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 the picture below, which this week is supplied by Dale Rogerson.
Click here to hear the author read his words:
Winter of Discontent
I’m going to die.
We all are, and we all know it.
Most of us try to live as long as possible, to postpone the inevitable.
But some make conscious decisions that we know will bring death sooner.
As I did.
I refused to follow the rules, to submit to the oppression.
We were subjugated by our own government, movement restricted, curfews imposed.
Emergency powers were introduced, and never rescinded.
Freedoms were removed, never returned.
Protesting became illegal.
I protested.
Tomorrow I die.
Smiling.
It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees.
Emiliano Zapata
Sound Bite Fiction 
I have had a neighbour recently pass away, from cancer. He refused to go to hospital and refused treatment. Instead, he cleared out his attic and arranged his financial affairs. He wanted to be at home and not in some isolated institution.
It makes me wonder if there is no such thing as fiction.
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Great story. Sadly, it reminds me so much of today.
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Touche’ Loved this!
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You caught the mood the world is in right now. I hope we can safely say, “This too will pass.”
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We can hope, Alicia, but I think we also need to raise our voices
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I am reserving judgement on the present laws, ever hopeful that they will fade as the plague does.
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We have already seen in France that is not the case.
Don’t hold your breath, Liz
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It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees.
Emiliano Zapata…that last line summed up this hard hitting clarion call of a story. Well done, Ceayr.
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Thanks, Neel, glad you heard my voice
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Peaceful protest is the sign of freedom. What one protests and HOW one protests remains a matter of debate among many, but the fact of peaceful protest being a right to uphold remains a tenet nonetheless. May it be so.
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Indeed, Na’ama, otherwise we live under dictatorship.
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Exactly. And already there are places in the US where it is a crime to give water to thirsty people standing in the hot sun. … SMH.
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Great stuff, with echos of whats going on right now in these little islands. God help us all. Great take
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And elsewhere, sir.
Sadly things are getting steadily worse, our opportunistic masters taking advantage of a desperate situation
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That was a deep one! Great writing this week.
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Thanks, Bear.
Sometimes we have to speak up before it’s too late
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No spare words, just truth laid out in a story that hits the reader between the eyes..
Wow!
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Thanks, Jenne
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Firstly, I like the shape of your story, which parallels the content. I’d like to say I wish the state of things wasn’t what it is. I hope things never get to where the only form of protest that remains is a noble death.
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Things are grim and getting grimmer.
Big Brother is alive and thriving.
Time to act.
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I’d be standing–not kneeling–right there beside you.
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Time to raise our voices, Linda
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I’m with this fellow and Zapata. We have played at crouching in fear long enough and with vaccines, we have taken enough precaution to stand against government overreach.
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Thank you, Dora, the time is nigh!
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I hope it’s worth dying for. It sure was nice knowing you.
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Freedom is, I believe.
And, like the man said, I’ll be back…
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I think we should all raise our glasses. What’s the point to living if one can’t enjoy it.
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But how many have to die first, Tannille?
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Sometimes there are worse things in life than death.
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Draconian controls never last. I certainly hope not….
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They will unless we protest…
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It will be interesting to see what happens as the social distancing and travel restrictions are lifted, when the arguments against any protest have vanished. Of course, by that time the anti-lockdown campaigners won’t have anything to protest against, but how the government handles other protests they don’t like will be key.
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Some rights will never be willingly returned, Iain.
France is already close to being a police state and it seems the UK is following fast
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Scotland, of course, has one hope of a route of that… We’ll see what May brings.
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What a world hey? Who’d have thought it?
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Anyone who knows history, sadly…
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Dear CE,
You left us with something to think about. Disturbingly well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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These are disturbing days, m’lady
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I like the way you have voiced the protestor & given the hint of winter.
Protestors are given death sentence.
We owe our freedom to such inspiring people, who smilingly sacrifice themselves after letting their discontentment known. They inspire others to do the same.
Totally agree with your last line. Great quote.
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Thanks, Anita.
We live in times where our freedoms are being rapidly eroded…
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No. Say this is just fiction. They’d never make protests illegal, surely
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No, Neil, that would have us all out marching…
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