© 2013 loniangraphics
“God it’s cold out there, Simon.”
“You say that every time you go out for supplies. Of course it’s cold. How’d you do?”
“The Rogues’ shipment from down south came in early. Paying those mercenaries cost a lot, but I managed some oranges and strawberries this time. How about you?”
“Got enough fuel from Old Man Mayberry to last us a couple more weeks at least. By then, he says he can get us some more.”
Carrie set her groceries down on the counter. It’s only a one room cabin, originally built as an artist’s retreat several miles outside of town, but now Simon and Carrie Mitchell call it home. Being small, it’s easy to heat, which is important, since the overall global temperature averages 3 to 4 degrees F less than it did before the Indian-Pakistani nuclear war five years ago.
It’s a limited “nuclear winter,” not quite like all of the disaster movies of the previous decade, but it will be fifteen years at least before the climate begins to return to pre-war levels.
I wrote this in response to the FFfAW Challenge-Week of May 16, 2017 hosted by Priceless Joy. The idea is to use the photo prompt above to write a piece of flash fiction between 100 and 175 words, with 150 being the ideal. My word count is 174.
When I saw the photo, after turning over a few possibilities in my mind, I settled on the topic of large scale nuclear winter. I first thought that it would be set off on purpose by a madman to counter the effects of climate change.
Then, doing a bit of research, I decided to lessen the effect and scope to show that even a “small” nuclear conflict could do long lasting damage to the environment.
I imagined that traditional government would break down, at least in certain areas, and that mercenaries would provide necessary services for an inflated price.
To read more stories based on the prompt, go to InLinkz.com.
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Chilling vision of the future, literally.
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Yes, quite literally and in fact, it really could happen under the conditions I described. If North Korea or Iran go popping off with their nukes, my fiction could well become fact.
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Let’s hope we won’t see it.
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Agreed, but as I mentioned to Iain, even if a couple of “minor” nuclear powers decide to go at it, this would be the likely result for all of us.
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Crazy stuff, isn’t it. Strange creatures, humans.
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Snap: the darkness in the picture it seems has taken us down a similar route. As a teenager I had access to some grim official literature. In todays unsettled world your story is all to real.
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That’s what I’m afraid of, Michael.
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Such a brilliant take on the prompt .It reads more than frightening , especially since it could well be a menacing reality of the not-so-distant future.
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All too true, Moon. We could be looking at our near future.
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Very good point, that even a “limited” effect would be huge; and nicely illustrated by how it would affect everyday people. Chilling! Sorry, couldn’t help the pun, even knowing others have already used it! 🙂
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Thank you, Joy. No matter which way it goes, our lives are about to change forever.
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It may be nearer than we think. Great take and beautifully crafted.
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Thanks.
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Great story James! Very chilling! I hope we never have to go through anything like that!
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Yes, chilling in a literal sense. Thanks, Priceless Joy.
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A pessimistic yet entirely possible glimpse into the future.
Click to read my latest tale!
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Chilling, indeed. The Snow
Annie at ~McGuffy’s Reader~
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