Questions

43 Replies
roger-bultot-synagogue

PHOTO PROMPT © Roger Bultot

Some smiled at the young man.  Others noticed his shivers and asked if they could help.  Most were friendly.  This was their place, carved out ages ago by their families.  The building the young man watched had welcomed their parents, their grandparents and, even, for a few, their great-great-grandparents.

But there were some who didn’t smile.

Josh made a few calls on his mobile, had a few whispered conversations.

When the stranger pulled out the AK-47, the police were ready. Not a shot was fired.

All anyone could ask was how could this safe place, their place, become so dangerous?

***

With another recent shooting I had to go to a dark place. It is so awful that hatred seems to have taken over so much of our country.

***

Word count = 100

Friday Fictioneers is hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields.  This week’s prompt is here and uses a photo © Roger Bultot.  Read more or join in by following the InLinkz “linky“.

43 thoughts on “Questions”

    1. trentpmcd Post author

      Thanks. yes, I agree that I wish more could be stopped before injuries or death. I just couldn’t let myself go too far in that direction when I was writing this…

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  4. gahlearner

    The chances of the US banning guns is as great as that of Germany (where I live) setting a speed limit on the highways and limiting the use of cars. I’m glad your story had a peaceful ending, well told. The kindness of the congretation was warm and clear.

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      Yeah, that was one point I wanted to bring across was that the people of congregation weren’t just nice people, but people of compassion as well. You are right, I won’t hold my breath waiting for the US to give up its guns, or even make them harder for criminals and haters to get.

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  5. 4963andypop

    I like how you made us sympathize with the temple-goers from the get-go, all smiles and helpfulness, sheep to the slaughter.

    Your hero Josh was not so trusting, thank goodness. The old “See something, say something” mantra gives me the shivers, with its echoes of 1984, but in this case, it was a good thing.

    By the way, guns in the hands of teachers just got passed here in FL, and the teachers, more than anyone, are, so to speak, up in arms about it.

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      I can’t think of anything quite as sad as that we are arming teachers. How much the world has changed…

      I don’t know if the haters that can commit atrocities have the ability to see the victims as real people. To me that was one of the best part of New Zealand’s response to the recent attack there – the Prime Minster not only showing sympathy for the victims, but identifying with them to show her support. We always need to put a human face on them.

      Yeah, it is too bad that in this day and age we do have to keep a look out for extremists of many varieties. “See something, say something” does seem a little scary, but is so necessary to stay safe.

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      After last week’s attack I read some witness reports where the person would say that their family moved to the US because it was safe, but that it is no longer true, that it is becoming one of the places to avoid because of how dangerous it now is. That is a very sad and scary.

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      It is tragic that these types of attacks aren’t history or fiction. I just could let myself go too far and so had to have at least one person call the police before he struck.

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      Thanks. It is unfortunate that it was the first thing that came to mind when seeing the photo… I wish more of these types of things turned out with as good of am ending.

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      Thanks. It is very sad that stories like this do have a ring of truth today. I don’t understand random violence or hate crimes of any type, but there seems to be something even more evil in attacks at places of worship.

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      Reading through the different Friday Fictioneer stories, it is very sad how many people went down similar paths. There should be more happy stories full of love when presented with a picture like this! Thanks.

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      Deep divisions, hatred and violence does seem to be a worldwide problem these days and it doesn’t seem to be getting better. Yeah, I just couldn’t let myself write too tragic of an ending… Occasionally they are caught before the shooting starts, but not often.

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      We do live in a scary world. How did it ever come to this? Remember in Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy where a joke was made about school teachers carrying guns? At that time the joke was they carried them to protect themselves against the students, but it is so chilling that it is no longer a joke, that people want teachers to carry guns. I just couldn’t end this with tragedy….

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      There is only right and wrong, good and evil, so if I am good, you must be evil…. Luckily I don’t know anyone who would harm another, but I know those who feel that extreme political disjoint. You are right, the divisions and enmity between people is a huge tragedy.

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      Yes, it is true. Occasionally people are caught early, but most of the time nobody suspects until the first shot rings out. I just couldn’t write the more realistic version…

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