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Toliver hated what Seattle would become, but it’s where she went so he followed. They’d been arguing again over her premature use of “the talent.” She left training, dashing off to October 17, 2024.
“Admit it, Daddy.” Constance’s hand was on his shoulder as he examined a peculiar glass object. “It’s quite lovely, isn’t it?”
He turned and she was smiling.
“I suppose in its own way, but we need to get home.”
“You only enjoy living in the 1980s because of nostalgia,” she chided.
Tol countered, “We can see the first showing of ‘The Terminator’ again if we hurry.”
It’s Wednesday and once again time to participate in Rochelle Wisoff-Fields’ 30 August 2024 edition of Friday Fictioneers.
The idea is to use the image at the top as the prompt for crafting a poem or short story no more than 100 words long. My word count is exactly 100.
The photo’s file name “resized-chihuly” gave me the clue. It led me to this Wikipedia entry, which led me to refractseattle.org.
I saw that “The Seattle Glass Experience” returns October 17th through the 20th later this year and it being in “the future” gave me my hook.
I “borrowed” the idea of having a natural “talent” for time travel from my soon-to-be published short story “The Joker and the Thief” which I announced here.
The rest, as they say, is history (although imagine being able to travel to the first theatrical showing of “Star Wars” or “The Wizard of Oz” and seeing them as they were originally viewed in their own eras).
Oh, I chose “The Terminator” (1984) in part because its central theme is time travel.
To read the other stories based on the prompt, visit inlinkz
My short story “The Other Place” is currently available in the Raconteur Press anthology The Super Generation both in paperback and Kindle formats.
Read more about them at my official announcement.
Also, my flash fiction tale “Wraiths” will be available to read for FREE this coming Saturday the 31st at SciFanSat.

Creative plot and dialogue. I also appreciate the afterword that puts the story into its context. Chihuly exhibits have visited this neck of the woods a few times. Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids, MI bought this one. There are a collection of his smaller works lining the ceiling of the cafe that really brighten the place up.
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Thanks and thanks for the info as well.
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You’re welcome x 2
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Very creative, and good hook with the first line!
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Thanks, Angela. Sorry it took me so long to reply. Your message got stuck in the spam filter.
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I imagine the tendrils of the glass sculpture as different paths to the future (or past).
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Yes, it gives me a headache.;-) Thanks.
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In my view it writhes like a serpent.
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Thanks for explaining your process. I often teeter wondering if I should do that or just wait and see how my story effects my readers. So, I am selfish in that way. As the reader I appreciate your explanation.
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Thanks, Dawn. I enjoy sharing my process.
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Yes, from the past we can chose what to keep. The future is uncertain, unless it is modelled on the past.
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Sometimes time travel is all about revisiting our favorite moments.
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Great time travel story with a very informative afterword. Thanks for both.
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Thanks, Margaret.
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