IAIN KELLY

LEMMINGS

There were six of them now.

Jimmy had been the first. He had been strolling along until he came upon the sign: ‘Sidewalk Closed – Please Use Other Side.’

The sidewalk appeared to be passable, but the sign told him otherwise.

Jimmy had waited for a break in the traffic. It was an eight-lane highway. Cars and trucks shot passed at ferocious speeds. He’d managed to get two lanes out before an artic sent him scurrying back.

Angie had been the next to join him, then Cassandra, Bill, Jason and Siobhan.

They took it in turns to dart out into the road, walking, pausing, sprinting – then turning and retreating. Cassandra had made it halfway, but a succession of buses brought her back.

Jimmy finally gave up. He looked at the closed sidewalk and strode past the indignant sign.

He got five paces before the ground began to fall away. A massive sink hole opened up and swallowed him. The hole spread across the road. Two cars failed to stop and crashed over the edge.

The dust settled. The traffic was blocked. Angie, Cassandra, Bill, Jason and Siobhan crossed over to the other sidewalk and carried on their way.


12-j-hardy-carroll-06-august-2017
Copyright J. Hardy Carroll

Written as part of Sunday Photo Fiction. Write a story of around 200 words based on the photo prompt given (above). Hosted by Al Forbes. For more details visit HERE.

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

33 responses to “LEMMINGS”

  1. Dermott Hayes Avatar

    And to get to the other side…

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Sunday Fiction Avatar

    That’ll do it haha. Good story Iain.

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Shweta Suresh Avatar

    Whoa! Poor Jimmy.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      ‘Fraid so.

      Liked by 1 person

  4. michael1148humphris Avatar
    michael1148humphris

    Shame Jimmy ignored the sign. Did he manage to climb out of the sink hole

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Alas, I’m not sure he survived.

      Like

  5. Annie Avatar

    Oh, poor Jimmy!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Afraid so Annie

      Liked by 1 person

  6. joyroses13 Avatar

    Patience is a virtue they say! 🙂 Guess Jimmy learned the hard way!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Afraid so 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  7. J Hardy Carroll Avatar

    Pretty close to the actual situation on that street, as I recall 😉

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Ha, thanks, hope you weren’t caught up in it!

      Liked by 1 person

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

    Great take, Iain! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  9. scr4pl80 Avatar

    Says a lot that the others just carried on their way. Guess Jimmy was no one special.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Pretty much. There is a reference there to a computer game from the 80s and 90s called Lemmings, and that was pretty much what they did – kept on walking regardless of how many were falling off cliffs, being squashed and so on!

      Liked by 3 people

  10. Keith's Ramblings Avatar

    They sound like really close friends – not! Nice one Iain

    The Other Side – my SPF

    Liked by 1 person

  11. Joy Pixley Avatar

    Funny take! At least Jimmy’s sacrifice wasn’t in vain — the other Lemmings were finally able to cross. As a weird coincidence, there’s a sign just like this in my neighborhood, and I can’t for the life of me see why the sidewalk is closed for that one block — there’s nothing there! Clearly what I need is a Jimmy, to go test it out for me and make sure it’s not a sink hole situation.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Make sure it’s a Jimmy and not you that tests it out first!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Joy Pixley Avatar

        Oh yes, I’m crafty that way. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  12. John Davis Frain Avatar

    Omigosh, this was filarious, Iain. Brilliant. And with a twist at the end to punctuate the whole story. Nicely done.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks John, hope you’re well.

      Like

      1. John Davis Frain Avatar

        I am well, thanks. I have buried myself in editing my ms. Getting close, so I’ll be able to venture into the real world again.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Iain Kelly Avatar

        Look forward to hearing more about it when it’s ready.

        Liked by 1 person

  13. James Avatar

    Guess it’s really important to pay attention to those signs.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      You never know when the sign you ignore is really the one you should’ve paid attention too.

      Like

  14. Sight11 Avatar
    Sight11

    Jimmy must be hearing the tune, Welcome to the other side or Signs by Tesla..

    Liked by 1 person

  15. Kalpana Solsi Avatar

    This happens when warning signs are ignored. This could be applied to real life when one ignores bodily changes and the disease takes over.
    http://ideasolsi65.blogspot.in/2017/08/a-game.html

    Liked by 2 people

  16. neeltheauthor Avatar

    A very realistic take on everyday life. Pity they ignored Jimmy and chose to walk away. The last line was a killer. Brilliant Lian.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
  17. Sascha Darlington Avatar

    Good story. Poor Jimmy, but at least the others could make it safely across.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Sascha – some good came from his mishap!

      Like

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