Thursday, April 25, 2019

Words for Wednesday on a Thursday 4/25/19

Mimi is hosting this month's Words for Wednesday. You can visit her here and join in the fun. Or just read what others are doing.

This week's words are:


introduce*
bawdy*
insidious*
outgoing*
laborer*
polite*

and/or

hall*
conscious*
ad hoc*
sign*
yarn*
share*

Note trigger warning to those that are sensitive to darkness in a story.

The Committee met on the first Saturday of every month in the Great Hall of the Judiciary. It had started as an ad hoc committee but gradually, over the years, it had evolved into an annual election of Committee members selected from the survivors in the town.

Five of them sat on the bench, facing the petitioners. This month there were four, a male laborer of about 40, an outgoing male hippy type of 60,and a bawdy, brassy, blonde stereotype of a middle aged woman, long past her prime, and a timid, polite, young woman in her twenties.

It never failed to amaze her, the deciding vote as Chief Justice, as she sat on the uncomfortable bench overlooking the petitioners - that it took all kinds presenting themselves here every month in good conscience, seeking help, sharing their personal yarns all seeking the same result. To be chosen.

And one only could be chosen. The questioning was intense, for no word of this process could ever emerge out to the world at large. Yes, no doubt it was insidious, but all signs of what they did had to be invisible and the manner in which they did it. A vote would be taken once all stories were presented and the winner decided.

"So," she said clearly to the first petitioner,"Introduce yourself and tell us your life story, omitting nothing, swearing all present to secrecy, outlining at the end why you wish to die and what method you would wish us to utilize?"









20 comments:

  1. More please. Dark it is, but intriguing nonetheless. Such different people with a common goal - and I do wonder what stops them seeking their own end...

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    1. Me too, I enjoyed imagining what that might be.

      XO
      WWW

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  2. Well I didn't see that coming WWW. This is another one that need a follow up chapter.
    From stories of days past to stories of days in the future you certainly know how to use those words!

    If you'd like to pop over to my blog you'll find my WFW
    HERE

    Take care
    Cathy

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Cathy I could so relate to yours too!

      XO
      WWW

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  3. I didn't see it coming, either, but I think this (and the others) are very clever.

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  4. Well written story, but dark indeed. I'm not sure I like it, even though I avidly swallowed it. It reminds me a bit of "Lord of the World"

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    Replies
    1. I also thought afterwards of The Lottery. That story is so dark and creepy.

      XO
      WWW

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  5. A committee that decides who will die? That's different. Must be sometime in the future. Are people then no longer allowed to die naturally? Does old age not play a part anymore?

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    1. I like to think future and limited resources and a death for every birth. I could take it in many directions.

      XO
      WWW

      Delete
  6. People have all kinds of reasons for wanting to slip out of this world, but that would be an interesting (or maybe heartless) way to determine who and when. Lots (most?) sci-fi explores political and social problems. Trouble is a lot of what was once fiction is now becoming fact! I'm trying for the 1st time to participate in the WFW but couldn't find the link-back to Mimi's WFW in her ginormous site. I just explained on my blog what it was and linked back here so my readers could see the concept in action. If you want to see it here's my WFW Story.

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  7. The 'winner' you say...and dark indeed! Well done with this one!

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  8. OOh-er! That was a surprise ending, WWW! Fodder for several sequels too! It kind of reminds me of reverse "Logan's Run". :)
    Such imaginative use of those words!

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  9. Do you boomers realize how universally hated you are? There is not one single demographic that does not hate you- white people, black people, asians, mexicans, indians, chinese, millennials, GenX, GenZ. Something tells me that you boomers are not going to have a very comfortable or easy retirement, especially once you end up in the retirement homes.

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  10. Ooh - dark indeed. Very good surprise twist at the end.

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