He was happy with his handiwork. Sturdy cages, strong padlocks, each capable of holding two people, three if they were small.
Business was booming, extra capacity was needed, the good times were rolling.
It had been coming for a while. The overthrow was complete, the government was gone.
Now they would experience the real life results of their ‘tough’ policies on immigration and benefits – see how they liked being kept in cages while they waited on ‘processing’.
With the current spate of corrupt politicians, it could take anything up to five years for them to clear the system.
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 JUSTIFIED STATE: U.S.A. – AMAZON.COM UNITED KINGDOM AUSTRALIA CANADA INDIA BRAZIL MEXICO GERMANY FRANCE SPAIN ITALY NETHERLANDS JAPAN
STATE OF DENIAL: U.S.A. – AMAZON.COM UNITED KINGDOM AUSTRALIA CANADA INDIA BRAZIL MEXICO GERMANY FRANCE SPAIN ITALY NETHERLANDS JAPAN
Iain Kelly 
73 responses to “PROCESSING”
Dear Iain,
Put all the corrupt politicians in cages? Who’d be left? Good one.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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That’s true. We’re going to need an awful lot more cages built. My MC is going to be busy!
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I’m finding it so hard to summon up any sympathy for the prisoners
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Funny, me neither.
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Can’t help but wonder if we are not already there..
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There are some politicians who should definitely be behind some bars in a cage of sorts.
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Seems like an ideal situation – but these politicians always seem to get away with it.
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You’ll rarely find them locked up in any sort of cage. Thanks Colline
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No you don’t – even though there are those who do deserve it.
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And throw away the key…
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What key? I seem to have misplaced any key, or any memory of where these cages may be buried…
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Ah, if only. None of them have ever been punished as far as I know.
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Certainly very few have ended up caged, but there a few that definitely belong there.
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Looks like comeuppance for the ‘real’ prisoners. Good story, Kelly.
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If only it were true. Thanks Neel
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The thought of politicians in cages ranks my feel good factor off the scale. Like it Iain.
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Ha, glad I could help make you feel a little better! 🙂
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😀
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Is there space for a Prince?
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He’s a latecomer to the party, but there’s a special cage being built just for him
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I think it will take more than five years. So many who give the appearance of virtue are the most corrupt of all.
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There is quite a queue 😉
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Yes! Lock them up!
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Ha, you could start a campaign! 😉
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Ha ha! I know a few I’d like to see locked up. 🙂
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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Don’t we all! Thanks Susan
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Ha! I love that can we include a few corrupt royals too!! Good stuff!!
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Yes, a few new additions from the Royals have recently come for processing…
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Cages are too good for them. Tents in the desert has my vote. Good story, Iain.
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Just leave them to fend for themselves, I doubt many of them would survive in the real world they have created.
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I don’t like the idea of anyone locked up in a cage. But if anyone NEEDS to be locked up for a while – educationally … – perhaps some current specimen from the deepest swamp might not be the worst thing to have ‘housed’ in such.
Then again, I do resist the idea that going down to the level of depravity shown by those who cage the vulnerable, even the sick and very young, is to become a bit like them and normalize depravity ..
So … lemme think of that.
You go on and build them cages, though. To each their own (and we might need a backup plan, anyway …) OY vey!
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I’ll have them standing by just in case there are one or two of the worst cases you want to leave with me 😉
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Deal … 😉
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What a dream! Pollies are the worse criminals. Something satisfying about this story.
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It’s a shame that it does seem satisfying, but they’ve only themselves to blame.
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Paybacks are a bitch! 😏
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A little thing called karma – if only it were so.
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Two to a cager, a bit crowded isn’t it? And you expect these people will be here for a minimum of five years! Thats a bit too much. Where are human right activists?
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I think the politicians imprisoned them all.
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The cage builders will have a nice steady flow of work. And once the current bunch has gone through, I’m sure the new government will have produced a new lot!
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A clearout every three or four years seems about right.
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The tables are turning. Yet, the seat of power can corrupt anyone. On we go, round and round. Good take, Iain. Hope we get to see such a day, even if we get only one of it.
Congrats on the second book. 🙂
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It’s all just a case of history repeating. Thanks Varad
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Good one, Iain – the other side of the coin.
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Thanks Liz, if only they could get a little taste of the results of their decisions.
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The line “see how they liked being kept in cages while they waited on ‘processing’” gave me the shivers. A horrible reality. Your character’s solution seems fair. Nicely written.
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Only fair that they reap some of what they sow!
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I dunno… I’m thinking five years ain’t long enough…
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Not even close… 😉
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🙂
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A powerful take on the corruption based on treating people as ‘commodities’. Well done.
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Thank you so much
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Ha! If only…
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Yeah, pure fantasy I’m afraid!
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as it stands, these cages will remain full for a very long time. 🙂
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There’s no shortage of potential customers.
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Serves them right!
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Not a lot of sympathy on the comments here for them anyway!
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How the tables have turned. Great story Iain. The builders will be in business for a long time I think.
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Yep, plenty of work coming their way!
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The good times were rolling. I wonder the undertakers thought the same during the period of the Black Death?
The question to be answered is where does corruption begin and end. He who holds the chains of slavery holds the key to life – I say.
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One thing holds true – someone is always making money!
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Oh, this is so good! 😀
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Thank you Eugenia, glad you liked it 🙂
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Great take on the prompt – especially bearing in mind the state of the UK general election at the moment.
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The problem is corrupt politicians are like phoenixes. Every one who’s taken down is replaced by another. Though it does seem like we’re finally down to the worst of the worst.
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Power corrupts, no doubt about it and I agree, we seem to be moving in ever decreasing circles…
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A dream come true! 😉
On a more serious note, what a good reminder of the ugly realities behind the euphemisms ‘tough policies on immigration and benefits’ and ‘processing’.
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Yep, it’s election time here and I am well and truly fed up of the euphemism ‘spin’ being used by all sides.
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Alas there are very few that are small enough… don’t you know that the cages were built for children not obese old men.
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I’m sure we could cram them in, the less comfortable the better!
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I like this idea!
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To be fair, there are some good politicians. But they are few and far between, and they either get assasinated or quietly pushed out. Your story sheds a light on humanity, because whoever is in power always seems to use that power to lock up whomever they deem unworthy.
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