“I want my money back.”
“Why, Romano? I sold it to you at a bargain.”
“You’re a cheat, Valentino. The real Alchemist’s Orb should have turned my worthless lead into gold.”
During the argument, a street urchin slipped into Romano’s shop. “Excuse me, Sir. My Mother is sick and we have no food. Can you spare…”
“Out filthy beggar. Get out!”
As the child ran, Valentino knew the Alchemist’s Orb had worked again. Romano’s reputation was one of generosity and kindness but the Orb had changed his outward behavior to match the cold and miserly stone that was his heart.
I wrote this for the Rochelle Wisoff-Fields flash fiction challenge for 15 December 2017. The idea is to use the photo above as the inspiration for crafting a wee tale no more than 100 words long. My word count is 100.
The first thing I thought of when I saw the picture was that the object it depicted looked fake. From there, I thought of something magic and, realizing I had a scant 100 words to play with, told my small story of greed and charity appropriate for this “season of giving.”
To read other stories based on the prompt, go to InLinkz.com.
Interesting to read your first impression of the object in the photo. My first impression was that it was business end of a quaint old street lamp, a little the worse for wear. I can’t imagine what you might have done with *that*, though it might have been interesting if it had appeared suddenly in some unlikely place, like next to a parked car in place of a fire hydrant just before a parking ticket was about to be issued.
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Actually, that’s what I figured it was, but the idea of the alchemist’s orb took over.
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The reverse alchemy orb?
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In this case, it turns a person totally into who they are inside.
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I love short stories. They are like haiku. Though short, if good, they convey a very powerful message.
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Thanks. I like the challenge, but I prefer longer stories where I can more properly develop characters and a plot.
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So I’ve noticed, though you’re doing pretty fine in both.
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I aim to please, Bojana.
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Most certainly.
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Interesting story, the alchemy of truth. Great job.
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Thank you.
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Interesting phrase: “the alchemy of truth”. I was musing over an alternative that might express how the function of James’ object actually differed from material alchemy. After all, his reference to a “heart of stone” is metaphorical; and the change effected by the orb was behavioral. Hence we’re considering a sort of “meta-alchemy” here, unlike the classic example of lead-into-gold in material alchemy. Nonetheless, I like your phrase. It may be a bit less precise, but it is much more evocative of the orb’s function.
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That would be an interesting orb to have handy – there are a few people I’d like to give it to and see what happens!
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Be careful what you wish for, Iain. Thanks.
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A great take on the prompt and a very interesting story.
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Thanks, Moon.
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I like not using prompt for a lamp.
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Well, it was tempting, but my muse had other ideas, Louise. Thanks.
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Dear James
That was an unexpected twist.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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You’re welcome, Rochelle.
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Some kinds of stone are resistant to magic, I suppose. Nice imagery.
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Not a changer in this case, just does a bit of revealing of what’s already there. Thanks.
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Neat and enjoyable take James.
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Thanks.
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Oh, I did like that! Great take on the photo prompt. Thank you.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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Thank you, Susan.
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Shouldn’t it have turned his leaden heart to gold instead of merely telling the truth?
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I suppose that’s another way the story could have worked out, but in 100 words, it might have been more difficult to pull off. Thanks for the idea though, Alice. It hadn’t occurred to me before.
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I like the idea of an object that transforms everything it touches – good or bad. Interesting spin on the prompt, James. Really original
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Thanks, Lynn.
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My pleasure 🙂
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Now this was a really interesting take on the prompt.
I think for the sake of the poor he’d have been better left as he was.
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Perhaps. Although ideally you should give from your heart, if you only give with your hands in order to look good, the poor still benefit. Thanks, Christine.
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You worked out the allegory very well, James. I’m not sure the alchemist’s orb would be a blessing though. Charity given by a heart of stone for the sake of reputation is still of benefit to a beggar. Great take on the prompt!
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Not sure Romano wants to repent. Maybe he has to deal with who he is first.
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Maybe he needed to see who he was first, not obscured under mask of false charity. Hence the “alchemy of truth” revealed it plainly. Perhaps a different orb might have worked an “alchemy of love” to produce the reverse transformation in a heart that henceforth could express true charity. Or perhaps that is not actually the province of any alchemist’s orb at all, but only of true repentance which could benefit Romano and beggars both.
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Now that his true feelings are out in the open, perhaps a friend or the Clergy will call him on it and his former hypocrisy and help him to repent.
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Most cool! There’s more than one kind of alchemy. I love the angle you took on this one.
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Thank you.
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an interesting lesson to be learned here. nice take on the prompt.
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Thanks, Plaridel.
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I’m tempted to get into a philosophical discussion about whether, if his outward behavior made people think he was generous, was he not actually being generous in the process, regardless of what he felt in his heart? But I’m crazy short on time this week, so I’ll just say: interesting twist on how the Orb works. 😉
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I think Christine and Penny already made similar comments. Perhaps I erred, Joy.
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Everyone misinterpreted my story this week, James, so I’m not one to throw stones! 😉
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Yes! A very different twist, reminding me of “The Monkey’s Paw” a little.
Mine: https://kindredspirit23.wordpress.com/2017/12/14/lighting-the-way/
Scott
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A great innovative take on the legend of alchemy. But if the orb were to be present everywhere, the world would self-destruct in less than 24 hours I’m sure 🙂
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I struggled with the metaphor here too. Once I’d got ‘worthless lead into gold’ between my ears, it seemed to me his outer characteristics were the worthless lead and …. oh well never mind. As you say, 100 words isn’t a lot to develop a take. It was a different take on the prompt though.
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A delightfully different take. Excellent.
Click to read my FriFic!
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A magic orb that reveals true character. I think a lot of us would want to avoid that!
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That’s quite true, Linda.
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A good reminder that things take on the energy of those who own them. I liked your thought process as well. Its interesting to know the thought process that goes into some of these stories.
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I have as much fun explaining how I write my stories as I do in actually writing them, Susan. Thanks.
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Enjoyed this story.
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Thanks, Neel.
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Very imaginative. Great read.
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Thanks, yarnspinnerr.
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Oh yes… the orb works in many different ways… turning hearts to stone is maybe the first step
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Yes, it could be, Bjorn. Thanks.
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Nice take, it’s a truth exposer, there’s no hiding from it, it exposes insincerity
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A truth exposer and hopefully a repentance maker. Thanks, Michael.
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Wonderful story!
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Thank you, Dawn.
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That Alchemist’s Orb is a loathsome object. It shouldn’t be in circulation. Valentino is greedy to keep selling it. Good writing, James. —- Suzanne
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Thanks, Suzanne.
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