The cannons sprayed water through the night sky onto the roof of the blazing building.
A crowd of nearby residents gathered to watch.
The old theatre, dwarfed by surrounding modern apartments, had lain empty for several years. It was preserved and protected for reasons of architectural heritage.
Remarkably, the surrounding buildings were untouched by the flames and smoke.
By midnight the fire would be extinguished. The damage would be extensive. Demolition the inevitable outcome.
Within a year another uniform set of apartments would have blossomed.
So long as no one looked too closely, he thought.
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).
To read stories of 100 words based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.
A skilful fire-setter, it seems. Still, with a bit less care, two apartment blocks could have blossomed. Good one.
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Thanks Sandra – I suspect it’s not his first time…
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Ha! I see we think along the same cynical lines. Good story!
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Absolutely! Thanks Jane 🙂
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🙂
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There is quite a lot between the lines. One of the advantages of microfiction 🙂
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Thanks Reena
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Yes. How to get anything done. Good story .
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Thanks Shehanne, a little shortcut here and there just to get things moving lol
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Happens all the time .
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Nice one.
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Thank you
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I really like this; nicely written.
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Thank you so much
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Good story.
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Thank you Irene
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They always return to the scene of their crime.
DJ
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Which may be their undoing. Thanks Danny.
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Pretty much the story of the building in the photo. It was a bagel shop in a 150-year-old building. Was it arson? Hard to say. I know that the lot was really valuable and they built a high rise there.
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Thanks – interesting to know that was what actually happened!
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Well done, as always Iain. Knowing the actual history of this photo, I think you cut to the truth on this one. Your narrator is a developer, but the writer may be a psychic!
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Ha, thank you. Such a shame, looks like it was a lovely old building.
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I liked what wasn’t said here
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Thanks Neil
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Hey, Iain, you are on fire this week! Thanks for using the correct plural of cannon ie. cannons!
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You’re welcome – I see what you did there 🙂
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Very identifiable. Love your take.
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Thank you so much.
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Looks like we had similar thoughts today. That’s one reason I never read any of them until after I click “Publish”.
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Yes, a couple of others too – property developers are getting a bad rep this week!
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I have read Jane’s story, so, yeah, a lot of arson and wicked property developers.
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Dear Iain,
That’s one methodical arson. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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All about efficiency. Thanks Rochelle
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So much to story left unsaid, but understood.
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Thank you Clare
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The last line tied it all up nicely.
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Thank you, that was my hope.
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Ah, another arson story, though I should talk since I leveraged that theme as well. I felt bad about the old building. I’m glad there’s a process by which historic buildings are preserved, but we have all too many cookie-cutter neighborhoods and shopping centers in the world already and they’re growing exponentially.
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Great story! This reminded me of the old days in Spain when property developers used to start fires on mountainsides so that the land would be redesignated and allow them to build.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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It seems there’s a lot of this going on!
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Build’m fast. Good story Iian
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I thought it looked like a theatre too, though couldn’t quite tell what it is. Yes, who needs architectural heritage lying empty when there are luxury apartments that can be built. And who cares if the local people can’t afford to live in them, just so long as a few hundred thousand can be made? Nicely done, Iain, though sadly believable
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The best architecture manages to blend or refurbish the old in with the new. You don’t see much of it…
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Takes too much thought and effort and money. So much easier to level the lot and throw up a blank block in its place.
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A fluent take on the prompt, Iain!
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Thanks Penny
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Such an awful and sad realistic feel here, Iain. And to see that it is what, in essence, truly happened… Makes it even more so!
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Thanks Dale
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I’m not sure why, but to me, arson is one of the most despicable of crimes. I hope this guy gets caught. Soon.
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Unfortunately it seems they get away with it much too often.
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Yes. Seems they commit this crime multiple times before they’re finally caught.
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Darn these big developers (whom I’ve decided are behind it and it’s not just a happy coincidence). No appreciation of culture.
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Culture vs. Money – there’s only ever one winner.
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A very expected, but satisfying denouement. Nicely done, Iain.
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Thanks Varad
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Nice one Iain. 🙂 No I don’t mean this one…that one…this. You know what I mean.
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Progress brought to you by a match… I’ve always wondered about those “accidental fires.”
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🙂 Thanks for reading Susie
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What a horrible man!
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Yep, but not entirely fictional it seems.
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I’m sure not….sigh!
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Yes we had one do that in Aus. Historic pub… ‘accidently’ demolished by developer. The fine was not worth the pain. Terrible
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From the comments this week, it seems to happen more than I thought…
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I despise that guy already. Good telling of the tale.
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Thanks for reading 🙂
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Really liked your take on the prompt and beautifully done, as always.
I guess, scientists need to develop secret medicines for greed control in this chaotic world.
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That would be a good thing to cure!
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OMG!! we wrote similar stories..I read it after posting mine..I guess we think alike…
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It’s been a common theme this week!
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Greed drives it’s own train. Excellent use of the prompt, Iain.
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Thank you
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Arson? Grrrrrr.
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Afraid so.
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Hi Iain, this is a great story. I love that word ‘remarkably’ as the perspective definitively starts to change…
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Thank you Rachel, really nice comment.
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As a lover of history and preservation, your story makes me cringe.
Good write.
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Thanks Dawn
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I think this happens often… there are always those who benefit from destruction.
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Afraid so.
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As usual a wonderfully written story, Kelly. Good story. Arson seems to be the guiding theme with quite a few of us fictioneers. Mine included arson orchestrated murder.
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Thanks Neel – yes, a lot of sinister fires this week!
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The story between the lines is much bigger than the story written. You are a master of innuendo, Iain!
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Thank you!
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Arsonists are the lowest of scum. They kill and ruin other peoples entire lives so they can watch (in their minds) the glory of the fire. Very good story Iain. Nicely written!
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Thank you Nan
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It sounds like a job for fire investigators. There’s usually some detail the arsonist misses. I hope they discover it. The criminals usually think they’re too smart to be caught. Good writing with great description, Iain. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Thank you Suzanne
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Oh so that’s how it is done!
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Handy tip to remember 🙂
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I hope the fire investigators dig deep and the developer has his fingers burned and pockets emptied. Is that too strong? 🙂
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I don’t think so 🙂
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Very topical in the UK – good story.
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Thank you – unfortunately so.
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