Friday Fictioneers is hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields who provides us with a photo prompt. Each week’s challenge is to write a 100-word story inspired by the photo. Click here to play along or just read more stories.
Know A Fence
When the electric fences went up around the cities, few cared. City people didn’t notice. Country people were happy to be rid of city folk.
The city people noticed the fences when they couldn’t go for country vacations. Country people became concerned when their children in college couldn’t come home.
The city people grumbled when they couldn’t get salads. The country people when they couldn’t get Amazon packages.
As supplies grew short, the government saved the day. Supply drops became the only way to maintain communities. Taxes were adjusted accordingly.
Everybody hated the fences, but it was too late now.
NobbinBlog 
I wonder what they thought the purpose of the fences were. Also, why there wasn’t a run on bolt cutters in the hardware shops
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To protect their own, and that probably has something to do with the electricity coursing through the fence.
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Ooh, there’s a horrible ring of some of the things that are happening these days in this story. A great cautionary tale.
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I may have found inspiration in some of those things. Thank you.
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The tension between power and control-to-maintain-power … Universal and sadly, still not something humanity evolved above.
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We still have a lot of evolving to do.
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Yep. Tons, oy.
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You’ve constructed your metaphor carefully, and it makes a lot of sense. One could view it as analogous to the bans on international travel under covid. Have we really reached that point in our suspicion of government? I wonder.
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I made sense! 🎉🎉🎉
I didn’t even think COVID. I can see that. I was thinking more about how people self-segregate based on color, religion, politics… without considering what each brings when we come together. Also the literal sense of immigration limitations, a certain wall.
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Penny says it much better than I can, your story recalled to mind the enforced enclosure of Britain’s common land.
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I wasn’t familiar with that. I just read about it. I can see the similarities.
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I felt quite uneasy, reading this. Once upon a time it might have seemed like science fiction.
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I’m good at making people feel uneasy. A lot of what used to seem like science fiction and dystopian feel more and more real.
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Dear Nobbin,
A cringe-worthy story that doesn’t sound all that far-fetched. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
PS I adore your doggy pictures.
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We seem to be walking ourselves down that path. Thank you, Rochelle.
P.S. Thank you.
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I guess the only winners in that situation would be drone manufacturers! A thought-provoking piece.
Here’s mine!
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I think Jeff Bezos would be upgrading his fleet. Thank you.
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Funny how some things can creep in until it’s too late to do anything about it.
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Humans seem to have a general apathy until it affects us directly.
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Interesting take on the prompt. I enjoyed reading your story. Well done!
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Thank you.
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the fence. A great take reflecting many of today’s problems and attitudes.
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Thank you.
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Reads like a scene out of the “Hunger Games” series… well written.
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I didn’t think of “Hunger Games,” but you’re right, this could be an origin story. Thank you.
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What a great metaphor on how to be aware of the beginnings. When we let ‘the ones in power proceed for too long with something without massive protest, it’s too late. If protest is possible at all…
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Too often we’re apathetic until it directly affects us, and by then, it’s too late. Thank you.
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What would they do without mighty Amazon?
A few years after we left high school, bbf and I went for a drive. In our absence, they put a fence around the entire school. How would the little darlings have their smokos? We couldn’t work out if the fence was designed to keep the kids in or out…
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We would live in caves and fling poo at each other. 💩
They just wanted to make sure you couldn’t get back in. 🧱🚧🧱
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Bring out the b… monkey.
Well, that explains the fence around your house, and silly me, I thought it was to keep the dogs in…
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Would I need a fence in addition to the enormous moats around our countries and vicious attack dogs?
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Time for teleportation…
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I LOVE dystopian, so this gave me all the feels. Great work!
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I’m glad I could meet the criteria. Thank you.
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Fences and gates, the same things that hold cattle in place. As long as we can produce from our enclosures we should be safe.
Another cute cute Charley pic.
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Moooo!
Thank you. It seemed appropriate.
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You’re welcome!
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Shades of “1984” and “Animal Farm.” Good writing.
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I could see “1984” starting with something like this. “Animal Farm” already had fences.
High praise, indeed. Thank you.
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