“You consider this site to be a war memorial, Jonathan?”
“It’s foolish to see it otherwise, Raven. In fourteen years, an American President will give Iran nearly two billion dollars in cash ostensibly to inhibit their nuclear weapons development, but the hideous result was to fund a whole new era in world terrorism. How many more World Trade Centers is the future facing?”
“Our holographic presence allows us this view of the destruction, but how do you propose to heal such a pervasive characteristic in humanity?”
“I can’t fix it all, but I’ve got to start somewhere.”
I wrote this for the Rochelle Wisoff-Fields writing challenge. The idea is to take the image above and use it to inspire the creation of a piece of flash fiction no more than 100 words long. My word count is 97.
The monument in the photo contains the words “A Nos Morts” which I’ve learned refers to a vast number of war memorials commemorating those who died during World War One. That made me think of the site of the World Trade Center formerly known as “Ground Zero” which led me to consider the state of world terrorism.
Getting political, I also recalled that terrorism takes money and Iran is the principal source of finances for middle eastern terrorism and its effects all around the world. Giving Iran $1.7 billion in 2015 probably didn’t stop their nuclear weapons program and it certainly gave terrorism a big, big boost.
My character Jonathan Cypher, who just yesterday discovered his purpose is now looking at how best to begin “fixing the world.” Can his dreams change reality so radically as to eliminate all forms of terrorism or will he only be able to alter specific expressions of it?
To read other stories based on the prompt, go to InLinkz.com.
Dear James,
The now hackneyed phrase “you can’t fix stupid” comes to mind. Nicely done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Rochelle. You’re probably right, but since I’ve imbued my character Jonathan Cypher with extraordinary abilities which can be used to change certain outcomes in various quantum universes, he might be able to come close.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Interesting idea. I’m bound to say that there was no Iranian involvement in the World Trade Centre attack, though there were several Saudis
LikeLiked by 2 people
I knew someone would bring that up, however I’m talking about a wider field of terrorism that Iran is bankrolling, though they are allowing other nations to provide the “soldiers” or “cannon fodder” as it were.
LikeLike
Reminded me of the terrifying WTC attack.
May our world have no terrorists…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Perhaps someday that will become a reality, Anita. Thanks.
LikeLike
Gloomily non-fiction, James, but keep sending out the message.
LikeLike
Thank you.
LikeLike
A world fixer is long overdue. Well done.
LikeLike
Actually, according to the principal of tikkun olam, we all can help fix the world. Any good deed fixes the world a little bit, even to performing a single act of kindness.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your verb tense switch threw me a bit, “in fourteen years a US P will…and the result was…” But I have to agree with your basic thought. Paying hostile forces to not bother you is a lost cause.
LikeLike
He was talking about a future event. In 2001, he mentioned something that would occur in 2015. Thanks, Christine.
LikeLike
Good luck Johnathan – rather him than me, I don’t fancy his chances much…
LikeLike
As a soul he’s pretty much immortal (I can’t think of what could actually injure him although I suppose it’s possible). Also, he’s changing events in multiple quantum realities, so not all of them have the same history as ours. He may not be able to affect everything, but even saving a single human life is worthwhile.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It all sounds very complicated! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Healing does not reverse the damage.
LikeLike
No, but it might make going forward a bit better.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That really is a pervasive wound.
LikeLike
Indeed it is, Alice.
LikeLike
It’s a story that keeps repeating. To counter the Russians during the cold war, USA funded and armed a Afghani warmonger and that guy was Osama Bin Laden. Nice interpretation here, James.
LikeLike
Yeah, unfortunately, we haven’t covered ourselves with glory and then it came back to bite us in the butt. Thanks.
LikeLike
heal such a pervasive characteristic in humanity. I hate to be a downer, but I don’t see any healing in our near future.
LikeLike
I’m using the term in the sense of Tikkun Olam or the repairing of a damaged world. It can be thought of as something simple like maintaining a road or setting the table. It’s any act that makes the world or some part of it a little bit of a better place to live. Just smiling at someone can be considered such an act and it has the benefit of being something each of us can do.
LikeLike
No words. no words. no words. sigh….
LikeLike
Yeah. Sigh.
LikeLike
It’s indicative that we have so few memorials to peace, yet soldiers and tyrants are commemorated everywhere. Dulce et Decorum Est, Pro Patria Mori.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Isn’t that the truth…
LikeLike
‘Dulce et Decorum Est, Pro Patria Mori’ ‘How sweet and fitting it is to die for your country.’
A great lie told by rulers throughout history.
LikeLike
We definitely need some fixing up all over the world…
LikeLike
The Jewish understanding of the Messiah is that he will literally restore the people and nation of Israel, but will “fix” or heal the world. It’s actually a lot more involved than that, but it also contains the idea that each of us can do our part. We don’t have to sit around on our thumbs and wait.
LikeLike
I can see this as a beautiful memorial.
LikeLike
Thanks, Dawn. In the end, it isn’t the structure but how we honor our fallen heroes in our heart and strive to go forward and make the world a better place.
LikeLike
True.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A powerful story of hope with the decision and willingness to act.
Wonderful!
Thanks, as always, for sharing your research and thoughts behind the story in the ‘afterward’.
LikeLike
Thank you, Moon.
LikeLike
Interesting flash. Funding dictators and tyrants has always been a flaw in US policy. The problem with strategically allying with dictators is the civilian casualties, nowadays called “collateral damage”. While foreign policy concerns have often led America to prop up dictatorial regimes, they need a new rule: no democracy, no aid.
LikeLike
As I said in another comment, it’s come back to bite us in the rear.
LikeLike
You continue to intrigue with your time-hopping hero. I wonder what he will dream up as a solution for world peace…
LikeLike
I didn’t create him to be all-powerful, Penny. He’s just here to right a few wrongs. Beyond that, I’ll have to develop the concept more.
LikeLike
No matter how many memorial halls or statues were built to remind us of the Great War to end all wars, memory fades.
It appears, as your story tells, human nature is destructive.
LikeLike
I’d agree that the reason we don’t and probably won’t have “world peace” is because of human nature. That’s why the Christians have Christ and the Jews have Messiah, the hope that a King will rise who will overcome that nature and rule as the King of Peace. Not sure human beings could sustain a peaceful planet for more than a few seconds.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You can have such fun with tenses in time travel! Let’s see what these guys can do about things.
LikeLike
Human language isn’t really built for time travel. We have a lot of catching up to do.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Let’s hope Jonathan can make a real difference.
LikeLike
Agreed, although I’m editing another story right now about a railroad switchman in 1940 Chicago who will make a difference but in a completely different way.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m intrigued…let me know when it’s ready please.
LikeLike
It’s ready: https://poweredbyrobots.com/2018/03/08/the-switchmans-lantern/
LikeLiked by 1 person
ok!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Iran certainly funds terrorism in the Middle East, though currently quite limited actions in Europe… Iran also funded a lot of the troops that quenched the Islamic State… alas we live in a complicated world.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I appreciate the end notes.
LikeLike
Thanks, Linda.
LikeLike
will we ever see the day? hope springs eternal.
LikeLike
So does faith.
LikeLiked by 1 person
All of it boils down to imperialistic tendencies that are preached and renewed from generation to generation. Liked where you took this.
LikeLike
Thanks although I must say (flying in the face of convention) there may be times when war is necessary. What if, even after Pearl Harbor, the U.S. had continued to refuse to enter World War Two? How might history have changed and would it have been right to let the attack on our soil go unanswered?
LikeLiked by 1 person
In recent history – till last decade there was a world-wide political emphasis on globalization. Unfortunately the liberal view did not sustain and the conservative thinking returned and now it is back to national boundaries and ethnic values across the world (at least in many countries).
LikeLike
Wars will never end. Well written.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks.
LikeLike
Your character Jonathan Cypher is brave enough to try and change what ordinary mortals have and nevel evr be able to to do so, which is wipe out terrorism from the face of the earth. Nice story, James.
LikeLike
Thanks, Neel. I’m sure he’ll try.
LikeLike
How I wish you Cypher were a real person – though that level of power is terrifying in one person. An interesting, fictional take on our all too real world
LikeLike
Once of the things I haven’t written about yet is how Jonathan’s abilities can be interdicted if he tries to go too far. Absolute power and all of that, Lynn. Thanks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes. He could be very easily corrupted by it all .And then what would happen? My pleasure James
LikeLike
Assuming I keep writing about Jonathan and Raven, I suppose we’ll find out.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A huge problem facing the world today, your story is very timely. I hope he finds some way to save the world one step at a time.
LikeLike
Me too although in a sense, he’s a metaphor for the rest of us to do what we can to help repair the world in our own small ways.
LikeLike