THE NEW KING

He looked down upon his ragtag army of waifs and strays, born and reared in the streets, just like him.

Now they had organisation and purpose. No longer fighting among themselves, no longer squabbling over meagre scraps. He had brought them together, united against their common enemy.

From the rooftop he looked at the skyline of the distant metropolis. The tall, modern skyscrapers gleamed under the calm blue sky. This was where the war would play out.

Inside them the rich and powerful had only heard hints and rumours about the coming storm. Murmurs of a leader among the poor who had given up hope in negotiations and politicians and religious salvation. A boy who had decided the only way to achieve real change, real social justice, was through force.

Here, among the colourful concrete, he was king among his people. Now, the time had come to lead them to a new life where they could all live like kings and queens in the tall palaces of the rich.

Above him, clouds swirled and the sky grew darker.


photo-20170710154707376
Copyright Grant-Sud

Written as part of Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers. The challenge is to write a flash fiction story in around 150 words, based on the weekly photo prompt. Thanks as always to the challenge host Priceless Joy. For more information visit HERE.

To read other stories based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.

48 responses to “THE NEW KING”

  1. I love your stories, always different

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you, so pleased you like them 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  2. Great use of a small amount of words to develop a really good theme. The sense of building foreboding is palpable.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you, I was going for that sense of foreboding, glad it came across.

      Liked by 1 person

  3. Beautifully portrayed, Iain!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you 🙂

      Like

  4. A Writer's Beginning Avatar
    A Writer’s Beginning

    Another great take on a prompt! I find this really interesting considering the current widening divisions between the poor and the rich/young and the elderly that recent politics is bringing us… how far from the truth could this be? Great story, thanks for sharing it with us 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you, the current situation all over the world between the rich and the poor was definitely in my mind while writing this.

      Liked by 1 person

  5. Novel and wonderful, as always .

    Liked by 1 person

  6. Reminds me of the famous Jack Weinberg quote: “Never trust anyone over 30”. Oh, by the way, I loved your Batman sketches and interestingly enough, my take on today’s prompt factors in.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks James, been a long time since I had done any drawing, glad you liked them. Look forward to your story.

      Liked by 1 person

  7. This is amazing, definitely thought provoking and hugely successful for such little words. I definitely want to read more about this world, this ruler and what his rule will mean for the rich.
    I love how different this is, I enjoyed writing from this prompt and it looks like you did too.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you so much, glad you liked my take on the prompt. Definitely room for a longer story hee. Look forward to reading your effort too 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Would love to read this if you extended it! Thank you, should be posted tomorrow (I learnt my lesson about posting immediately- silly spelling mistakes!). 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  8. Well done! Definitely believable in this day and age. I see a book or a movie.

    Liked by 1 person

  9. I love the metaphor of the dark clouds and storm coming! They are going to wage a war with the rich! Great story, Iain!

    Liked by 1 person

  10. Very interesting with a powerful undertone. The winds are about the change.

    Liked by 1 person

      1. Absolutely incredible how you fabricated that entire piece from 1 picture. I very much enjoyed this! Thank you.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Thank you Sandi, really appreciate your comment.

        Like

      3. lain you’ve been to my site a few times, and I hadn’t really had a chance to spend time on yours. I DO try to be sincere with my comments. I really don’t go around “liking” posts – I like a lot of “comments” to acknowledge I got their response or we are bantering back and forth and I’m cracking up. Most of the time, I try to avoid the common generic responses of “well-done,” “Well-written,” “Great post.” “Good job.”

        Although positive – everyone writes that – almost identical response on each post. Makes me wonder if they truly read it.

        And honestly, I haven’t come across a lot of material I thoroughly enjoy, so I was very excited to read a piece creative and well-written. I felt like it was an excerpt from a book.

        thank you!

        Liked by 1 person

      4. Thanks Sandi. I do try to visit a lot of sites, especially when taking part in a group prompt. Sometimes that can lead to the occasional generic response, but I still like to acknowledge someone’s work, even if it is to say ‘well done’! I agree though, it is nice to get a comment that really shows someone has read your work and taken time to think about what you have written. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  11. And Rome shall burn..and we will be the new kings…

    Liked by 1 person

  12. Beautifully written, Iain. The write-up about the protagonist matches the picture perfectly. You should spin this one into a longer tale. Cheers, Varad

    Liked by 1 person

  13. good stuff, and very relevant today in our current political climate.

    Liked by 1 person

  14. This one had it all. A great theme to begin with, great characterisation between the haves and have nots, a dark, foreboding tone and to top it all your usual brevity of words, succinct to the core. Very well written, Lian.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Very kind Neel, I must admit did think this was a good one too! 🙂

      Like

    1. Thank you Pamela 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  15. Great take on the prompt: it made me look at the photo in a whole different way, suddenly more powerful and portentous.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks Joy, glad it had that effect.

      Liked by 1 person

  16. Whaaat. Okay, there’s such a great sense of suspense and buildup but I was a little confused at the ending as to what exactly the story was building up to. Is it a revolution? Are there supernatural forces at work?

    Regardless, you always write so well Iain! It’s a pleasure to read your work every week 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Nothing supernatural going on, it is the start of the Revolution 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thank you for clearing it up!

        Liked by 1 person

  17. This has something scarily prophetic. Awesome!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to this, but something has to change.

      Like

  18. Interesting story reminds me of both “Lord of the Flies” a novel we read in school a lot and also a British/Irish movie called “The War of the Buttons.” Great writing

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks Mandi. I have read the book but not familiar with the film.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Worth a see, well for with of book actually, in movie form.

        Liked by 1 person

  19. I liked this very much.
    Lead them unto victory.
    Off with their heads.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. 🙂 thank you!

      Liked by 1 person

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.