

Finished with their prayer and vigil, one woman in the crowd yelled, "look, a rainbow. New beginning," as they made their way back home to their dilapidated huts, but not away from the devastation.

Jonas overheard the woman. A new beginning, he thought. Of what? Nothing will change. For the rains will come again. And Again. As long as the people in charge turn a blind eye to our plight.

In preparing my theme, the contest photo provided inspiration as I knew something horrible had occurred for the worn shoes to be lodged between the branches of the brush rubble. I decided the devastation that had occurred was due to a flooding event. I needed people to witness the event for a memorable scene. The heartfelt image tugged at my creative side to produce a story of survival.

Below are the images I included:

Item	Contributor	Source
LMAC Round 241 Contest Image - Shoes lodged in tree	Contributed to #LIL by Hive account@bookrak	Link
LMAC Round 123 Original Contest Image	Hive account@lmac	Link
People watching flood waters	Pixabay	Link
Río Orinono Pescardor (2 men in a boat)	Contributed to #LIL by Hive account@osomar357	Link
Rainbow	Contributed to #LIL by Hive account@anibal-aa	Link
Wounded Dove	Pixabay	Link
Brown Tree branches	Pixabay	Link
Dead Tree	Pixabay	Link
Allenwood Stone Sculpture	Contributed to #LIL by Hive account@agmoore	Link
Pure Fractal titled "White Lightning"	Hive account@justclickindiva	Link

I then utilized Canva to blend the different type images. Below are my steps in which I began with a blank, white canvas, then added layers of elements, removing backgrounds, resizing, detaching elements from their backgrounds, duplicating, colorizing, and repositioning items as needed incorporating the tools at my disposal in my Annual Pro Membership Subscription.

Below is my completed freestyle collage design:

Thanks for your visit. I appreciate it and hope you like my freestyle collage theme.