It happened almost by stealth. Everything looked almost normal, but not quite. And then you realised—the people had gone. The coffee remained, half drunk. The instruments still played without the orchestra. You felt you pushed through crowds, but we never really see the individuals in the crowd, do we? There was only the cipher on the floor and the bright beams as they ascended. Why didn’t they take me too?
.
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 
Anything to escape from Trump? Nice one Neil!
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That’s where they went? Thanks so much
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Sounds like aliens… or commies in the night?
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The gnurs come from the voodvork out
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Bummer to be left behind.
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Or a blessing in disguise?
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Lovely idea with the spotlights. Shame he didn’t make the cut.
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At least he’s at no risk of vivisection by aliens
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Ouch.
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Jings, Neil, is there something in the water over there?
Much deeper than at first glance.
Depressingly excellent, or excellently depressing.
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Deeper? Really? I’ll take another look and fix that
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You know, I looked at that thingy on the floor and dismissed it. So glad you didn’t!
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I wish I could have made better use of it
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He burst into song …all by myself, la la la….
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🙂
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Left behind with an invisible band in an invisible departing crowd, how depressing! But now he can run to CNN with the news and he’ll have his 15 minutes. Voila! Happy ending?
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If CNN is still there
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Only time will tell, and will tell if it’s a good thing or not for the MC. Eerie!
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It may be a blessing in disguise
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Great take on a great picture. Nobody would want to be the last one left. Chilling.
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Thanks so much, Jilly
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We went to similar places this week. Something about those spotlights highlighting an unpopulated stage is ominous.
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We did. Many of us did.
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Ah, that “last person to be picked for the team at school PE lessons” feeling.
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Or perhaps the only one to be spared. But he doesn’t see it that way
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Oh the ignominy of being left behind, tempered, I would guess, with relief.
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The relief hasn’t kicked in yet
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The little lame boy left behind by the Pied Piper must have felt like this too.
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I wish I’d thought to call it Pied Piper
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Maybe not being chosen was a gift…. then maybe not so much if there is no one else left.
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At least there would be nobody trying to sell you insurance
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Silver linings!
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Why, indeed? Good one! Enjoyed that.
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Thanks so much
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Very good Neil. You interpreted the picture extremely well and wrote an interesting and mysterious piece. Good title too.
D
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Thanks so much, Derek. I was pleased with the title too
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Why? Because you might not be the only one they had left behind … Now the mission might be to find the others .. 😉
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We are not alone
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Never were. Ask the fairies … 😉
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I can’t. They stopped talking to me 12 years ago
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Oh, really!? How utterly sad! I think you can send a query with an elf to reinstate speaking-terms … 😉
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i think he isn’t the only one left behind. somewhere he can find mate to propagate the earth.
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That would certainly give him a project
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You are lucky. Or not!
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Yup, Or, again, perhaps not
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If it’s aliens, he should be thankful to be left behind. Intriguing!
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Of course, the aliens may be well-intentioned
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No fun when everyone leaves and your left behind.
Perhaps, a language barrier. 😬
Have a wonderful weekend
Isadora 😎
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I like the idea of a language barrier
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😎
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Now there’s the question!
Nicely described, Neil
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Thanks so much, Laurie
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I enjoyed your description of how he slowly realised he was on his own, especially the observation that, “You felt you pushed through crowds, but we never really see the individuals in the crowd, do we?”
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I’m glad that worked for you, Penny. Thanks
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I felt a great sense of unbearable loss within your story, the absence of what is gone. Heartfelt and so topical.
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Wow! Thanks so much
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“Instruments still played without the orchestra.” At least there’s still music! Mysterious and intriguing.
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Thanks so muc, Magarisa
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