“It must be filled with grain”,
Ian’s eyes burned with hunger, a finger resting on the trigger of their only AK-47.
“It’s all ours now”, his gaze met Sara’s.
Sara felt her husband moving for Ian’s gun but he was still too late.
“BOOM”
Robert lay still beside her.
“One less share, now it’s more for us”, Ian crossed the fence.
Sara stopped behind the fence, signalling for the others to wait, pointing at the sign.
“WARNING MINES”
With hands covering her ears she waited for the explosion, trusting Robert’s ballistic vest that only one share had to be deducted.
I took the route of writing a little tale of post-apocalypse, imagining a group of survivors where the power of a single gun might need to be handled. It was a long time since I wrote a tale with a twist so I thought this might work.
Friday Fictioneers is lead by Rochelle Wissoff-Fields and we all try to write stories to the same pictures. The only restriction is to use 100 words (or something like it).
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May 13, 2015
Björn Rudbergs writings 
This brought Stephen King’s The Road to mind: well done.
Cormac Mccarthy’s The Road? But yes, I agree – Bjorn – great post-apocalypse vision you’ve brought in this 100 words.
KT
Sorry: I was convinced it was Stephen King.
I only just read it, so it’s fresh 🙂
And i have never Read it
Dear Björn,
Hunger can do strange things to a person. You’ve shown that well.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Violence and greed, bloodshed and death, disaster looming.
Great stuff!
We men sometimes have real trouble reading the signs.
Desperate times. A well-written piece! Thank you.
Wow, neat little story that is crying out to be a longer piece!! What is it with grain silos that’s making us all think of murders, death and traps? How come we writers don’t see a simple beautiful landscape?
Nice. Mines are a real problem in much of the world. The Road was Cormac McCarthy. I think he’s thinking of The Stand.
The boom made me jump! A great read.
Rosey Pinkerton
Very dark scenario. Survivors who use all their senses, including the ability to read signs, are clearly at an advantage. Great story.
Looks like all the others are willing to cooperate and share. Good plan to weed out the selfish one. Nice twist.
Wow, what an intense reading. Thanks for sharing.
That takes care of Ian. Will the group survive. Let’s hope so. Clever ending.
Bjorn,
I grasped the basic scenario but I’m glad you included the explanation so I was sure. Hopefully his vest can stop an AK-47 round and hopefully all the grain isn’t blown up with Ian. You tell a very vivid story here.
-David
I’d take the person with the gun seriously after that! Well done!
Well depicted after-apocalypse scene. Kudos!
You thought correctly.
It worked.
I had to do the math a couple of times.
i got completely vested in the story, so to speak.
Randy
Desperation and hunger – a gun and greed. Not good combinations but I think they worked in reverse for Ian. Looks like he is the one that is going to be taken out.
“Guns & Grains” could also be the title – nice one Björn
Ha, that’ll teach him. Desperate measures on all sides in this tale. Loved it!
The will to do whatever it takes to survive is clearly painted in this little prose. Hunger definitely changes the mindset. Loved the twist at the end.
It worked! I bet it won’t be the last time someone will give up a share, however unwilling.
DJ
When they offer you the “mine detector” job, it’s wise to pass…
I thought it was perfect for a post-apocalyptic story! Well done!
at heart we are all selfish
Good work, Bjorn! Your story is filled out and intriguing. Plenty of action and a full story in so few words. Great job.
All my best,
MG
What’s great about apocalyptic tales is not telling the impossible, but showing the extremes that lie within everyone. Good story!
reading the sign, if ian were smart, he should let another person cross the fence first.
Cool story of survival in the post-apocalyptic world. Take that Ian!
Excellent story of what man will do to survive…still, hope I never have to live through such horrific choices.
Excellent story with a great twist. Well done.
Interesting. I think you could play this out into an interesting short story, giving more weight to why they need it, and are willing to go to such lengths to protect it — or obtain it.
Bullet proof vests and landmines, that was a ripper of a story.
Excellent story! Interesting and surprising.
Great story, Björn! Excellent pacing and dramatic action. (And thanks, as always, for visiting my blog and commenting. I always love seeing your comments.)
Exciting stuff. I see the makings of a movie there, Björn.
Oh, the paradox of Armageddon-style scenarios — that war and weaponry has most likely caused the mayhem in the first place, and yet survivors depend upon weapons to survive.
PS I’m into Armageddon this week, too, as are a few other fictiioneers. There’s something about that image prompt …
Great story, Bjorn. 🙂 I’d say they’re better off without Ian. Hopefully the rest of them can all read signs better than him!
Dum Dum DUM! She may still get her “just” desserts!
I’m getting the understanding that Robert is not dead but deciding not to show it. Good story. This would be a dangerous time, and let’s hope it never comes to that. Well done, Bjorn. 🙂 — Suzanne
I’d say Ian will soon no longer be the leader. But, hey, if he can’t read the signs . . .
Great story. Just the right amount of tension and creepiness!
Bjorn, Well done! This is plenty bleak for a post- apocalyptic scene. The mines serve as a reminder that you never know what is around the corner and you can never let your guard down.
Talk about thinking ahead.
Brilliant! This is what happens when you are too greedy and don’t want to share…
Why is it that disasters sometimes bring out the worst in human nature?
Ellespeth
Lots of tension in this scene – and a good surprise ending. I hope his special vest held firm.