Israel was the first country to invest in the new teleportation technology. Rows of Halos appeared, bright neon circles suspended from wires.
Problems were soon reported: people would unwittingly be swept up through a Halo and be deposited seconds later in a different part of the country.
Then the disappearances started, people sucked into the air were never seen again. Theories of parallel universes and time travel abounded.
The Halo Transportation System was dismantled, apart from one neon circle on the corner of Ramban Street, kept open in case any of the disappeared should one day find their way home.

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.
The first review for my new novel has appeared on Amazon:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – ‘A great read…Well paced and full of drama. A great sequel.’
‘STATE OF DENIAL’ OUT NOW in PAPERBACK and on AMAZON KINDLE:
U.S.A. / AMAZON.COM UNITED KINGDOM AUSTRALIA CANADA
A lovely whimsy, Iain
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Neil
LikeLike
Dear Iain,
If anyone will figure out the technology, it’s bound to be Israel. 😉 Love this tale.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Rochelle 🙂
LikeLike
Aww, that was quite a plaintive last sentence, Iain. Very nice.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Sandra
LikeLike
Ahh! whisked away to never be seen again, that could be a little scary. Great tale though. just don’t think I want to try that technology yet!
Yay on the review! They are right, definitely well paced, kept turning the pages, the only drawback was I ran out of pages to turn! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m with you, not ready to try that just yet! Thank you 🙂
LikeLike
Fun. I want more!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ll need to figure out where they all went…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ouuu, that one was way cool! Loved it! I’m ready to give that halo thingy a try…
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re braver than me!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Remind me a little of the old movie “Logan’s Run”.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ach, hit the button before I finished. Reminds me of “Logan’s Run” and the “Carousel”… scary.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hula hoops for a modern age!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Better be careful where you hula! 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
This made so much sense that it was spooky … 😉 Yep, if the technology would be developed it would likely be Israel … or with Israeli input …
For the moment, when I visit, I’ll stay away from the corner of Rambam street: If it is a two-way halo, I don’t wanna go MIA, and if it is a one-way, I don’t want someone pancaking me … 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha, I never thought about that – better watch where you stand.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m a city-gal these days so it must be my ‘gardyloo’ reflex awakened … 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ramban Street sounds like a suitable place for those returning to Israel…rather off-beat transportation, though!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Penny
LikeLike
I am left wondering if Scotty got carried away and the Enterprise is now chockablock with confused Israelis
LikeLiked by 1 person
Now that sounds like a classic episode!
LikeLike
Very good, Iain! Wonder if anyone finds their way home.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Let’s hope so. Thanks Janet, hope you are well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m happy they left one halo in the event of reappearance 🙂
I always wondered why the people on Star Trek were not afraid of the transporter. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I would be a little wary of it, especially on the first try! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Never rip holes in the space-time fabric, it’s harder to mend than to cut.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree, best not to mess with it!
LikeLike
Fascinating take on the prompt, Iain. You might want to incorporate something like this in one of your upcoming novels 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Linda – I will have to figure out the actual science to do that! 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
I guess I wasn’t the only one shouting to, “leave one open”.
Tracey
LikeLiked by 1 person
There’s always that chance. Thanks Tracey
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s a good thing we have a couple of hundred years before Captain Kirk needs one of those.
I’m picturing people walking cautiously around the halos once they started sweeping people away. How long before people were walking a block or two out of their way?
LikeLiked by 1 person
How long before the halos start following people that they would like to ‘disappear’?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good creativity in this one, Iain.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful!
Loved the title and the idea of halo transportation.
Your parable has a lesson for sure.
I live the idea of leaving a portal open for the return of the lost!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much
LikeLike
I love the idea of keeping one open – just in case.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I just said exactly what you did! I didn’t copy honest
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you – best not to fully shut the door 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good show, an idea not thoroughly thought out, there’s a larger story there! I love the single halo remaining, just in case!
LikeLike
The best ideas are never really fully thought out.
LikeLiked by 1 person
In this day and age of traffic congestion, I think teleportation should be a transport of choice. Provided of course we reach at the right address. I wish I had my personal teleportation device.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It would be handy to avoid rush hour! Thanks Abhijit
LikeLike
The idea of teleportation seems to involve disassembly and reassembly, so essentially you create a copy of something else in a different place. Kinda freaky. Great story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Too freaky for me to contemplate to be honest! Thanks
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, this is good! I saw haloes but from a totally different slant.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Liz
LikeLike
Great stuff. Occasionally I wished I had a ‘Halo Transportor’ – You know the saying – “Beam me up Scotty.”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wouldn’t it be fun? Thanks James
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank goodness they left one behind. It means they have some hope…
Loved this tale.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much Dale, glad you liked it 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ooooo I love this! The concept is very cool. I wonder what happened to The Disappeared
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s for the sequel!
LikeLike
Too bad they couldn’t work out all the kinks. A teleportation system would be incredible, no more long haul flights for me. =)
LikeLiked by 1 person
It would make things easier 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fun futuristic reality!! Love it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much
LikeLiked by 1 person
Spooky! I hope you can write a story telling us what happens to the Transported on the other side. Looking forward (or perhaps through a halo) to that!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Frightening and mysterious. I suppose people are steering clear of the last halo on Ramban Street after all the disappearances! An excellent take on the prompt.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Congratulations on the great Amazon review for your book, Iain. This was a great sci-fi story. I would never want to be one of those to try iffy new things. Don’t look for my name as wanting to go to the moon. You made this halo transportation sound possible, then scary. Well done. —- Suzanne
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you 🙂
LikeLike
Fun story!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Dawn
LikeLiked by 1 person