PHOTO PROMPT © Jan Wayne Fields
Long before dawn shows its face they come, with sharp knives held in their thick-gloved hands. With spotlights, they hunt for us. We shudder and dew flies as they grasp us and hack away, separating us from our lives. We are plunged into pails of ice water. At daylight the pails are loaded onto trucks and carted off to where, one by one, twelve by twelve, we are sold by our masters to others like them. The new masters transport us to a final place of slow death in a cylinder of tepid, rancid water. Our crime: affordable fragrant beauty.
[100 words]
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields is the steadfast host of Friday Fictioneers.
Tao Talk 
An eye opener from the point of view of the flowers
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Yes, Sadje, thank you.
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My pleasure
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Ouch. That’s a tough read on the situation!
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Sorry, Iain, I’m in a dark frame of mind these days. Thanks for reading and commenting.
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I can assume why given the news over the last few days. Hope you’re okay.
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One day at a time. Thank you for asking. My sons have been there for me every step of the way ❤
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❤
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Great job of personalizing those poor flowers 🙂
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Linda, thank you!
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That will make me think next time I have flowers in my hand.
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My mother would not have cut flowers, and I lean towards that myself, I believe that fragrance belongs in the air of a garden. I could smell sweet pea’s as I read your story… But if one lives in a high rise.
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A powerful allegory
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A powerfull allegory
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Oh dear.
But we love the smell so how do we reach a compromise?
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if only flowers could talk… thanks for lending them a voice.
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Thank you, Plaridel. They wanted to be heard.
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I guess it does make you look at cut flowers in a different way!
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I’m glad the story gave you another perspective, Christian 🙂
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Well done! It reminded me of a friend who is vegan, who found herself dumbfounded at the possibility that plants communicate and feel … What will she eat, now?
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Na’ama, it is a dilemma, isn’t it. The system we exist within seems to be based on killing other living things and protecting ourselves from that same fate. I guess it has to be that way because if nothing died, we would implode.
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Yep. And, people forget that the world is also set to have ‘clean up crews’ for what does die. Or do they prefer there would be none of those, either? …
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Plants have feelings too. I don’t know why we refuse to acknowledge it. (K)
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Great use of the prompt. A bee’s eye view. Sad 😦
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Trish, thank you.
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Was it Keith who fairly recently wrote about the feelings of a keyboard? 🙂
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Our FF Keith or Keith Richards? I don’t remember. Very likely.
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Lyrical. Loved reading it.
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Thanks much, R.M.
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final place of slow death in a cylinder of tepid, rancid water….great lines. I loved the story a lot.
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Neel, thank you. Am glad you enjoyed the story 🙂
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Now I feel guilty for buying myself a bunch of carnations yesterday!
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lol. I was looking at the flowers who were sacrificed at my mom’s funeral on Monday and when I saw this week’s image the story popped into my head. At least they give comfort before they go ❤
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Oh, such a sad tale. Sending you hugs.
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Gabi, thank you ❤
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❤ ❤
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Everyone loves Mother Nature, until they meet her. A ruthless woman of reality, indeed. Clever take, Lisa.
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Thanks much, Bill.
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The circle of life is brutal for some. Best we leave them where they grow to do what they will 🙂
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Great comment, Dale.
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Thank you 🙂
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Dear Lisa,
I may never look at flowers quite the same way. 😉 Sending more hugs to your dark place, my dear. I’ll admit to enjoying a big bouquet of fresh flowers.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Rochelle, much appreciated. ❤
Shalom,
Lisa
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Interesting take!
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Thank you, Andrea.
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You’re welcome 🙂
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That’s a tragic tale indeed. I guess the same applies to the carrots in our salad, being pushed hard against a grater….owch!!
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LOL! It’s a kill or be killed world we live in, for better or worse…
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Poor flowers. As a child I never liked to pluck a flower but now I don’t feel any guilt while plucking it. Nicely done
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Thanks so much for reading and your comment.
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Ooooooo ouch, what s horrible life when told from the POV of the flower. Nicely described. Great emotions evoked.
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Thanks much, Laurie!
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