
Unease flickered in my belly, like … I attempted the metaphor, but couldn’t summon the proper noun. Like those ornamental fish at the bottom of a murky pond. Why did I recognize no product in my kitchen cupboard? Was this DIY thing even mine?
A more terrifying question lurked like … a striped carnivore … at fronded border of reality. I refused to utter it. Somewhere, I knew, they were watching, making notes, graphing responses.
A cup of tea. Make a nice cup of tea and all would be right. There were no tea bags.
“Let me out,” I pleaded.
.
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

Dear Neil,
No tea? Time to flee.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
There must be a nice cup of tea or all is lost
LikeLike
Oh no! A cupboard’s most important item!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Too horrible to contemplate
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a cruel experiment! No tea? Highly unethical! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I suspect there’s no honey either
LikeLike
No tea?! AAGGHH!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was all he needed
LikeLike
Barbarians!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Utterly
LikeLiked by 1 person
…like an angry moth.
A disturbing situation developing here, is he a prisoner?
Yes, without tea only panic will set in.
LikeLiked by 1 person
He believes himself to be a prisoner, which is much the same thing
LikeLiked by 1 person
There is always a bag in the back of a cupboard corner… unless you have a roommate like my sister once did who figured it was expired and threw it all out! Crazy woman.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t think he was in the right frame of mind for a thorough search.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There is that.
LikeLike
what a terrible situation to be in. i don’t envy him at all.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for reading
LikeLiked by 1 person
I felt his angst. No tea…just too much!
LikeLiked by 1 person
The final indignity
LikeLike
Oooo, I likes it! 🙂 Reminds me of the beginning of the month when I started Nano and discovered I’d neglected to put up a store of coffee! ACH! It was horrible. I completed Nano Two days ago… in 4 days! I finished with 85K handwritten (850 pages) and I’m only halfway through the plot! I NEED more coffee! LOL!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Congratulations on your achievement
LikeLiked by 1 person
‘tea fixes everything’, It says so on my teapot 😉 good read, Neil
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much, Fleur
LikeLiked by 1 person
The poor guy. To me that sounds like dementia or Alzheimer’s and the guy is in a care home. Maybe someone better get him some tea soon. The symptoms are spot on in any case. Although I admit that I sometimes have similar problems with the metaphors though not necessarily with the striped carnivore.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wasn’t particularly thining of dementia, but it would fit, I can see
LikeLiked by 1 person
A tired brain could alter one’s perception, but without tea there is little help.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Without tea, all hope is lost
LikeLiked by 1 person
Damn, no teabags… I’m out
Great piece, Neil
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much, Laurie
LikeLiked by 1 person
Terrible to imagine a scenario like this, but it’s starting to seem possible. Gives me shivers. Well done!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much, Angela
LikeLiked by 1 person