Friday Fictioneers – the Temptation of Solomon Strong

~ neilmacdon
j-hardy-rubble
Photo Prompt © J Hardy Carroll

Amidst the destruction, Solomon found temptation, many temptations. He could give in to horror and to anger, or pick through the rubble for the veins of value running through the hard-core. Or he might browse the strange maps uncovered behind the collapsed cladding. The choice he made now would define him – a sensitive man, a thief, or an explorer? As explosions exposed the bones of things, so war revealed the essence of a person.

Solomon stretched his arms wide like a Cecil B de Mille prophet and, conscious of the theatricality, roared “Why me?”

Friday fictioneers is a weekly challenge set by Rochelle Wisoff Fields to write a 100-word story in response to a photo prompt. You can find other stories here.

Fancy sharpening your skill with writing exercises? The Scrivener’s Forge offers a new exercise every month to hone one aspect of your craft. Take a look at this month’s exercise on character and world-building.

63 thoughts on “Friday Fictioneers – the Temptation of Solomon Strong”

  22. A lovely character study and some lovely phrases there too Neil – ‘or pick through the rubble for the veins of value running through the hard-core’. Something aobut that phrase works so well. Well written and construsted and pitch perfect

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  23. pick through the rubble for the veins of value running through the hard-core. Oh! What a line. Truly the best of many in this piece ~ As explosions exposed the bones of things, for example. Even though you only had one hundred words I felt his conflicting emotions – should I be good or evil? And his name….. Kudos all the way around.

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  24. The first bit draws awesome parallels and the last bit highlights the cross roads at which we often stand. We have always have a choice but more often than not we just have a split second to make that choice – excellent piece Neil.

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