Emptied

September 16, 2023Na'ama Yehuda Anecdotes of Life, Muse and Flow, Reflections, Trauma and Development, Writing Tags: 100WordChallenge, American history, Discrimination, Flash Fiction, Friday Fictioneers, Historical trauma, Micro Fiction, Racism, Shame 19 Comments

“Remove these place settings.”

Michael felt his eyes widen, but he lowered his head in silent deference. Mister Cole was Boss. And what Boss said, went, kind or not, right or not.

There will be no seating of the couple who just walked in, dressed in their no-doubt-best, stars glowing in their eyes for each other.

Wrong skin.

“We are booked. Perhaps another place.” Mister Cole’s false-polite voice. Reserved for any he thought strayed out of their lane.

The woman stared pointedly at the empty table, at Michael’s dish-laden hands.

“Pity,” she said.

Shame burned Michael’s cheeks. The plates turned lead.

For Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers

Photo prompt © Sandra Crook

4T

July 24, 2020July 24, 2020Na'ama Yehuda Anecdotes of Life, Current events, Life and love, Muse and Flow, Reflections, Writing Tags: Allegory, CCC, Corruption, Current affairs, Discrimination, Dystopia, Flash Fiction, Government, History, Micro-fiction, Persecution, Photo prompt 25 Comments

max-headroom CrispinaKemp

Luke eyed the sign ahead.

“I won’t be allowed in,” he sighed.

Sarah scrunched her forehead. “Maybe they won’t notice?”

Luke raised an eyebrow. He was 6’8″.

Of course they would notice. It was a stupid thing to say. She blushed. “I’m sorry, Luke. I mean, it’s just so unfair!”

He nodded. Such rules often were. Still many tended to accept, even embrace, ‘patriotic regulations’ … until caprice hit close to home. Or in his case, on the way back to it.

He had pooh-poohed the risk. What folly.

He wouldn’t be allowed into the City. Even though he’d been born and raised and lived there. Had committed no crime. He was banished. They’d expel him if he were still home.

The militia could shoot him on sight. Neighbors would be expected to report his presence. As of that morning, anyone above 6’6″ feet was considered a 4T security risk – Too Tall To Trust.

For Crispina’s Crimson’s Creative Challenge