Friday Fictioneers is hosted by the wonderful Rochelle, the undisputed master of what I call Sound Bite Fiction.
She sets the weekly challenge, the standard, and the prompt photo.
The idea, as always, is to write a story of around 100 words based on this picture, below, which this week is supplied by Mikhael Sublett.
© Mikhael Sublett
Click here to hear the author read his words:
Cats and Dogs
I burn cats and dogs.
Society doesn’t approve.
Society doesn’t approve of lots of things.
Like centuries of worldwide genocide by our nations.
Like slave trading.
Like the folly of WWI.
And the atrocities of WWII.
But, strangely, it does approve of extreme right-wing xenophobic sociopaths.
Like Johnson, Macron, Trump.
And one society seems to approve of the mass slaughter of its students.
By its students.
It makes lethal weapons readily available.
I don’t really burn animals.
Not because society wouldn’t approve.
But because it would be cruel, even wicked.
No, I don’t want society’s approval.
Society is ****ed.
Sound Bite Fiction 
This piece certainly gets one thinking. Well done ce
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Thanks, Mike
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A fierce indictment of humankind’s behaviour. It’s hard not to feel pessimistic I find, which would be conceding to the negative forces.
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I am indeed struggling to find any ray of hope where Westminster is concerned
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A lot of anger for where we’ve gone as a society of people who don’t learn from the past. I agree.
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Thanks, Kelley
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…and I think to myself, what a wonderful world…
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…I see Gove, Javid, bad Boris too…
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…Jeremy Corbin who looks like Steptoe…
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Reading this the morning after the general election, this seems sadly apt. Well done to the SNP and can I move to Scotland? Great piece.
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In Scotland we are still clinging to some vestige of social justice. I weep for England.
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Me and you both
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I know there are many good people there, that is what breaks my heart
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Love this one, very topical and completely correct in every way
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Thank you, sir
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Bleak and powerful, CE, although I disagree that society is ****ed. We are part of society, and we’re trying to make it better. I’m not trying to be contentious, but I do want to put the more optimistic point of view, because if we don’t retain optimism we really will be ****ed!
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We are all part of society, Penny, and we are making things steadily worse.
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Excellent take, ce.
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Depressing, isn’t it
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Unfortunately too real.
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Sounds like your narrator has pretty much had enough of it all. I don’t blame them!
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I have indeed.
I am old enough to remember when there was some honour, even in politics.
Now, like the USA, we elect a proven liar to lead us.
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A lot angst there…and justifiably so. You do indeed take the take when it comes to “apocalyptic writing”, dear Ceayr.
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I suspect this apocalypse is very real, Neel
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Hits the bulls eye! Sorry state of affairs indeed.
As always you walk away with the cake CE. 🙂
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I love ‘walk away with the cake’, not an expression I am familiar with.
But the meaning is clear, and appreciated
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Ha ha! CE ☺️
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Sigh.
For the record, I’m glad you don’t ‘really’ burn cats and dogs … (I didn’t really think you did, by the way …), but I am with you on the distaste and frustration with the ‘tolerance’ for atrocities and the mockery of leadership which is shown by those who put personal power over humanity, and feed it with xenophobia and gaslighting. Oy. We’ll have a long climb up from these times.
Na’ama
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I like ‘xenophobia and gaslighting’, very 1984.
Thank you
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I’m afraid, also very 2019 … oy vey!
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Society seems to move like a pendulum. For an election or two, we move forward and things get better. Then, we decide to tear it down and see how bad we can make if for an election or two. I’m hoping in America we finally got it so bad that we’re going to take a mulligan.
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The only move forward at Westminster in the past 50 years was the departure of Thatcher.
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Powerful writing – and so much here that I agree with! Society is, indeed, ****ed.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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Thanks, Susan
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And because we ignore history, it repeats itself. All through the centuries. There is nothing new.
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Find the enemy within, and eliminate all freedoms in the name of security
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Someone should ask Native Americans how that worked out for them.
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Exactly my point, Linda, and indigenous people across the globe
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I can hardly criticise you for the world-weariness of your narrator. Over recent weeks I’ve reached pretty much the same conclusion myself. Can we ever get back to a more civilised society?
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I fear that ship has sailed, Sandra
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You seem to have been caught up in UK election week fever. This election campaign has been atrocious from every angle – politicians, parties, the media. I can’t wait for Christmas just so it will all be over… until it starts again next year, no matter what the outcome this Friday.
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I am fortunate not to have to face it on a daily basis, but when I see a proven liar being voted into power, I do despair.
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Well you made me question and consider what we mean by society. One of my thoughts concludes there are many forms of society, which explains the various conflicts around this country and the world. But there’s one common factor, I believe, is that society can be touted as a scape goat for inaction as each society observes the world from a point of social dominance and deplores injustice. As for animals, would humans exist without them?
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That’s a very thought-provoking comment, James
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We are all society, James, and we are not sufficiently active. That is the problem
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And the fiction in your piece is where? Can’t help but agree with the conclusion…
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My name is fictional, Trent!
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OK, I knew you had to be staying fictional somewhere in there…
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A lot of frustration and simmering anger in this piece. It encapsulates the frustration of many, I think.
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It is hard to feel otherwise right now, Colline…
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I think I need a drink now… It takes the edge off. I’m afraid the left-wing idiots aren’t any better. Your final line rings true.
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True and tragic, Tannille
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Tout est dit !
Et bien écrit !
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C’est triste, mais vrai
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Bitter truth expressed in a few lines…
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And no sign of improvement…
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Dear C.E.
You mean I’m not the only one who notices that more value is put on animals than human life? Well said.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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The truth of this is one of the saddest things, m’lady.
I strongly believe that we need to take care of all living creatures to the best of our ability.
However there is no comparison between the loss of a pet, however beloved, and that of a mother or, much worse, a child.
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Great pre-election rant, CE
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And I ignore it from afar!
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