‘A road that goes all the way to Chicago.’ Danny said. ‘Think we’ll ever get that far?’
‘I doubt it,’ answered Bill, ‘unless we steal a car.’
‘We’d run out of gas before getting out of New Mexico.’
‘Guess we’re stuck here then,’ Bill laughed.
They sat under the town’s water tower, drinking beer. An occasional car passed along Route 66.
‘One day I’m getting out of here,’ Danny declared. A drop of water landed on his head. The tank above them groaned.
‘What the…’ Bill uttered, before gallons of water and tonnes of metal crashed down on them.

Written as part of the Friday Fictioneers challenge hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields (more details HERE). The idea is to write a short story of 100 words based on the photo prompt (above).
Tucumcari is a small city in New Mexico. In 1951, a water storage tank collapsed in the city. Four were killed and numerous buildings were destroyed. Wikipedia.
To read more stories based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.
Hope they were alright
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Afraid not Neil, see the historical footnote…
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Bummer
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Quite 😦
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I visited the same page, but gleaned a different piece of the town’s history for my tale! It sounds like it was devastating. If only they’d stolen that car – they might be introuble but they’d be alive. Nice snippet of conversation Iain. A mini tragedy
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Thanks Lynn, enjoyed your fun take. Seems like a little place with a bit of history. Good point about stealing the car – if only.
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And if only they could have seen into the future – thinking of leaving town just a day too late. Great story
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Isn’t life like that sometimes. Thanks Lynn 🙂
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🙂
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Nice ending: so muh packed into so little!
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Thanks Roger, much appreciated.
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An interesting gem of information there. And the ending came as quite a surprise. Well done.
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Thanks Sandra – amazing the little things you learn doing Friday Fictioneers!
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Whaaat. So…are they injured or dead? I’m impressed by how much story you managed to pack in so few words!
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Thanks Jade – I don’t fancy their chances of surviving I’m afraid 😦
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Ouch.. who said that stealing is a bad choice. But I guess they did get out of town.
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Ha, true Bjorn, it’s an escape of sorts I suppose!
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You are now an official Friday Factioneer, Iain.
Neat story.
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I am honoured! Many thanks.
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Horrible end for your characters but a great twist.
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Thanks Louise 🙂
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Well, shoot! You’re walking on the dark side this week. I said a spontaneous, “Oh no!” when I read the last line. Nice (?) bit of history, this.
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Thanks Alicia. Sounds like a tragic incident, although haven’t found much info on what really happened, but thought it made for a bit of a different twist to a Friday Fictioneers tale!
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It worked!
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Well, I didn’t see that coming!–and historical fiction–thanks for including the link. How sad with Danny just imagining getting out of town.
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You never can tell when your time is up I guess. Thanks for reading.
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Well done! You are taking a page from our FFF’s book by inserting real history into your story. Love it… Bummer for those boys, though…
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Oh no 😦 I was just picturing a couple of chaps hanging out, shooting the breeze, making plans…
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Yes, I was a bit sad to cut them off like that. Thanks for reading.
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Dear Iain,
Nice use of history. I guess that’s one way to get out of town. 😦
Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks Rochelle. Not the best way to go, must have been a tragic ccident when it happened 😦
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I’m sure. Kudos to you for following the research trail. It’s my favorite way to travel. 😉
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Good to learn a little about the places we find in the photos. 🙂
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Everyone thinks they have more time. Thanks for the history Iain.
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You’re welcome 🙂
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Oh oh…. well they were probably in need of a bath… road to Chicago? Go Cubs!! A great sense of age to this one.
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🙂 Yeah, go Cubs, my adopted baseball team after visiting Chicago a couple of years ago. Thanks Laurie.
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Looks like they’ll never get out of New Mexico on route 66. : )
Tragic. I love historical writes. Yours was on-target with the photograph.
I love New Mexico ( from afar). I have land there. I haven’t decided to build yet. Probably, won’t. Too dry, no water. LOL
Have a great weekend.
Isadora 😎
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Nice to have the option if you ever feel like a change. Never been myself, only been on the Chicago end of Route 66. Thanks Isadora 🙂
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Oh no, that’s so sad. One moment they let their imagination run free, the next they’re gone. Good reminder not to take anything for granted. Great story.
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Thanks, make the most of every moment I guess 🙂
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oh, i didn’t expect the sad ending. 😦
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Thanks for reading 🙂
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Horrible end, no one deserve this. Well written with great unexpected twist.
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Many thanks, sometimes life can be very unfair.
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So true.
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nice little bit of history 🙂
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Thanks Helen 🙂
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Gee whiz! Everyone’s fascinated my Tucumcari. I had never heard of it. Thanks, Iain for this story. I learned a lot … got entertained, too. 😀
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Hadn’t heard of it either. Another bit of useless knowledge gained through Friday Fictioneers 🙂
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My only recollection of Tucumcari was from the song “Willing” by Little Feat.
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Love the feeling of ambivalence, wanting to leave but not enough to actually do something about it. I like how you introduced the historical event of the water tower collapsing.
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Many thanks, glad you liked it 🙂
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So sad, yet a great bit of writing.
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Thanks Michael, much appreciated.
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Be careful what you wish for!
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Indeed, thanks Dawn.
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Nice take and interesting bit of history I would never have been aware of without your story. Well done
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Thanks Michael. Nice to pick up a little knowledge along the way.
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I guess Danny left there… in a box! Interesting piece of history. Well written.
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Thanks Clare, not the way he meant to go I’m sure!
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Oh no! Good one😊
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Many thanks 🙂
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Like both the ‘true’ backstory and the twist. Nice one 🙂
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Reminds me of a Hindi film – Sholay. Clever take.
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Not aware of that one, will have to look out for it! Many thanks.
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Made me think of the 1960s TV series “Route 66”. Back in the day, it ran all the way from San Diego to Chicago. The series was about two young men to travelled up and down Route 66 having adventures and helping people. Don’t remember much about it. I was only a kid when it was on the air.
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Interesting idea for a show based on a road. Not sure it was ever shown here in the UK.
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It ran from 1960 to 1964 in the US and made red Corvettes insanely popular. Here’s the Wikipedia page for the series.
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Excellent – I do love a Corvette, but more the 80s style – see The A Team, which did run over here and Face’s car 🙂
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Such an unexpected end! Great storytelling. Looks like they’re not getting out of there anytime soon.
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Afraid not, thanks Amy 😉
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Whoa, that’s sucker punch! Call me sucker.
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Thanks Dawn 🙂
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Poor guys. That’s a horrendous example of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Good story based on a true event, Iain. Thanks for the link. —- Suzanne
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Thanks Suzanne, interesting things you learn sometimes doing these short stories! 🙂
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Oh my, talk about dreams crushed . I didn’t see this coming.
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It does come out of nowhere. Thanks for reading.
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Yikes! I’m never one to advocate for grand theft, but maybe stealing the car wouldn’t have been such a bad plan… Nice flow and natural dialogue. Clever (but terrible!) end.
Happy trails! 🙂
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Many thanks :+)
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Lovely little fictional touch to history though a tad tragic. Great write up, as usual.
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Many thanks for your kind comment. Thanks for reading.
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