‘The decoration’s are a bit much, those candles’ll set the place on fire.’
‘You hush. We can’t have him coming home to a dull house without some sort of celebration.’
‘He won’t be back for days yet.’
‘But we’ll be ready for him when he does come home.’
She stepped down and looked at the room. He stood and put his arm round her. They smiled and he kissed her gently on the cheek.
Outside, the delivery boy found the number of the house he was looking for. He nervously fingered the telegram from the British War Office.
‘We deeply regret to inform you…’
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 
88 responses to “ARMISTICE DAY, 1918”
A touching human slant to one of history’s greatest tragedies.
The Great War?
What a crock.
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Thanks CE. I’m not sure any war should have been called Great.
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That is a sad ending.
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Most wars end up that way. Thanks Reena.
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Still, at least he gave his life for something greater. Didn’t he? Nicely done, Iain
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They still spin that line. Thanks Neil.
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A terrible reality for some families. We take much for granted.
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Given how badly a lot of countries have dealt with the pandemic, it’s hard to imagine how we would cope with a global war. A new respect for those who suffered and lost.
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Absolutely. It is a war in its own way.
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There was this perversity that the respective commands ordered assaults to take place even when they knew the armistice would happen shortly. I find that difficult to comprehend but we know far more about warfare now.
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And apparently even after the armistice was signed, they kept going for the rest of the day. Hard to imagine.
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I know we can be critical of the media, but this is the area where I think we benefitted the most, just that we are so much better informed. Not just war itself, but especially WW1, the causes were so unclear. To imagine a politician crying “we are at war” and a country just falling in behind them,,, I don’t think it would happen now.
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Definitely not, in fact more likely to have the opposite reaction.
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Another dark and beautiful story—beautiful.
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Thanks so much Tina.
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That packed a seriously poignant punch, Iain.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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Thanks Susan.
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Oh so sad. A beautiful story
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Thanks so much Sadje
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You’re welcome
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We owe our freedom and lifestyle to them..
Touching story.
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Thanks Anita
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Dear Iain,
Touching and, no doubt, true for too many. So much for the War to End All Wars. Nicely done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks Rochelle
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Oh no! Heartbreaking. Beautifully told.
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Thank you
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Very moving, Iain.
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Thank you Liz
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Noooo! Oh but I can’t deny that it is great writing! But I am still “yelling” at you. 🙂
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Sorry! 🙂
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LOL! Because your writing is so good I can give you a pass. 🙂
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Heartbreaking and true for so many families. When will humanity learn?!
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At least we view war much differently now.
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Such a sad take Iain, but it happened to a lot of families.
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Thanks Di
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The painful irony was real. Many soldiers died after the war was declared over. It took a while for the news to reach everywhere. So sad, such heartbreak. Well written, Iain.
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Thank you Linda
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What a sad ending. So many families received that awful telegram. Beautifully written, Iain.
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Thank you Penny, much appreciated.
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I appreciated this snippet, which gently reminded me of those in my family who did not return from warfare
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Thanks Mike, very kind.
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A sad remembrance, Iain. Beautifully told.
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Thank you Dora
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Very sad, and true for fr, far too many. A bit of a bitter pill to have the news after the Armistice.
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Must have been heart-wrenching. Thanks Trent.
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Oh, damn, I wasn’t expecting that ending. This affected me more than anything I’ve read on social media.
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Aw, thanks Eugenia, that’s a nice compliment.
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My Uncle who I never met, word was recieved of his death on Christmas Eve 1944, his body returned to the US on my birthday, Dec 22, 1947. My grandparents did not celebrate Christmas.
I felt the story in my soul.
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That’s such a tragedy. I’m glad my story meant something to you.
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The letter that no family wants to receive.
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Definitely not.
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Heartbreaking story, Iain. So beautifully told. My heart breaks for the families whose joy turned into sorrow.
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Thank you.
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Whyyyyyy? I just knew you were gonna break all of our hearts!
Well done, though.
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No happy endings in war I’m afraid. Thanks Dale.
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I know…
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A heartwrenching but all too common happening. Unimaginable.
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Thanks Keith.
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Heartwrenchingly beautiful. At least she wasn’t left waiting… just saying.
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A small silver lining, I suppose.
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Very sad, and a reality for so many.
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Thank you.
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what an unexpected twist of fate. all they could now is mourn.
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A bitter end. Thanks .
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A tragic story that was all too true for so many people.
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Thank you
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A very moving story in remembrance of the men who lost their lives and the families who were left traumatized. A meaningful tribute, Iain.
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Thank you Brenda
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Aww beautifully written. That bought a tear to my eye at the end.x
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Thank you Cathrynanne
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Aww beautifully written. That bought a tear to my eye at the end.x
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Oh my … I felt the jolt of her painful sadness.
Powerful and true … nicely done, Iian.
Isadora 😎
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Thank you Isadora
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Gut wrenching.
Some in my family have been on the receiving end of such calls/knocks-on-the-door/telegrams.
Well described.
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Thank you
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Those deaths at the end of wars seem more tragic, but the others are just as tragic. War is a tragedy.
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Sure is.
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A sad reality too much of the time, Iain. Good story though. I would hate to the person having to deliver those telegrams.
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Thank you David, much appreciated.
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Oh
Oh no.
How tragically sad
Beautifully written Iain
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Thanks Laurie
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Nicely told and set up, Iain. the ending sends a shudder through you. My grandma received that telegram three times, fortunately they were mistaken each time, otherwise I wouldn’t be here now.
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What a mistake to make – and 3 times over! Your poor grandma!
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Yeah, after the first time she refused to believe it until she saw his body. Apparently, it wasn’t uncommon to receive a telegram in error such was the chaos of the fighting. Men would go missing and simply assumed dead.
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Dude, don’t make me cry 😦
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Apologies!
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That last line was a punch in the gut, good story. 🙂
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Thanks so much
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