Photo Prompt by: Douglas M. Macilroy
Every week 100 fictioneers gather around the water cooler at Rochelle’s place to share their scintillating stories based on a photo prompt chosen by Rochelle. This week I have a feeling the stories may take on a more frigid overtone but you be the judge! Click on the photo above and it will take you right to Rochelle’s site and the rest of the stories!
What Remains
By JE LIllie
Proctor Johannes’ voice boomed out across the silver dome, “The Scripture has taught us that in the end all of creation would be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things would remain.
“We are that unshakeable thing! Look at us! What calamities have we survived? The Earth has spurned us and the sky has frozen us out, but we have not shaken! We are greater than the wrath of the Lamb.”
The congregation shrieked in approval. I stood in my usual corner as far from the proctor as I could. Meanwhile, the asteroid above moved into position to drop more of the wrath we were supposedly greater than.
I chose that day to flee to the mountains.
Lillie-Put 
Running for the hills sounds like a good option. A minor point – but is it the Proctor speaking the second paragraph as well as the first? I’m assuming it is because no one else is introduced. But if I’m right, in order to indicate that, you need to get rid of the speech marks at the end of the first paragraph, but leave the ones that start and end the second and that will make it clearer. (And apologies if I’m teaching you to suck eggs!)
Well you learn something new everyday! Thanks Claire!
Hey, fleeing to the mountains is a great choice. In fact, I think Jesus mentioned that might be necessary somewhere around Matthew 24, didn’t He? Very creative take on this prompt.
Arguing with religion is like banging your head on granite. After the meteor, the devout will still tell you they were right. Good piece.
I suppose that is true. It certainly will be then.
I like a man who can see through the hype. And spot the asteroid, of course. Good one, Joseph.
Thanks Sandra!
Wise choice. Great story.
There is some wisdom left in him even if he has toyed with the dark side.
I think that joining the zealous few might be good in the short run, but in the longer run it’s better to always look for an exit.. 🙂
The zealous few in this case are certainly headed for disaster. There is no rising above the wrath of the Lamb once it comes.
You must have been in Lake City in Florida! We humans are strange, aren’t we.
I love the hidden meanings. I don’t quite understand them but I know they are there.
Thanks Dawn. This was actually written off of a very troubling chapter towards the end of the Book of Revelation which is mirrored from a chapter in the latter parts of Isaiah.
Dear Joe,
A rather frightening message and a well written story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thanks Rochelle. The imagery is from Revelation 6 and Hosea 10
Apocalypse Preachers really need warm asteroids dropped in their laps. Karma would approve.
Ahh! The apocalypse is unavoidable but it is live-throughable. This guy’s error was lack of humility. Thanks for reading.
Your narrator’s making a good decision. Great use of dialogue to build mood and character. And a thought-provoking message – blind faith plus arrogance is a dangerous mixture.
Thanks so much for the kind words Margaret.
Oh, this is good. Strong introduction of the characters and their calamity in very few words.
Thank you so much!
I’d say, Joseph, that running for the hills was a great option. What that speaker was doing was similar to saying the Titanic was unsinkable. We really aren’t as powerful as we like to believe sometimes. It’s pride, pure and simple. Good story and well done. 🙂 — Suzanne
Thanks Suzanne and you are right. Pride was the Proctor’s chief sin as it was the original sin.