He felt old. He felt tired.

Forty years leading his people, the Father of the Nation. Now they wanted rid of him.

How could they be so ungrateful?

He freed them from oppression. Didn’t they remember?

Resign, they cried. Perhaps he should.

Father Time was catching up with him.

The clock ticked relentlessly.

No. There was still much to be done.

He locked the clock away in the closet. Back to work.

***

They watched the old man shuffle across his cell. He banged his fist into his palm. He started addressing an imaginary audience.

No one listened anymore.

closet
Copyright Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

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.

86 thoughts on “DICTATOR”

      1. Yes, the delusion of every so-called “revolutionary” that they were on the side of good when after all, they just replaced one totalitarian dictatorship for another.

        Liked by 1 person

  15. Thanks for inspiring me to read about him, Iain. Leaders should realise their mission is to lead the country and its men to light( while still in power) .
    Wonderfully written.

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  17. I’m sure it reflects badly on me as a person, but to think of men like Mugabe shuffling in their slippers, locked up and ignored pleases me. He’s lucky – he could have ended up like Musolini and I’m certain he would have deserved it. Well written Iain

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    1. I don’t think it reflects badly on you at all – I would imagine many would want far worse for him. I agree he is lucky, I’m also amazed he managed to hold on for as long as he did at 93 years old. Thanks Lynn.

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      1. Tee-hee!😂😂
        I just posted this on my FB page

        What’s in a name?

        Emersion from exiled immersion
        The crocodile appears
        Sangfroid, devoid of fears
        It’s cold dead eyes
        Survey the land of its people
        Now it’s great prize
        With some trepidation
        A crown is bestowed
        But will it live up to its name?
        Will it show us its death roll?
        Emersion from immersion
        We’ll see, as events unfold

        Liked by 1 person

      1. Yep he was different. The first part would apply to him.
        I wonder if he felt that way when Godse shot him. If you watch the movie Gandhi where Ben Kingsley is the main protagonist, you will note this.
        Thank you!

        Liked by 1 person

  35. Hi Iain, this is wonderful. I particularly liked all the different forms of confinement in the story : the man himself, time, the hiding of the clock, his cell, his madness (?). So impressed by how the story has a really sharp focus but raises so many issues. Cool!

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