Shutters down, windows boarded up, phone disconnected.
Four months since the lockdown began, enough food and toilet paper for another year.
Tap, tap, tap. What is it? She won’t risk finding out.
Until then, she will stay in the basement.
***
Agnes knocked on the door again.
‘Let’s go,’ said Archie.
‘It’s been two weeks, she could be lying dead in there.’
Not the worst outcome, thought Archie, remembering the endless gossiping whenever Agnes and Sylvia got together.
‘She probably went on holiday as soon as the lockdown was lifted, you know what she’s like.’
Agnes tried to peer in a covered window, ‘Alright, we’ll try again next week.’
Written for Friday Fictioneers 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.
Iain Kelly 
I hope this won’t be the scenario when our lockdown is lifted…
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There will be some who might like to stay cut off from the rest of the world.
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Well, I’m going off this world by degrees…
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At least she has toilet paper… lol
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Right, that precious commodity.
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I’m not sure if this is funny or sad.
Reminded me of the tale of Japanese soldiers in the jungle years after the war was over,
I like the two different POVs, not easy to do in 100 words.
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Thanks CE, I think it’s a bit sad and a bit funny, and that’s okay. Much like the real life situation we find ourselves in – desperately sad and worrying, but we need a bit of humour to help get through.
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Send not to ask for whom the bell tolls. Good one, Iain
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Thanks Neil
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Dear Iain,
Let’s hope she’s off on holiday and got caught in lockdown with friends. Nicely done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks Rochelle
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Well, at least we’ll know she’ll emerge eventually when the toilet roll runs out!
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She’ll be in for a shock 🙂
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Always worth keeping an eye on Twitter for the latest news… 🙂 Great take on the prompt, Iain. Though the mystery needs to be solved – where did she get a year’s worth of loo roll from?
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She got in early, the first of the panic buyers – it might have been her that sparked the whole sorry mess! 😉
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Ha! At least we know who to blame now ☺️
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I love the added realism of the year’s supply of toilet paper. I recall in Nevile Shute’s On The Beach there is a broken shade that has fallen across a telegraph key so it sends random signals from a dead place. Much of this situation reminds me of that book. Well done.
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I’ll need to look it up. Thanks J.
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O Archie, were is your soul. The term toilet paper reminded me of a time now long ago, when I used to help cut newspaper into squares then string them. 🙂
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Crikey!
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Ah, best to laugh with the lockdown. It’s a matter of laugh or statistic. Nice one.
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Laughter is the only way to get through it I think. Thanks Anthony.
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You crammed a lot into 100 words – I think the lockdown will affect us all in different ways!
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There are extremes both ways, some taking it too far, some not doing it at all. Thankfully the majority are being sensible.
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Hope Sylvia is okay.
They are maintaining social distancing too rigidly…
Stay safe.
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Better than not doing it at all. Thanks Anita
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At the end of the Cold War everyone laughed that I kept my fallout shelter stocked. Well, I’ll show them… Good one. I’m sure there are some out there like that.
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There definitely will be. Thanks Trent, enjoy the fallout shelter!
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A year’s worth of food and toilet paper. She’s all set for the lockdown.
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Be prepared 😉
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We are already in the lock-down phase. 🙂
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Same here, hope you are safe and well.
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Yes, thank you for asking. Hope you and your family are safe and well too.
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A scary scenario. Can’t help but think that something has happened to her.
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She’ll soon be rescued I’m sure. Thanks Colline.
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At least someone is taking the lock-down seriously. A little too much so, perhaps, but better safe than sorry.
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That’s her attitude. I’ve seen an awful lot of people doing the exact opposite…
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Great story! (Now I must go check my supply of tp!)
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Ours is doing okay, we just got some in our weekly shop 😉
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Reviewed your first novel. Incredible work: https://poweredbyrobots.com/2020/04/01/book-review-of-iain-kellys-a-justified-state/
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Thanks for this review James, it’s so pleasing to hear you enjoyed the book so much. Thanks for reading and taking the time to write the review – I have shared it around!
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No worries. Glad to do it. Posted it on Amazon, too.
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Cut off from the outside world because of her fears? Poor Sylvia!
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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She’ll be fine 😉
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Kinda scary to think what things will be like on the other side, isn’t it? We are Shelter in Place which is a little looser than lockdown I think.
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That’s the thought that worries me more than the current situation. Will we ever get back to how life used to be? Some things are definitely going to change for good.
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This is rather sad… Hopefully, at the end of the year, all will be clear and she will dare open the door.
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Maybe she quite likes sitting in on her own… 😉
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There is that.
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I know I will want to be out once this lockdown is lifted. Nice take on the prompt.
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I can’t wait to do a few things that I’m missing. Fingers crossed it isn’t too long and we all learn to appreciate life a bit more.
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Maybe keeping connected in lockdown is key… but I guess when the toilet paper runs out in 2037 she will come out.
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She’ll have to. Who knows what she will find.
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The paranoia could be just as dangerous as the virus depending on how people respond. If disaster movies have taught us anything, it’s that people are capable of doing some crazy shit. I think Sylvia on the lighter side of that. She’ll eventually figure it out and be all right.
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The paranoia and panic are worse than the actual virus at this stage, makes it feel like the whole world is in meltdown. Sylvia will be grand though.
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This is really good, Iain. You make it clear by implication what Sylvia has done, and how that has puzzled her family (daughter plus husband I suspect). The writing is so clear and effortless it’s a delight to read.
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Thanks Penny, very kind 🙂
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Sounds about right for many. Troubling times we are in, Iain. Timely story.
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Thank you
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I slipped a note under a neighbour’s door and wondered at the mail adding up in his mail slot, thank goodness, my thoughts were correct, he high-tailed it out of dodge to quieter realms…we also have a large black crow that we’ve nick-named, Knock-Knock as he comes right up to our windows and you guessed it, “knocks’! Your flash fiction sure echoes my real life at the moment, Lol!
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Ha, I’m glad to hear your neighbour was okay. Strange times, but it helps if we all look out for each other.
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Yes, I agree! Stay safe…
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Great story, Iain. Poor Sylvia. I have missed your Agnes and Archie stories.
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Thank you. They are always kicking about, occasionally they still make an appearance 🙂
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You’re welcome 🙂
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Seems to me she could very well end up dead in the basement! What a terrible way to live one’s life.
Iain, I got slowed down in reading your book. I’m over halfway now and should finish it this week. I have to say that I’m very impressed with the technical writing, weapons, robotics, communications and so on. You’ve truly created a whole new universe 🙂 I’m also enjoying the characters as I’ve gotten them all sorted out. Their loyalty to their captain, their personal relationships, and how much more human Aja is becoming as the story moves on. It’s really good. Extremely good 🙂
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Aw, thank you Linda, I really love to hear such positive feedback. Hope the rest of the book lives up to expectations. I’m making good progress with the third and final one, so you have probably timed it quite well 🙂
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She’s like those soldiers you hear about in the jungle who haven’t heard that WWII is over. I guess she’ll emerge when she runs out of provisions!
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With some kind of PTSD no doubt.
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staying off the grid must be her means to survival unless toilet paper runs out. 🙂
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Maybe she enjoying the privacy. 🙂
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It does have that silver lining.
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An unexpected mix of humour and sadness.
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Thank you
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I am afraid this scenario will be played out many times over the next few months.
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There will be some who are left behind unfortunately.
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She needs a tv or radio or something down in the basement! Something to get her the good news.
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I can’t wait for that bit of good news, but at the moment I’m trying to avoid the TV and radio news as much as possible!
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I can understand that. There’s only so much “news” I can take.
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Ha, like the Japanese soldier in the jungle who didn’t know the war was over. I’m sure there will be a few reluctant to come out again when all this is over.
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At the moment, I’m quite enjoying the peace, a daily walk, a bit of family time. But I think it will wear off soon! Hope you are well Michael.
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I’m fine thanks, putting the final touches to book 2 😊
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Looking forward to it. My book 3 is almost there too.
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Crikey, thats bleak, but who knows where the virus will take us, our behaviour is already an anthropologists dream. Good stuff Iain
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It is taking us to some strange places.
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A great portrait of paranoia and how it can go really, really wrong. Good job.
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Thank you
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The world is ending, let’s stock up on toilet paper. I don’t think she is coming out even when the pandemic ends.
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No chance 🙂
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