IAIN KELLY

A SUDDEN CHILL

The polling station was about to close. The queue stretched round the corner, at least five hundred people. Some had been there all day.

‘Technical difficulties’ the returning officer for the district had said on the radio. They weren’t the only one. Across the country there had been reports of similar incidents. It didn’t take a genius to make the connection between those places with strong opposition support and faulty voting equipment.

The noise of a metal shutter closing made everyone look. The election was over, their votes were lost, never to be counted. Their voices had been silenced. There were some angry voices. Some things were thrown. Some battered at the closed shutter.

I pulled my collar up against the freezing wind. A sudden chill ran through me, but it was not caused by the winter temperature.

I walked into the dark night.


snow
Copyright Sue Vincent

This is a response to the #writephoto Prompt: Chill curated over at Sue Vincent’s Daily Echo. Click on the link to read other stories inspired by the image.


2 weeks until Christmas, still time to order either (or both!) of my novels for the reader in your life. Perfect if you’re looking for a new action thriller.christmas 2019

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

30 responses to “A SUDDEN CHILL”

  1. trentpmcd Avatar

    I hope this was fiction and not your actual experience today! Yeah, the thought is chilling and I can see something like that happening here in November, 2020.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Fiction – this time. If some of the politicians in charge have there way, we might end up here sooner rather than later.

      Liked by 1 person

  2. James McEwan Avatar

    Let’s hope we survive the political chill about to be released tomorrow.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Who knows where we will be in 24 hours time!

      Liked by 1 person

  3. Sue Vincent Avatar

    Thank the gods we are still low tech and vote with pencil and paper…

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      In many ways it does seem the safest way…!

      Like

      1. Sue Vincent Avatar

        As long as they have a pencil sharpener 😉

        Liked by 1 person

  4. scr4pl80 Avatar

    Oh my. Elections are such a stressful time. Hope your outcome is better than ours was.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Janet – Scotland did okay for me, but England has decided the UK needs it’s very own ‘Trump’ in charge!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. scr4pl80 Avatar

        That’s too bad.

        Liked by 1 person

  5. Sadje Avatar

    Hope it’s not a future scenario! Great writing.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      It seems like it might not be far away…

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Sadje Avatar

        Scary.

        Liked by 1 person

  6. Becky Ross Michael Avatar

    The worst kind of chill…

    Liked by 1 person

  7. Eugenia Parrish Author Avatar

    You caught the mood very well — ominous. Let’s hope it’s not portentious.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      I fear it may be only a matter of time.

      Like

  8. Woman walking Max Avatar

    You’ve caught the mood Iain — and vividly described my post election feelings. Thank you.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      It’s going to be a rocky few years I fear.

      Like

  9. BeckiesMentalMess.wordpress.com Avatar

    I enjoyed your take on the prompt, Iain. Scary, this could actually happen.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      I fear it isn’t far away. Thank you.

      Liked by 1 person

  10. willowdot21 Avatar

    There was no way there was ever going to be a good outcome Iain. Dark times we live in 💜

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      It seems to be getting darker. Thank you.

      Like

      1. willowdot21 Avatar

        Yes in deed 💜

        Liked by 1 person

  11. Aak fictionspawn Avatar

    Scary stuff… And we’re never safe, however safe things might look. Things often have turned in few years. Good story, and important subject, specially these days…

    Liked by 1 person

  12. joyroses13 Avatar

    Oh this is chilling! Very good! Your ending says it all!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you. Let’s hope we can turn away from such a future.

      Like

      1. joyroses13 Avatar

        Yes, that is my Christmas wish!

        Liked by 1 person

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