Copyright Georgia Koch
They were long gone by the time the police responded to the Coastguard’s summons, slinking into the darkness as the glowing horizon heralded the dawn of a new day, a new life.
Or a new wave of terror, thought Tom, a few miles inland, surveying the huddle in his barn.
“Pliss…” a tiny upturned hand reached out to him.
Nothing ever changes, does it?
He could give succour; or call the authorities.
Or he could simply look the other way.
What was it to be?
It would be a long time before Tom came to terms with his response that day.
I wasn’t particularly enamoured of my last offering for this prompt, Crossing the Bar, so I decided to limber up for the new season of Friday Fictioneers by tackling a new response. It wasn’t as hard as I thought; it’s not as good as I’d hoped. But it’s a start. Before you ask, there is no hidden answer in the flash. The question is for the reader.
Thank you Rochelle, for keeping up the good work in spite of your busy schedule. Looks liked you enjoyed the OWL proceedings. 🙂
castelsarrasin 
Oh I love that! Mysterious decisions and all-too-familiar consequences. Burning in the heart of this little tale is the human condition.
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Sadly so, Neil. Thanks for reading.
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You had me gripped right away, Sandra. I love it!
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Thanks! Glad it worked for you.
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Excellent!
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Thanks, Sue. 🙂
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And I’ve given it a happy ever after in my head!
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That’s your prerogative, Louise. 🙂 Thanks for visiting.
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This is wonderful Sandra, can we ever give an answer to what’s right? Still I feel that we are required to answer these questions every day…
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What’s right for one situation, can be so wrong for another. But no-one said life was easy. 🙂
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I wonder which he chose. I wonder what would have happened if he called them that caused him to have to come to terms with it. I like it. I like how you left it for the reader to decide.
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Thanks Al, glad you liked it.
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So much fodder for the imagination!
Fun stuff, Sandra.
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Thank you Dawn.
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I love the way you left us to decided or at least to think about over and over, Sandra. So many responses these days aren’t as clear-cut as they used to be. Somewhere in the States recently, two teen-aged boys shot and killed a man who’d just pulled their SUV out of a ditch. How do we respond the next time we see someone in that situation?
janet
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That’s terrible, Janet. It’s no wonder so many pass by on the other side. Thanks for reading. Hope all is well.
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Very topical, and yet still mysterious. Good work.
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Thanks Iain.
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Dear Sandra,
I’m guessing if he had to come to grips with his response…but then there’s the title to contend with. I’d rather like a happily ever after myself. Well written as always.
I had a great time at OWL as you can see. 😉 As for the manuscript on AOMOC, it ain’t quite over.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks Rochelle. I can definitely see a good time was had by all, and it was lovely to see Madison again.
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Hm, I often wonder what would prevail…a desire to help or an instinct to protect myself…you laid it down perfectly, it is an ongoing struggle.
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It certainly is. Every single day. Thanks for reading.
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Life never leaves us with all the clues does it?
Much like your story it perfectly leads us on and then ….
Brilliantly done.
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Thank you! 🙂 glad you liked it.
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What a dilemma. Sounds like the decision is going to eat at his conscience no matter which way he goes. I hate when that happens. Excellent piece, Sandra.
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As my Dad used to say, “I can’t do right for doing wrong”. But he found a way round that! 🙂
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And thank you Russell.
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There are no right answers these days. It’s hard to tell who to trust. Well written dilemma.
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Thanks Tracey. Yes, these are difficult times.
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Ooh, I wonder what he chose to do… I reckon he looked after number one. Great piece!
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He wouldn’t be the first to do that. 🙂 Thanks for reading.
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i can’t figure out the huddle in the barn. but the upturned hand makes it seem like lost waifs living there. i’m missing something. is “pliss” another word for “please”?
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My profound apologies, Rich, for confusing you. I’ve obviously been too obscure in my interpretation of the prompt. I sometimes do that. I saw the boat and it reminded me of the current refugee crisis in Europe. This then reminded me of the dilemma facing those who encounter illegal immigrants, since it’s believed that ‘terrorists’ are using this process to infiltrate Europe, so I wove that into the story too. And yes, ‘pliss’ represents ‘please’. Sorry it didn’t work for you. I hope this has made it clearer for you.
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oh silly, no need ever for an apology. i’ve had plenty of times in which there were things in my head that others couldn’t see in the words. it’s quite common. and it’s not that it didn’t work. it’s just that i couldn’t see the time frame in which you were aiming. nothing wrong with that.
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You’re very gracious. Thank you.
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Excellent hanging line at the end – it left me wondering what my reaction would be.
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Yes, me too. Thanks for stopping by Liz.
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Ooh, I MUST know. Which decision did he make?!
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That’s up to you! 😉
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Beautifully crafted as ever, and painfully thought-provoking.
Love it.
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Thank you CE.
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So well told… what a final line!
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Has the refugee situation triggered this?
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I’m glad that occurred to you. Thank you.
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My daughter works for UNHCR and so it given that I would think of it! Just saying!
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Love the ambiguity here, Sandra. Love the fact we don’t quite know who he might or might not save. Yes, refugees occurred to me too. As he took a while to come to terms with his decision, I wonder if it’s guilt that plagues him. A gripping tale.
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Thanks for reading Lynn. Glad you understood it.
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My pleasure, Sandra. Always enjoy your stories 🙂
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Torn between compassion, fear and indifference, aren’t we all, more or less? Timely, yet timeless because nothing ever seems to change while everything changes constantly. Wonderful story, Sandra.
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Yes, it’s a subject that prompts a whole range of emotions and responses. Thanks for reading.
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A potent tale about an ongoing dilemma. It certainly has the linger factor!
We’d all like to think we’d do the right thing – but you’re tale makes it clear how unclear the right thing is.
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Thanks, I’m glad you understood where I was going with this.
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Excellent, as always.
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Thank you Alicia.
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This is very timely, and intriguingly open-ended. Makes us all think, and what more can we ask of fiction?
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Thanks for reading, Jan.
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Whoa. Dilemma indeed. The ambiguity works well, especially when children are involved.
When I was in boot camp we had a scenario where we could either take a hill and be shot down in the attempt or jump down the ravine and get killed. Either way, each had a 98% casualty rate. It was a test of character to see what soldiers would do in a situation they found they couldn’t get out of. Seems like Tom has one here.
Great story, as usual. Nailed it!
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Life’s all about choices and when it’s not it’s about decisions and what we feel about them afterwards. Thanks for reading Kent.
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Did he look the other way or worse? Tell the authorities or worse even still. Great thought provoker
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Thanks Michael.
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Love the mystery here and that you didn’t provide the answer. Sometimes we all think we know what we would do, but the reality could be different and not as easy to accomplish. Great story, Sandra.
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Excellent piece Sandra – very nicely highlighted the dilemma of what is the ‘right’ thing. And I am not even sure what would be a happy ending…
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Good writing once again, Sandra. This sad story could fit into history in a number of places, especially these days. —- Suzanne
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Oh, I hate having to guess. And for Tom to feel as if he has to come to terms with his decision, it would have been a bad one, right? Turning them in?
A beautiful, tautly constructed tale, Sandra!
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