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 the picture (below).
This week’s prompt is a photo I took chez some friends here in Medville, and depicts a scene from Don Quixote, famously tilting at a windmill.
Click on this link to enter your tale, and to see what others have written.
© C. E. Ayr
Click here to hear the author read his words:
Champion
I am afraid of nothing.
Well, almost nothing.
I have defended my country against invaders.
I have fought giants and slain dragons.
I am regarded as one of the great warriors of this land.
I am an idol to many youngsters.
And when this civil war so cruelly divided our people I chose the side I thought was right.
Not everyone agrees.
Cities, villages, even families, are torn apart, each man taking up his sword for what he believes is a just cause.
Violence is killing us all.
Just as we feared the entire country would be destroyed, the two leaders spoke.
And agreed a solution.
An honourable compromise.
Each would choose a champion.
These two men would face each other before the assembled masses.
There will be no more bloodshed, no more deaths.
Apart from one or other of these legendary heroes.
So here I am.
Champion of my beliefs.
Facing the greatest fighter of the other side.
Staring into his eyes.
And I am afraid.
I am not afraid of him.
I am not afraid of dying.
I am afraid to kill my brother.
Sound Bite Fiction 
Your story is reminiscent of the American Civil War, where brother fought against brother. If only there was a way to settle differences without killing each other.
I apologize for taking so long to respond. Life had other plans.
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Ending violence with violence, brother against brother, makes no sense. It just adds to the killing and need to fulfill a craving for bloodlust. Good writing, C.E. Thanks for the great embossed picture that made all the stories possible. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Great story. I liked the flow and the sudden change at the end. The ending brought the earlier passages into sharp relief.
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Too many un-civil wars.
Thanks for the photo.
I did an alternate(?) retelling:
Falling Stars
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What a story! Deep and impactful. Loved it. And thanks for the photo prompt 🙂
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Wonderful last line. It made the buildup of the story more real and personal. Fantastic!
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Great last line. Thanks for the photo too, Ceayr.
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The sad and terrible realities of civil war ‘brother against brother.’ A terrible situation for either brother if they are related. If you are referring to brother in the sense that a ‘brother’ is a fellow countrymen that is less horrible but not by much. No one seems to want to kill anyone. Does more death and desolation end a war? My thinking is not. Ghandi said, “An eye for an eye makes the whole world go blind” and I can’t see that either great warrior dying will not be avenged. It also makes me think about concept of a ‘just war’ who and what defines it. Is war ever just? Even when necessary, as it seems these two combatants must war against each other, I don’t think Just war exists. Somehow the just always die on either side. Somehow noble caused are lost in death, suffering, etc. Interesting piece C.E.. I liked your picture too. Hugs
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A wonderful reminder of the senselessness and sadness of war, especially civil war. Countrymen against countrymen. I too love the last line!
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Some decades ago, my wife, my parents, and vacationed in the south and took at least one tour of a Civil War site. Our guide was a young man who had relatives on both the Union and Confederate sides and the way he talked about his family, the Civil War might have been fought yesterday. Some events become ingrained in the national and personal consciousness.
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I can’t even imagine what that must be like. Brilliantly written sir.
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Killer last line. Reminiscent of our recent independence referendum, which fortunately resulted in just verbal arguments and taking the huff between families, rather than violence!
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A great end to the story. Yet typical of civil wars around the globe. We humans never learn
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