That’s what we’ve come to name it—meal by cloud. Quarantined in our own homes, we take to inviting virtual guests for dinner over Skype. We call from window to window across the city “stay strong”.
Only ambulance sirens and the rumble of military vehicles echo between buildings in the empty boulevards.
It must end soon. This cannot be forever.
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
Neil MacDonald Author 
At least they have the internet… Imagine if they couldn’t even Skype! Timely piece.
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Thanks, Tannille
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Ah, could this be a nod towards the coronavirus currently spreading across the world? Clever story, Neil.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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It is indeed about the epidemic
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Dear Neil,
Very timely piece. Skype is a wonderful invention. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks so much, Rochelle. Almost nothing here is made up. The “meal by cloud” is what they call it in Wuhan
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Very interesting. Meal by Cloud almost sounds poet until you know more.
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It does, doesn’t it?
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An excellent piece of reportage, Neil. You capture the defiance and apprehension of those in Wuhan very well.
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Thanks so much, Penny
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Technology definitely would make quarantine a less lonely experience.
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Though virtual food lacks taste and savour
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Taken out by a virus that seems to have been named after a light beer. We survived the cold war for this? Well done!
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The “Spanish Flu” of 1918 killed more people than the First World War
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Meal by cloud – just that makes it all the scarier.
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Yes, I found it very disqueting too
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Not many laughs this week, Neil.
But I guess quarantine is preferable to death.
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I struggle with comedy
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I wonder if we will reach a point in the near future where the majority live in self-inflicted quarantine. A lot of our world exists online. I was interested to note a lot of the Brits in quarantine back here seemed to say ‘it was okay, they had their phone/laptop/tablet with them, so they could still do most of things they liked would normally do….’ – which I found a bit depressing.
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I noticed the same thing.
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What a frightening and realistic picture you have painted!
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Thanks so much
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Chilling! It could happen to us. Did wonder how we’d feed ourselves! Better get stock-piling tomorrow!
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Most will survive
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Isolated but not isolated. A temporary fix at best, you’re right, Neil.
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Let’s hope their isolation is only temporary
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I like meal by cloud.
It will end. The real question is if it’s a happy ending.
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Only time will tell, but it’s not 1918
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A chilling tale because of the truth that lies within it. For some reason, reminds me of China’s use of drones at the moment to monitor people going out without masks and such. Great last line. Hopefully, it cannot last forever. Great writing, Neil!
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Thanks so much. Brenda
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Hopefully, the current situation won’t go that far. Apparently colourful masks are becoming the latest fashion item in London!
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It is already that far in Hubei, but thankfully the virus so far seems less deadly than SARS
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Very timely. I’m sure there are many in China who are doing this right now.
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That’s what they call it in China– “meal by cloud”
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Wonderfully topical – well done.
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Thanks so much, Liz
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OMG yeah that is not a great world to live in. We had similar thoughts with this prompt. A lonely world.
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We did
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i like the optimistic outlook. to paraphrase jane austen, he hopes the longest when all hopes are gone.
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People have an enormous capacity for sustaining hope
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Well done. As I said in an earlier comment Meal by Cloud sounds almost poet until you know the details.
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Sounds as though it could “all” end soon. Great doomsday piece!
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Doomsday? Some will survive
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Like it. Contemporary!
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Thanks so much, Trish
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Niel, a cross between the corona virus and the handmaids tale, it doesn’t take much to bring things to a halt and to panic people. Good stuff
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Thanks so much
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Poignant, empathetic piece of the moment, Neil
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Thanks so much, Michael
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Only the state sponsored fear of China can do this, confining people to their homes. I can’t imagine the UK authorities being able to exercise such ruthlessness. A topical story.
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I think, if there is a pandemic, we may be surprised just what a British government can do. Already they’ve invoked the power for forcible quarantne. But I think you’re right that they probably won’t take draconian measures until it’s already too late
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I really hope that this quarantining saga ends soon too. Makes me feel claustrophobic just thinking about it.
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We must hope this isn’t the big one
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Very topical Neil, I think you capture the despair of the isolated ones, and their uncertain future — will the need for quarantine ever end ?
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Thanks so much
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Chilling thoughts of quarantines although the narrator sounds a bit upbeat.
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