The world laminates into four: my warm candle-lit table; a receding hall of empty places; beyond the window, the eaves of strangely pitched roofs that do not belong in this place; and, finally, a lowering sky, purple with distant menace. There are no people. Anywhere.
I wait.
The message arrives, as I knew it would, a blur of white slicing the air like an assassin’s blade—”Do it.”
With trembling fingers, I unwrap the package. They will understand. Won’t they?
.
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 
Beautiful distillation of the image Neil, and a sinister end.
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In truth, I had no clue what to write in response to the prompt
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A real message or a figment of his imagination
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It’s all a figment of mine
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LOL!
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Looks like a sci-fi tale.
I imagine aliens & their package 🙂
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Or just a bad day at the office
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Dear Neil,
There are any number of ways this story could go. Reads like the beginning of something.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks so much, Rochelle
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Well written, Neil. It certainly isn’t my daughter when one of her clothing packages arrives!!
Best wishes,
Rowena
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Thanks so much, Rowena
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I felt menace, and heard an explosion. But where and why.
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That works for me. Thanks, Nichael
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The dystopia you’ve created feels almost surreal. Whatever is about to happen, things will be changing — hopefully for the better!
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There was a surreal quality to the image for me
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Chilling and sinister. Well done.
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Thanks so much, Linda
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Quite the atmosphere. Tempting fate.
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Thanks so much, Tannille
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This line…”receding hall of empty places” brilliant
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Thanks so much, Laurie
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I sense a bit of wishful thinking in those last few words.
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Helps him through the ordeal
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Of course they’ll understand. What must be, must be. 🙂
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Very understanding of you. Thanks, Bill
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Asking for forgiveness before a hideous act does not make it right. They will never understand, they never do.
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He may be hoping for too much
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Thrilling build up Neil. Thank you for creating the suspenseful atmosphere.
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Thanks so much, Susan
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Perhaps they will, perhaps they won’t … but it sounds as if whomever or whatever sent the message, will not … unless one does as they are told …
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Some imperatives are strong
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They sure is!
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