The Everlasting

The goat looked at the grave and slowly went around it. There was something about it that fascinated him. Apprehensively, he came closer and tried to decipher the words on the stone.

To his utter shock it was his grave. Suddenly everything came back to him; the glory and the bloodshed.

He had himself chosen his burial ground. It belonged to an equally proud and vicious man. He had that man and every one of his tribe butchered.

He had to have a grave that would make his memory everlasting.

The goat looked at the dogs sniffing at the grave and moved away.

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A post for Friday Fictioneers

Word count 103

The Shoes

‘What do you think, Detective?’

‘I have a witness who says that this man came here in a coach and when the coach left he committed suicide.’

‘Are you sure he was not trying to fool you?’

‘I have no reason to doubt him. See that gun in the dead man’s hand.’

‘I’m sure he was murdered.’

‘How come?’

‘Elementary! The dead man is elegantly dressed but surprisingly his feet are shoeless and spotlessly clean. He was murdered elsewhere and his body was dumped here.’

‘He fooled me….I think he was carrying a pair of shoes…it must be him….’   

‘Perhaps something precious was hidden in the shoes….’

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A post for Friday Fictioneers

Word count 107

The God of Soldiers

‘That’s the replica of Mars…..’

‘I can’t believe it……’

‘Yes, my grandpa made it for me….. He loves me so much…’

‘Does he tell you funny stories?’

‘Of course, I never miss my… my mom and dad.’

‘But he keeps shouting at you?’

‘No, no. Never!’

‘Did he love your mom?’

‘Yes, always.’

‘Why did he make this…?  Mars?’

‘He was a soldier. And Mars is the god of soldiers. He says Mars saved his life, many times.’

‘Still?’

The boy was about to say something, but the colour faded from his tiny eyes. The grandpa was staring at him from the upper window.

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A post for Friday Fictioneers on a photo prompt.

Word count 104

The Tunnel

‘Why do you keep pestering mama? She can’t tell you anything? You are too small to understand.’

The little boy looked at his sister. She was not smiling; that troubled him. Mama was always crying; that pained him.

‘When will papa come?’

‘I don’t know!’ she almost shrieked. Then she felt sorry for him.

‘I want to go to papa!’ he shouted back.

‘You can’t!’ she blurted, unknowingly.

‘Papa!’ he screamed.

‘Stop! He can’t come. He is gone to the other world.’

‘I will go to him….through that tunnel…. you once told me that the tunnel opened into another world……..’

The sister stood speechless.

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A post for Friday Fictioneers on a photo prompt.

Word count 104

The King’s Minister

‘You told me that your father was very rich…..’

‘Of course, he was very rich. He was the king’s minister and in those days ministers were rich and……’

‘How come you are so poor?  Didn’t he give you any money?’

‘It’s rather complicated. He had three wives and I was the second wife’s son. The brother of his third wife was a……’

‘That’s why people don’t take many wives?’

‘Perhaps that’s one reason.’

‘I was wondering…….’

‘Yes?’

‘…….’

‘Yes? Kid!’

The old, haggard man looked around. Everything was dim and hazy. There was no one there….never had been…. for years.

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Word Count 100

A post for Friday Fictioneers on a photo prompt.