THE END OF THE WORLD IS NIGH

~ Iain Kelly

He chose the discount store for the increased footfall. In these times of austerity people were desperate to make savings.

Each day he sat outside. The life preserver drew some odd looks, but he wanted to attract attention.

‘A flood is coming to wash away all our sins.’ Okay, he was exaggerating a bit with that one, but the sea levels were rising. The local river had burst its banks for the last three years in a row.

As well as odd looks he got the abusive comments and the laughter he expected. No one seemed to want to listen to his message.

‘The End of The World is Nigh.’ It seemed plain enough to him: the nuclear threat, climate change, overpopulation, species extinction, but still there was no real change in the people who walked passed him.

When the young gentleman threw the apple core at him on a dare from his friends, he decided he’d had enough. They either weren’t interested in saving themselves or were resigned to their fate.

The archangel packed up his seat and trudged off. How would he convince his boss that no one wanted to listen anymore?

226-03-march-25th-2018

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 of the stories based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.

Published by Iain Kelly

39 year old writer, avid film viewer and book reader, employed in the media industry as a television editor.

35 thoughts on “THE END OF THE WORLD IS NIGH”

  5. That made me think. We recently went into San Francisco and there were of course the seemingly homeless people wandering around talking to themselves – or are they?

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  8. Very intriguing, I enjoyed the twist at the end. It seems to be man’s shortcoming, “…no one wanted to listen anymore.” People, in general, have become numb to the woes of the world and can’t seem to be bothered. Sounds a bit cynical, I know. Great story though!

    Liked by 1 person

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  9. I also liked how you ended this: for indeed many of the worlds people seem to not be listening. Yet deafness should not be a crime or punished.

    Liked by 1 person

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  16. So clever. So the archangels are among us, and we’re stupidly not noticing as ever. This is such a great story and might make us look at religious pedlars in a different light, or maybe not.

    Liked by 1 person

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  17. Pingback: Immobile (2 versions) | Discovering Abishta

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