I ached with tiredness and the desperation of being lost. A stone in my left shoe rubbed my heel painfully. The stone was the sun—a whole solar system in my trainer. Vladimir Putin appeared in my reverie, riding in a big black limousine and he stopped to give me a lift. The sun was green and thrashed the car’s tin roof with death-white trailing roots.
Should I have killed Putin when I had the chance? Maybe. But I mean, you know, he showed me kindness.
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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 
An interesting thought. What if someone you believed was totally evil actually showed you a kindness or even mercy? Would you accept it?
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That’s the question, yes
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This is like a fever dream, Neil. Either way, I don’t think many of us would be murderers given the opportunity to kill someone we considered the worst of humanity, and definitely not if they had been kind to us first.
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Thanks so much
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That sounds like the kind of pre-dream I have before I actuall fall into a deeper sleep. Well nightmare, I guess. I’d love to know your inspiration for this.
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That’s exactly what it was
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That kind of question could torment a person for life. Yah, and Hitler was a vegetarian and is reported to have been kind to children. Hindsight is a pain in the… Evocative story, and a well-written one, Neil.
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Thanks so much, Jade
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You’re very welcome.
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I would try to murder Putin only if he were attempting to murder me. I might think he deserves to die, but it’s not my job to make sure he does.
I think.
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Sounds fair
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Was Putin wearing a shirt? That’s the real question.
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And a rather natty suit too
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Oooo this is like a crazy drugged out or illness caused dream/vision/nightmare
What if the super crazy bad guy was kind… ? Like the Dr Who episode with Davros as a child or the Master without his memories ? Does being kind make him any less super crazy bad? Oh the dilemma this mental quagmire this causes when you ponder it too hard
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Thanks so much, Laurie
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Dear Neil,
Now there’s a question for the ages. Hindsight’s always 20/20 isn’t it?
Shalom,
Rochelle
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The prompt made me go a bit surreal
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It’s all about what you see. 😉
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+-b
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Apologies. My keyboard got stuck and it sent!
All that to say… the question is moot, isn’t it?
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Philosophers will debate the matter
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Indeed.
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This questions the meaning of the word ‘kindness’. Is it kind to put a person out of his misery. Did he offer your comfortable lift to hell?
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PS, make sure you make your own tea from now on….
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A lift to the shopping mall actually
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Good description of a stone in your shoe. The whole story left me feeling off balance and that’s a good thing.
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My work here is done. Thanks, Tracey
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Should you or shouldn’t you? Quite a dilemma. Too late now though!
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Thanks, Keith
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I love this dream of a story Neil, raises such a conundrum and makes me wonder if you actually had such a dream, because I do have bizarre technicolour dreams, often with ad-hoc famous people in them 😄
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Thanks so much. It is based on a pre-sleep reverie I had
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Only in self defense, unless of course you are a murderer.
Thought provoking story.
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Thanks so much, Dawn
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We are all multi-faceted. Hence the concept of a moral dilemma I guess. Your opening sentences are perfect – they set up a surreal scene that is just right for what follows.
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Thanks so much, Margaret
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I love the questions it raises. Makes me wonder. “The stone was the sun—a whole solar system in my trainer.” I really liked this bit 🙂
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Thanks so much, Dahlia.
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As they say: No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted…
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Thanks for reading and commenting
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