ALL GONE

They haven’t gone, the Christmas Angels.
They’re hiding from me.
Waiting. In the shadows.
Ready to step out into the twinkling lights.
Reflecting in the dirty puddles.
Shimmering and blurred.
Walking along the empty streets.
The closed shops, the dead cafés.
An open door.
Please sir, can you help me?
An inviting arm around my shoulder.
The warmth of the hallway.
Shut out the cold Eve.
His smiling face. My saviour.
A hot drink? Yes, please.
Christmas tree. Roaring fire. Twinkling lights.
Reflecting in the shiny blade.
I am your Christmas saviour, he says.
All gone. They are all gone.


Copyright Trish Nankivell

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.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all. It’s been quite a year. Thank you as always to everyone who has stopped by, left comments and ‘likes’, taken an interest in my blog writing and especially those who have continued to take an interest in my novels. It is appreciated more than you can know! Stay safe everyone, and let’s all hope for the best in 2021. Iain.


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51 responses to “ALL GONE”

  1. Merry christmas to you, too, Iain.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you – hope you stay safe and well and enjoy the day.

      Liked by 1 person

  2. Superbly atmospheric and thought provoking, Iain.

    Susan A Eames at
    Travel, Fiction and Photos

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Not perhaps the saviour he’d been hoping for, but looks like his suffering will soon be over. A sobering story that not all is what it may appear to be. Well done, Merry Christmas.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks Sandra. Merry Christmas.

      Like

  4. Dear Iain,

    Sounds like a bleak Christmas. Nicely done.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Liked by 1 person

    1. A bleak end for a bleak year. Let’s hope for better. Thanks Rochelle.

      Like

  5. Silent Night. Well done, Iain

    Liked by 1 person

    1. That would have been a better title for it. Thanks Neil.

      Like

  6. Well done Iain. Merry Christmas, keep safe and bring on (please God) a better year in 2021.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks Trish, Merry Christmas to you also. Take care.

      Like

  7. I love how replacing shiny blade with almost any reflective surface (mirror, his eyes…) can totally change the story. Excellent. Happy holidays

    Liked by 1 person

    1. You’re right! I just went back and reread the story by switching the blade with another surface. Surprising how one word can turn a story from sinister to delightful 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Or make it ambiguous… e.g. Hourglass. This idea can almost be turned into a writing prompt… Write a piece where changing one word changes the story

        Liked by 1 person

    2. Very true, although unfortunately in this case, it was definitely a shiny blade! 🙂

      Like

  8. This is very sad, Iain. Merry Christmas to you and yours.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks Robbie. It’s been a sad year all round. Merry Christmas to you also 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  9. Oh, how sad. I was waiting for something better. Just like this whole year. This is a very affecting story that I won’t forget soon.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It’s the Christmas story 2020 deserves! Thank you, hope you have a Merry Christmas.

      Like

  10. Sad tale. Merry Christmas to you and yours, Iain 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  11. A world of darkness behind your ‘twinkling lights’, Iain.
    Orrabest for Ne’erday

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks CE, hope you manage a good Christmas and New Year.

      Like

  12. “In the bleak midwinter. . . .”–the rest of that old Christmas carol doesn’t apply, but it’s the first thing that came to mind as I read your story 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It’s certainly bleak! Thanks Linda, Merry Christmas.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Merry Christmas to you!

        Like

  13. A blue Christmas – but I’m sure yours will be a colourful one, Iain!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks Keith. Merry Christmas to you.

      Liked by 1 person

  14. Looks the pensive spirit has overtaken you, Ceayr. Hope for good tidings as they surely will come. Merry X-Mas.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks Neel. Merry Christmas to you too.

      Like

  15. This year has twisted a lot of us and left a lot in dire straits. Sounds like this saviour has gone over the deep end. Covid incarnate 😦 May we all wake up from this bad dream in 2021.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. He’s not the only one to snap this year!

      Liked by 1 person

  16. Nice telling. I was getting a little suspicious of the guy by about halfway through. I see my instincts were right.

    Liked by 1 person

  17. one little candle… it’s all we need to brighten the darkest night.

    Liked by 1 person

  18. Oh, wow. I could FEEL that.
    Nicely spun.
    Merry Christmas Iain, and may the coming times brings good tidings to all.

    Liked by 1 person

  19. His hopes of rescue from the bleakness were dashed. Sounds like the year 2020. Well written as always! I hope you and yours have a very Merry Christmas and that 2021 looks a lot different to this one.

    Liked by 1 person

  20. You sure led me up the garden path only to be disappointed. I was waiting for the Christmas angels to appear, not the Grim Reaper. Superbly told!

    Liked by 1 person

  21. Sums up a Christmas to finish off 2020. Doesn’t feel very festive this year. A universal flat vibe.

    Liked by 1 person

  22. Merry Christmas! I always enjoy reading your blog every week, especially so. Always a good story. Really like the depth of this poem, to0. It speaks much deeper of the reality this year. Happy new year, too, while I’m at it. ~ Shalom, Bear

    Liked by 1 person

  23. Your poem this week sent me back to read it again – always a good sign. Happy Christmas, Iain.

    Liked by 1 person

  24. Very impressive piece of work, Iain. Your writing is getting better and better. Kudos.

    Liked by 1 person

  25. This flowed so well, until the cold steel.🙂 stay well.

    Liked by 1 person

  26. That didn’t seem to end too well for him. Happy holidays to you 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  27. I don’t know if that’s the saviour he was looking for. At least one of them got what they wanted for Christmas.

    Liked by 1 person

  28. “Reflecting in the shiny blade.” Definitely chilling, takes the warmth out of those twinkling lights. Love your writing. Hope you had a wonderful holiday season Iain, and it was especially twinkly in a year that has gone awry.

    Liked by 1 person

  29. I enjoyed the hope that lingers between the lines here. That they’re gone, but not really.

    I hope your New Year is going well. I only read and reviewed 23 books last year, but my goal for this year is 30. My other goals are to publish another fiction book in 2021, do the Blogging from A to Z Challenge in April, and increase the number of authors helped by Operation Awesome.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lovely to hear from you! Good luck with your new year goals. If you’re struggling to find a book to review, I humbly offer my own novels!
      I’m hoping to have another book out at some point this year too, and do the A to Z as I’ve missed out in the last couple of years.
      If I was to read and review one of your books, which one do you recommend I should start with?

      Like

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