PHOTO PROMPT © Susan Rouchard
I am surprised by the small pink envelope in my mailbox. Martha’s invitation reads:
Please celebrate with me.
Date: December 31
Time: 11pm
Place: Organza’s Opera House
My friends and I have no idea what it is about, but we are intrigued because Organza’s has been closed for twenty years.
A thousand candle lights flow and dance inside as we take our seats in the full house.
Chatter hushes as Martha walks and stands in front of the stone altar on stage. Smiling, she announces:
“We need a blessed 2024. God says just one volunteer needs to be sacrificed to ensure it.”
[103 words]
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields is the celebrating host of Friday Fictioneers.
Tao Talk 
Nice 👌
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Oh, wasn’t expecting that. Well done.
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Good. I’d be worried if you were ;)
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Just one? OK. I volunteer… Martha. She’d make a good sacrifice.
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LMAO. First person that comes to mind is Stewart. I’d give her my vote.
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Just one wouldn’t be too bad, right?
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Well, it is the holidays, so maybe someone will?
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p.s. Neil, I think this story was inspired by a poem I read earlier this week where God was demanding a guy sacrifice their child for him but ended up giving him a goat instead just as he raised the knife…
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One wouldn’t be too bad if you’re not the one, is that what you’re saying?
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Uh Oh…push some of those candles over and get the heck out of there quickly!
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Yes! Next thing I hear are the doors booming shut and the click of locks…
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That is what I was afraid of…
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Nice twist at the end of your story, Lisa! :-)
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Thanks, Christian! As soon as I saw all of those candles I knew something sinister was afoot…
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Oh. There’s something to think about. What a twist.
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Thanks, Margaret :)
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Oops!
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:)
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That may have been the wrong gathering to get involved in. They should just slide down in their seat and hope it doesn’t get to the point where a ‘volunteer’ has to be chosen. Good one.
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Love your comment, Sandra. Thank you.
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I can just see her shrinking into her seat! Excellent twist, Lisa!
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Thanks!
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Oops! I didn’t see that coming. Still cackling. Wonderful.
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Happy you found the story cackle-worthy :)
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Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
So well done, Lisa!
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Dale, thank you :)
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😁
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I once had a dream that I was chosen for sacrifice – such a dilemma – I escaped.
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Scary-sounding dream, whether the sacrifice was intended as literally or figuratively.
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Yes, a shadow dream I think.
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“God said to Abraham, ‘Kill me a son’. Abe said, ‘Man, you must be puttin’ me on.'”
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Abraham, yes, forgot his name. Then there was the time the two women wanted the same baby and God said cut the baby in half…. :(
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Highway 61 Revisited is the only reason I remember that story. And the second story that you refer to was King Solomon. When one woman said give the baby to the other, rather than split it, he knew she was the real mother.
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Solomon, acting as a judge while king, said to cut a baby in half. Apparently, another baby — of two living in a house with both mothers who were claiming the still-living child — had been previously smothered (presumably by the mother who was not the mother of the remaining boy). 1 Kings 3:16–28
As for the Abram story, Abram (later Abraham) is known to have left a different culture to strike out on his own and worship a different god… and I take the story to mean he was used to the people in his surrounds offering sacrifices to achieve fertility and so forth. But this God said to stop.
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Thank you for the additional info, Marleen. Helps to see where they were coming from.
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Gladly. And… yikes. I learned
something just today.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Kings%203%3A16-28&version=CEV
Footnotes
a 3.16 women: Hebrew “prostitutes.”
That part of the story isn’t usually shared.
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Oh wow. Solomon was a good judge of character in any case. I think the woman who tried to steal another’s baby should get some kind of punishment. Maybe that’s another part of the story they forgot to tell?
These stories are off the hook. We still haven’t learned, and we never will. Best to take life one day at a time and appreciate life for the gift it is. The rest is gravy.
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Usually best to avoid mysterious invitations. It’s a full house, at least, so the chances of being the chosen one are slim.
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Good point, Jen. Should be easy to avoid being volunteered :)
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You pitched an excellent curve ball there, Lisa.
I was pleased to read the word, “volunteer,” in the story. Otherwise a panic might set in.
Whatever you do, do not raise your hand.
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Thanks, Bill. I’m not sure how she was planning to single out the volunteer or was just hoping someone would raise a hand.
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You’re welcome, Lisa.
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Yikes! Some celebration! Shades of Shirley Jackson here, Lisa. Well done.
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Thanks, Dora!
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Well, you didn’t let me down, Lisa.
I was expecting a great curve ball and you delivered …. Big Time! Great fun! Remind me not to accept any of Martha’s invitations. 😂
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Thanks, Nancy!
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Always a pleasure!
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And here I thought she was just going to sing!
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LOL!
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Wow wasn’t expecting that Lisa – good one 🙌
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Thanks, Ange :)
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Oh no, I did not see that coming. All I can say is “Run!” Fantastic twist, Lisa.
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My thoughts exactly, Brenda! Thank you :)
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Dear Lisa,
Time to get outta there! Good one, unexpected twist.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Rochelle, for sure. Thank you very much.
Shalom,
Lisa
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Oh oh…. that ending doesn’t sound good. You built the suspense beautifully with the mystery then bam, that final line. I wonder what happens if no one volunteers ?
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Laurie, me too. Thanks for reading and your comment.
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Uh oh…should have skipped this show.
Intriguing story.
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For sure. Thank you.
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Just one? That’s not a bad deal, especially after the last few years. We sacrificed a lot for shitty years.
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Great comment, Nobbin.
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Oh boy I did not see that ending coming!
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Me neither!
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