IAIN KELLY

SHATTERED DREAMS

He ducked under the blade, but the man crashed into him and they toppled over the barrier and then they were falling towards the lights below.

***

‘Are you breaking up with me?’ She could feel the tears forming.

‘You’ve got the wrong idea.’ Sitting under the magnificent glass ceiling in the opulent ballroom, now was the time to surprise her.

She saw the ring in his hand. For a split second she was happier than she had ever been.

***

They hit the glass together and fell into the ballroom. He landed on a woman, crushing her. She probably saved his life. He didn’t have time to thank her for her sacrifice.

Copyright Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

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.

73 responses to “SHATTERED DREAMS”

  1. Sadje Avatar
    Sadje

    Oh no! All her dreams left unfulfilled! Tragic

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Wrong place, wrong time!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. Sadje Avatar
        Sadje

        Tut tut…..

        Liked by 1 person

  2. neilmacdon Avatar
    neilmacdon

    That’s quite a feat to cram TWO connected stories into 100 words, Iain!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thanks Neil, glad it (sort of) worked.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  3. Tannille Avatar
    Tannille

    That killed the romance… Nice job.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      I’ll take an action movie over a romance 😉

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. Tannille Avatar
        Tannille

        I’m sure your wife is happy with that. 🤣

        Liked by 1 person

  4. Vartika Avatar
    Vartika

    Lovely story. I like the way you connect the both story

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thank you!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  5. Michael Avatar
    Michael

    What a story, or should it be two. Ian Fleming, would have been jealous

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Ah, a very gracious compliment Michael, thank you.

      Like

      Reply
  6. joanne the geek Avatar
    joanne the geek

    That’s the trouble with women and glass ceilings…

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Better to shatter them yourself than sit under them 😉

      Like

      Reply
  7. Ain Avatar
    Ain

    Well done…that was really good, very much…

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thanks so much

      Like

      Reply
  8. Yamini Ali MacLean Avatar
    Yamini Ali MacLean

    Hari OM
    …I actually gasped! eyes suitably boggled. Great setting!!! YAM xx

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thank you – I did enjoy writing this one 🙂

      Like

      Reply
  9. rochellewisoff Avatar
    rochellewisoff

    Dear Iain,

    Literally shattered dreams. 😦 At least her last moment was happy. This makes me both angry and sad. You wrote the action well.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thanks Rochelle. Yes, at least she went out with a smile!

      Like

      Reply
  10. trentpmcd Avatar
    trentpmcd

    A moment of pure elation, and then.. oops. Oh well, I guess if it’s your time, you might as well go with a smile on your lips.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Exactly. Thanks Trent 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  11. magickmermaid Avatar
    magickmermaid

    I was not expecting that! Great story!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thank you! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  12. Liz H Avatar
    Liz H

    And then she died.
    So cleverly wrought.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thanks Liz 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  13. Anita Avatar
    Anita

    Poor girl.
    One can’t really be safe under a glass ceiling.
    But, then what’s gonna happen will happen anyway…

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Faye definitely playing a hand here. Thanks Anita.

      Like

      Reply
  14. pensitivity101 Avatar
    pensitivity101

    Sad, but good story Iain

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thanks Di

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  15. pennygadd51 Avatar
    pennygadd51

    The futility of violence, taking out not just the participants but bystanders too. Well written, Iain!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thanks Penny

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  16. larry trasciatti Avatar
    larry trasciatti

    Nothing makes for so enchanting a story as a slapstick romance

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      🙂 Thanks Larry

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  17. granonine Avatar
    granonine

    Two stories in one! Great how you wove them together and used the skylight.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thanks Linda, glad it worked!

      Like

      Reply
  18. trishsplace Avatar
    trishsplace

    Unfortunate timing. Poor girl.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Action films often overlook the innocent bystanders!

      Like

      Reply
      1. trishsplace Avatar
        trishsplace

        YES! I love action movies, but I always hate all the police or first responders or innocents being killed.
        Only the bad guys should go down😁

        Liked by 1 person

  19. Bill Avatar
    Bill

    Oh yes, happiness can be so brief. Nicely done tragedy, Iain.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thanks Bill

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  20. Sandra Avatar
    Sandra

    Truly powerful. Loved the simultaneous telling of two stories.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thank you Sandra, glad you liked it.

      Like

      Reply
  21. Keith's Ramblings Avatar
    Keith’s Ramblings

    Her dreams were shattered, the ceiling too! You are clever Iain!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Much appreciated Keith

      Like

      Reply
  22. ahtdoucette Avatar
    ahtdoucette

    I feel like there is both a story and a metaphor here, and I’m not sure how I feel about either one. Well told.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thank you, glass ceilings are good for a metaphor, and they are troublesome things.

      Like

      Reply
  23. Liz Young Avatar
    Liz Young

    What a tragedy – and her young man is left heartbroken. You told a lot of story in 100 words!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thanks Liz

      Like

      Reply
  24. GHLearner Avatar
    GHLearner

    Ur mean! 🙂 I admire how you wove the two together. It does have a tiny bit of Looney Tunes vibe that made me grin.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thank you, I was going for a bit of silly humour 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  25. msjadeli Avatar
    msjadeli

    Makes me want to go through all of the James Bond movies and do a body count. How many have had such bliss denied them because of 007? You put together an exciting yet also tragic Bond incident this week, Iain. I enjoyed it.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thanks so much 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. msjadeli Avatar
        msjadeli

        You’re welcome, Iain.

        Liked by 1 person

  26. Margaret Avatar
    Margaret

    Yikes. Poor lady. Ingenious plot construction – and darkly funny.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thank you Margaret

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  27. jillyfunnell Avatar
    jillyfunnell

    Really cleverly woven, Iain. Just wasn’t her day, was it!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thanks so much Jilly

      Like

      Reply
  28. draliman Avatar
    draliman

    I always feel sorry for the collateral damage in these scenarios, Especially when their happiness is built up beforehand 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      The poor movie extras 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  29. plaridel Avatar
    plaridel

    what a bummer, but accidents do happen.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thanks!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  30. notestowomen Avatar
    notestowomen

    Very clever combining two stories. I’m happy that at least she enjoyed the happiest moment in her life before she met her sudden end.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  31. Inside the Mind of Isadora Avatar
    Inside the Mind of Isadora

    Terrible tragedy on such a blissful moment. I’m always a winner when I read your take on the photo prompt stories.
    Great write …

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Too kind, thank you 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  32. i b arora Avatar
    i b arora

    that’s shattering the dreams, literally

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      It could be a metaphor for something! Thanks 🙂

      Like

      Reply
  33. Nobbinmaug Avatar
    Nobbinmaug

    At least she died happy.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      A consolation of some kind.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  34. Laurie Bell Avatar
    Laurie Bell

    Oooooo ouch! What an end. Talk about terrible timing! You crafted two tales in one. Very clever, Iain!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thanks Laurie 🙂

      Like

      Reply
  35. jlennidorner Avatar
    jlennidorner

    Whipping out the heartbreak in so few words! Very nice.
    I was under the weather earlier this week (not the C👾vid, don’t worry), but I’m much improved now.
    I’ve been scheduling debut author interviews at Operation Awesome. If you know one, please tell them to reach out to me.
    Over at the a-to-z challenge, plans are hatching for April 2022, including a big event this month (starts Feb 4).
    Plus, WEP has the “All You Need is Love” flash fiction challenge on February 16 – 18.
    Quote for February: “You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.” -John Bunyan

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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