The pine cones may have been a mistake. The squirrels steal them, you see. But I needed something with the vital essence, to breathe life into my creature. Anyone can make a robot these days, calculating engines with grabbers. But to build a living creature, with a soul! Now, wouldn’t that be something!
Do you think I need to change up the pine cones? It’s true, trees have exceedingly contemplative souls. Do you think something nimbler would be an improvement? A human heart perhaps?
.
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 
Dear Neil,
Sounds like the proverbial mad scientist here. Humans beware!
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Yes, I’m afraid I wasn’t very inventive this week
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Oh no!
This was a meaty twist. 🙂
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Yes. A tad obvious, I’m afraid, but I was feeling lazy
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Mind bending… wow
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Thanks so much, Sheena
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Nice ending – the things that we can justify in the name of science, eh?
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Thanks so much
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Definitely needs a heart – human? Not necessarily… 😉
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Tin man needs a heart
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That he does!
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I think he may have a point about trees, stick to the pine cones! They’re almost heart-shaped.
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Yeah, but the squirrels take them
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A modern day bride for Frankenstein!
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You recognised the quote!
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The essence of the invention, fun stuff, well done, Neil!
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Thanks, Mason
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Delightful character study of a mad scientist, Neil.
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Thanks so much, Jade. I’m a bit ashamed to have subscribed to the mad scientist trope
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You’re welcome. I am glad you did. You gave many examples of why the guy was what I call “bat-shit crazy.”
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Inventive take on the prompt. I enjoyed how you wrote this according to the logic of your character; it enlivens both the character and the action.
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Thanks so much, penny
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Somewhere behind this is Frankenstein, with shades of the Wizard of Oz….good company!
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Yup. Totally derivative, I’m afraid
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Brilliantly dark, I think a pine cone animated robot would be far more effective in these times of climate crisis than a human heart.
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Only if we can figure out what to do about the squirrels
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That never works out. Svengali and Trilby, among others, so blew it
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It could all end very badly
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Okay, I can see we’re in for lots of gore this week. Shiver. Shudder. Fun 🙂
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Yes. But gore with squirrels
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Great story. It looks like he’s going to see no boundaries in his pursuit of the ultimate soul-bearing robot.
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A little body snatching won’t trouble him
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Ooooooo Dr Frankenstein… the modern version. Creepy indeed. Nicely done.
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Thanks so much, Laurie
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I like the idea of pinecones to give the creature life. Much better (for us normals) than a human heart.
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Well, at least he tried
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Always love a good mad scientist story. And you made me contemplate what made a better heart. I think the world would be better of with the pine cones or maybe heart-wood than a human heart.
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Elvis had a song about that
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An inventive horror story.
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Thank you
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That last line is pure genius!
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Thanks so much, Elizabeth
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Yep, definitely think you need to lose the pine cones. I’m glad someone else thought of squirrels 🐿
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The squirrels won’t allow use of pine cones
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🤣
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He could use the squirrels to “run” the machine — pine cones as carrots on a stick. Not the same as a bolt of lightening or two for reanimation, but . . . a repurposing, upcycle of those pesky varmits.
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Now there’s a thought that hasn’t occurred to him
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We have squirrels in the yard with lots of pent up energy!
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I’ll send someone to collect them right away
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Please do! The get a bit “nutty” at times.
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It seems as if Victor Frankenstein is alive and working on his next creation. Great horror between the lines.
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Thanks so much, James
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Oh, another Frankenstein in the making but with better parts, I hope.
Stay Safe 😷 Isadora 😎
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All the parts of this are sadly recycled
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HA HA HA I just started reading your other commonts and noticed James had similar thought.
Great mind, you know.
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I guess it’s not going to be a contemplative robot then, Neil! Now I can’t get the vision out of my head of a wee robot sitting in the lotus position with a circle of squirrels waiting impatiently for it to nod off – as all good contemplatives do – so that they can eat its heart out! (Sorry!)
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A great image
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Probably your creepiest to date – and that’s saying something.
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And probably the one I’m least pleased with. Too much of a formula story
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From pine cones to human hearts. The quick leap of the mad scientist.
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Or the mad author
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I like the reflective tone of the story teller, and the human heart is a good ending. Put me in mind of the making of Frankinstein’s monster.
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Yes, I was thinking of Frankenstein
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A human heart might help pump the oil better than a pinecone, but if you’re going for longevity, a pinecone might be better.
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I think it’s the whole entelechy of it
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Yikes!
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Thanks, Oneta
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