Sunday Photo Fiction is a weekly challenge presented by my old friend Al Forbes.
The idea is to write a short story (200 word max) inspired by what you see in his picture (below).
Time, and time travel, is something which I, and many others, find fascinating.
Which makes it an ideal subject for Sound Bite Fiction.
Click on this link to enter your tale, and see what others have written.
Copyright Al Forbes
Forewarned
Time travel is fun.
I have been to the future three times now, just to make sure my machine works.
I travel to and from an empty apartment I have on a long term lease.
I avoid any possibility of conflict, merely observe from the windows.
Everything seems to be in order.
So I decide I want to do more, to interact.
I stay close to my own time, I don’t want to be unaware of big changes.
So, two days from now, I walk out of the apartment and stroll to a café I visit rarely.
I don’t want to meet myself!
I drink coffee, read the sports section.
Scotland beaten at rugby, no surprise there.
Then the TV catches my eye.
That looks like me, like that holiday photo.
I hurry to the counter, ask for the volume to be increased.
The girl sighs, shrugs, finds the remote.
‘… Police investigations continue’, and the next item appears.
What was that, I demand, far too loudly.
Calm down, she says, nothing important. Oh, but it was just round the corner there.
What, I am shouting, fighting panic now.
She raises an eyebrow, shrugs one shoulder.
Just some crackpot inventor got himself hacked to pieces.
Sound Bite Fiction 
Great story! I wrote a time travel story myself recently and really enjoyed it.
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What a thing to find out! OMG
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Oh, calm yourself, lassie, it’s just a story!
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Whew!
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A great story! Time travel is always a fascinating subject. The question of whether or not it’s possible to change the future is an intriguing one. I have to wonder what would happen if he just decided to stay in the future and never return to be hacked to pieces…
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Well, you don’t yet know about his sick child, cancer-ridden father, or dog with worms.
But thank you, you are absolutely right, it is fascinating, and we can only play around the edges and hopefully provoke some thought.
I enjoyed your comment, it adds to the discussion, thank you.
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That last line is priceless. I think it would be awful to know you were going to die, nevermind, knowing how. And that way for this time traveller is very gruesome. Wonderful story/poem I loved it!
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I am very happy you enjoyed the story, Mandibelle.
And I agree that knowing you are about to die is not cool.
The question is, can you change it?
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It’s a good question. I think in the context of a story of course. If you have ever seen the movie Prince of Persia the main character does just that. In the scheme of life, I’d say when it’s your time, it’s your time. And if you think your going to die and you don’t, then it really wasn’t your time. Great story!
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One of the best things about Time Travel tales is that they make us think.
Your comments are very valid, thank you again.
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If you don’t go around the corner and “get hacked to pieces”, have you created a paradox?
I wonder which course is the most dangerous.
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Hi Dave.
It seems, according to the TV and the young lady, that I am already ‘hacked to pieces’.
Can I somehow avoid it?
That is the question.
And, as you shrewdly ask, what are the repercussions if I do?
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This is where you need a future crimes department (Minority Report – Philip K Dick)…it could have, I mean, some day soon, save you a lot of grief 🙂
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Good idea, but is this crime in the future when he sees it reported on TV already?
But it will/could have definitely save/saved that grief you mention.
Cheers, Paul, and thanks for for the comment
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Second change? Nice twist.
Thanks for stopping by Rumors. The original prompt states there will be nine rooms.
The link on the page goes to the previous three. (No obligation – just an FYI).
Cheers, Jules
(Yes I have more than one blog and sometimes I don’t bother to change where the Icon goes to since WP took that option and made it more difficult.)
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You are quite a gal, Jules, always a moving target!
Good to see you here.
Big hugs
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I may be a tad slow sometimes…- but I try to visit everyone who visits me 😉 …I have the different blogs for the different types of stuff I write…short verse, long verse and fiction.
I’m a granny who tends to the grands during the school year.
That’s one of the reasons I mash-up prompts. …lack of time.
Moving target, rebel – yep same thing 🙂
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Great story! Now the dilemma of how to stop the inevitable from happening. This is my kind of story.
-David
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Exactly!
There are a myriad of possibilities at this point.
I am so glad you see that too.
Cheers, David.
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Had a niggling thought something sinister was afoot. It usually is.
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Not much of a story otherwise, is it?
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Looks like he better stay where he is now.
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Yeah, but he has to get back, Ted, pregnant wife, dying mother, lost cat, you know the sort of thing.
Thanks for visiting.
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Time travel is usually fun, but I think he has a bit of a problem looming! Great read.
Rosey Pinkerton’s blog
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Or loomed?
Thanks, Rosey, glad you enjoyed.
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I love this sort of fiction. Specially when it is so well done 🙂
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Thanks, Graham, time travel raises so many questions, doesn’t it?
Thanks for your comment.
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I was waiting for something to happen – it always does when you mess with time! Just was not expecting THIS! Now we nust hope that he can undo what he has done…
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That’s a bit harsh, Dale, he did not ‘mess with time’, just had a wee jaunt into the future.
And he has not done anything, except get hacked to bits tomorrow, or yesterday, depending on your point of view.
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My bad…I did not want to be harsh! I should have simply stated there are always dangers when going back and forth in time…after all, don’t all the movies show this? 😉
And se? Your poor hero will/did pay the ultimate price!
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I wonder if this knowledge could change a future… Interesting concept 🙂 brilliant story as ever.
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The million pound question, Angie.
Time travel is full of cool concepts, I am happy you enjoyed this take.
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Excellent, and you don’t disappoint with your endings. Another great story. Thanks 🙂
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Cheers, Al, glad you liked it.
I do try to give a twist to make you think.
Thanks for your constant support, mon ami.
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Always welcome 🙂 And keep the twists coming.
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The film, intersteallar impressed me, Have you watched it? Your imagination is great 🙂 Thank you, love, nia
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Haven’t seen the film, Nia.
Thank you for kind words, glad you liked the story.
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Dear C.E.
That would be a disturbing turn of events. I wonder if he can now go back in time and change that future. Have you ever seen the movie “Frequency?”
Well done, Mr. Imagination. Clever twist.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Disturbing, ya think?
Change the timeline, the ultimate time travel question.
No.
Thank you, glad you enjoyed.
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Frissons…
to know or not to know?
What a difference a day (or two)
makes.
Could the observer change outcome?
Mmm… Some bite in this tale!
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Time for some serious thought.
But can the future be changed?
Always the question, isn’t it…
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Reblogged this on anelephantcant and commented:
AnElephantCant always be funny
And occasionally he can’t dream up a rhyme
It’s not that he’s thick
And he is rarely sick
But there are days when he just can’t find the time
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