PHOTO PROMPT © Anne Higa
Wheezing-gasped real time numerically marked by the birth and death of a deity was over. New microscopic gods were capricious. Similar to how antibiotics against bacteria became ineffective with over-use, viral vaccinations became impotent against super-morphing coiled beasties. We were forced to go virtual to continue…
Humans now live in 10-foot-square cubes, interacting with each other through installed holodecks. Marrieds get an extra 5-square feet. Children are Simprogs. Food appears via the Jetson. Sex happens in Sensa-Gloves for Singles. Mental health treatment consists of watching waterfalls while inhaling meds through nebulizers. Death-suicide chutes are busy.
Dreams are our only respite.
[100 words]
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields is the illuminating host of Friday Fictioneers.
Tao Talk 
Bleak vision of the future with us on the run from “morphing coiled beasties.” Love how you use detail to elevate the claustrophobic doom if not our spirits!
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Thank you for the feedback, Dora. It’s not a happy place to be for sure.
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Say it won’t be so
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It won’t be so (or we won’t be aware of it, in any case — unless we’re reincarnated as humans)
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I suppose if the vaccines don’t work, this is where we may end up. So, fingers crossed I guess!
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I conveniently set it so far into the future that I won’t be around to see it (hopefully!)
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You are taking us places with these prompts. I see maybe a line for the bathroom, water pouring out of a spout, a bucket. You’re seeing waterfalls and VR futures where we’re enslaved by viruses. Nice. It’s impressive that you built that entire world from that (and maybe a year of lockdown).
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I don’t see maybe a line for the bathroom, water pouring out of a spout, and a bucket as enough for a compelling story set in this world, thus… Thanks for reading and appreciate the comment 🙂
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A bleak picture of the future
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Yes it is 😦
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🙃
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I’d like to order my cube now, please. Just in case 😮
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🙂
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Very apt now the government views us as a herd of sheep and we allow them to treat us like that.
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Thanks, and I agree, Mason.
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Sounds dismal. I hope humans have the good sense to just exit the world and leave it to those who would better care for it. (K)
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The will to live is strong. I wouldn’t count on it.
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There’s living and there’s “living”.
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Now, if we all could work together and act like… but we won’t. Bleak view of a future that doesn’t seem entirly impossible. Covid is just the beginning. (I’m still hopeful for finding good therapy and adapting vaccines, the flu shot has to be adapted every year, too. But that’d require that everyone at least recognized that there is a problem…)
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I appreciate your thoughts on this, Gah. The latest US figures for being vaxed is 1/3 right now. I know some of that is due to availability but a large portion…
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We have 6.6% vaccinated. Most people would love to get it but have to wait because we don’t have enough vaccine and it goes hospital staff, doctors and oldest people first. I’m lucky, I work in a hospital…
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Where are you at?? We need to ship these unused doses lying around to wherever you are. If people here refuse it, why not give it to those who want to live?
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I live in the EU and the whole thing is tricky.
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For the survival of the race… On the other hand, quite a bit of human genetic material origi8nally came from viruses, perhaps we should just let nature run its course and see where it takes us….
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Trent, I think you’ve just voiced a great idea for a book.
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Run with it!
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Wow, what a creepy take on the prompt. Very well and viscerally written.
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Thanks, Anne. Yes it is viscerally written. It feels just like this in my world right now.
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“watching waterfalls while inhaling meds through nebulizers.” There is a song in that…a crazy song but a song all the same.
I love this black story…that may not end up being a story!
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Max, if you can incorporate those lyrics into a song, we can split royalties 🙂 Thanks and glad you like this view of a possible future for us humans.
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That is a deal! Yea the view is becoming clearer every day.
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I shudder to think of all this you’ve outlined.
Firghtening thoughts … Be Safe … 😷 Isadora 😎
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I shudder also! Thanks for reading and commenting, my friend.
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This is grim world indeed, but an interesting piece of writing.
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Thank you, Michael!
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sadly, what a world we live in now. i wonder when will we be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel?
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In 2 weeks I get to see my new grandbaby so I’m sure things will be lightened up for me then. The world though….
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“Food appears via the Jetson,” sounds particularly bleak. I’d hate not to be able to cook my own food. I love food!
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Oh I think it’s about as bleak as bleak can be. It reminds me of some photos I’ve seen of the cubbies in China just big enough to lay down and sleep in. At least they get out and about!
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Wow, that was a grim piece of dystopian fiction, especially the part about the death-suicide chute. Very clever and well written. Let’s hope we don’t come to this. Like Penny, I do love to cook and I would hate to live in a cube with no real human touch.
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Brenda thanks. I just got my 2nd covid vax so soon I’ll be out of my cube 😉 Then you’ll see dancing through the tulips stories lol
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I tried to find a dancing emoticon … of well … woohoo!!! So glad life will begin to return to a more normal feel soon. Rest while the vax takes effect and you’ll be relatively free soon. So happy for you.
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🙂 ❤
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Dear Lisa,
A well-written, highly disturbing look at the future. Although it doesn’t seem all that far off, does it? I leave you with a one-hit wonder from the early 70’s
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Rochelle, thanks, and I love that song, it was prophetic for its time.
Shalom,
Lisa
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Bleak and cautionary. Nice!
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Thank you!
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Makes me want to go hide somewhere. . . . .ELSE!
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I hear you, Linda!
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Ooh what a chilling story. And so well written, so matter of fact. I think I’d be in line for one of the death-suicide chutes!
BUT, I like to believe there are always rebels and somebody in there would be working for a happier solution. A great cautionary tale!
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Wonderful comment, Jenne. Thanks for reading!
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You’re welcome. I really enjoyed the story.
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I want no party of that version of life…
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Wow! Terrifying
What a bleak future foretold. Beautifully written horror piece. I sure hope it’s not a documentary
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Thanks, Laurie. I hope it’s pure fiction.
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Wow! That was bleak and scary. And probably prophetic in another 100 years.
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Humankind needs to get its act together doesn’t it. Not anyplace I’d want myself or loved ones to be part of .
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Wow, quite a dystopian world you have created, the details make me shiver !. There’s a feeling of a parallel universe, not a million miles form ourselves. Glad I’ve had my second jab.
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It could be. Your comment makes me think of the movie, “12 Monkeys.” I just got my 2nd one on Friday and am also glad.
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A dystopian tale that could easily be reality, couldn’t it. Extremely well written Ms. Jadeli. I love how you put words together.
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Thank you very much for your thoughtful comment, GiN!
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wow! Awesome story! You did a lot with the prompt!
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Thank you 🙂
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