‘Is it true?’ General Bassett’s tie is askew, wide forehead damp. He nods to the other officers who share a similarly dazed expression.
‘Take a look, Sir.’ Brigadier Hollings turns the laptop towards him.
The footage is Eyes Only, though Hollings can’t think why – similarly disturbing images have blazed a comet trail through the internet since 6 a.m. Hollings keeps the sound off – seeing is bad enough, but hearing …
General Bassett motions for it to stop. ‘And this is happening everywhere?’
Hollings nods. ‘All over the UK. Reports coming in from China, the States – Australia.’
‘What do the science bods say?’
The question Hollings has been dreading. ‘That time has … fractured. That every human being in history can step into the present as easily as crossing the road.’
The General slides into the nearest chair.
‘Do we mobilise, Sir?’ says Hollings.
General Bassett shakes his head, mops his forehead with a crumpled handkerchief. ‘We need academics – Ancient Greek speakers, Latin, Norse. Let’s see if we can talk.’
Written for the Sunday Photo Fiction prompt. See the pic, write 200 words or fewer. Link to the blue froggy thing. Read and comment. Sit back and feel smug about how amazing you are.
Word Shamble 
I love that. Mind you, if people can step into the future, they can also step into the past. That would be fun
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Thank you! And yes, a dream come true for me. Always fancied mugging Dr Who for his Tardis. Where to go first, though? Nip back to see if Richard III did kill the Princes in the Tower? Back to Dallas ’63 to finally sort that whole question out? So many questions to answer and lives to experience. Love the prompt – super fun indeed. 🙂
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Go back and see a few truths 🙂
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Absolutely. Could take up the rest of my life, though, answering all of those questions. Never mind, I’ll give it a go 🙂
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Yeah, I wouldn’t mind correcting a few mistakes as well lol
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🙂 Oh, yes. I hear you on that one 🙂
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“‘We need the academics!’ Fantastic concept and view of the picture,” she commented. “There is a mysteriousness to Al’s photo that leads to such stories,” she said, head to one side thinking. “Fantastic first write for Sunday Photo Fiction,” she summed up her lecture and put her notes away.
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Thank you! A bit of wishful thinking, really, that people’s first instinct would be to talk and reason rather than reach for a gun. Thanks for reading 🙂
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Clever story with the sense of foreboding. Maybe we had better learn an ancient language. LOL!!
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Haha! You never know, a smattering of Latin or Greek might just come in handy! Thanks for reading Angie 🙂
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Ah, every medievalist’s fantasy. “See, dad! I told you that being fluent in Old English would come in handy some day!” My own dad was fond of reciting Chaucer, so he’s right there with you. Love the pacing of this story.
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Thank you! Yes, your dad would be called up straight away. Love the sound of Old English, even if I can’t make sense of most of it. Norse too – listening to Beowulf where you can just pick out the odd word – fascinating. Yep, better get my head down and cram some Latin into it – never know when it might come in handy. Thanks for reading 🙂
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Such an intriguing take on the prompt! It would make a wonderful premise for a science fiction novel. I already like this general character, who calls in the academics to help: hooray!
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Yes, pretty sure that wouldn’t really happen, but we can but hope 🙂 I liked the idea too – maybe not original (what idea is?) but could be intriguing all the same. Thanks for reading, Joy.
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Wow. Very interesting story. Time fracturing, that’s fascinating. I can imagine there are some people from the past, who would love to live in a time they don’t die at 38 years-old or younger if your a woman through childbirth. Hope negotiations go well, this fracture has many repercussions. Nice write 🙂
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Thanks Mandi! Yes. Terifying though it would be for them to arrive here, the present day would be tempting for a lot of people from the past. We might get a little overcrowded, though 🙂 Thanks for reading.
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Great concept, clever story, well written.
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Thank you, C. Means a lot from your kind self 🙂
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Well how about that, Lynn?! Nice to see you getting some much-deserved recognition here. Smile, keep on smiling. Cheers, Bill
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Thank you, Bill! Yes, bit of a shocker that. I’ll enjoy it while it lasts – normal service will resume shortly 🙂
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Yes, much deserved! Congrats, Lynn!! I’m
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Not sure where that I’m came from. I was done. 🙂
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Haha! Thanks Walt, you’re very kind. A very nice thing. Now, on to the next flash prompt 🙂
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What an interesting concept!
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Thanks very much, Alberta! And thanks fro reading 🙂
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Old is gold , It’s natural
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Absolutely. Let’s brush up on our Old Norse, just in case 🙂
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An outstanding article which; expresses the: importance, relevance, magnificence and need for – Scholarly Writers and Academics. It was written with care, attention and detail to; highlight the main issue, in discussion!
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Nice take. I enjoyed such a novel idea.
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Thank you and thanks for reading 🙂
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Looks like you and I had a similar warp in time in our stories, Lynn. In some ways, it would be good but in other ways, we’d also be getting all the dictators and master criminals stepping through. They’d probably be the first to adjust. Well done. It reminds me a bit of the second “Night at the Museum” movie.:) — Suzanne
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How funny we thought of the same thing! Your poor hero, done to death for being in the wrong place – and more importantly – wring time! Dangeroud times for eveyone in both of our tales 🙂 Thanks so much for reading
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