FF – Can we go to Bloomingdales?
Here is my story for Friday Fictioneers, hosted by Rochelle. This week’s photo was contributed by Marie Gail Stratford.
Copyright Marie Gail Stratford
“Can we go to Bloomingdales, Daddy, can we can we caaaaan weeeee?”
“Ooh,” chipped in her brother, “how about ‘Wrigley Field’? Is that where the chewing gum is made?”
“No, son!” laughed Dad. “That’s where they play ‘the baseballs’. Why don’t we try the zoo?”
“Yes, please!” chorused the kids.
Mum left the group, walking from the holographic image suite to look out of a window at the Earth, far below. Was that a small patch of green or just her imagination? Was the planet recovering, sooner than predicted?
Maybe the kids, or their kids, would live to see Chicago for real.
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Friday Fictioneers
draliman on life 
Ah gosh how horrible it will be to only be able to see places on Earth through holograms! Really good short story ❤
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Yes, let’s hope it never comes to that. I’m glad you liked it 🙂
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Dear Ali,
At least they have holographs. Imaginative bit of sci fi and an enjoyable read.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
Yes, they can see what it used to be like. Maybe they can use them when the time comes to rebuild.
I’m glad you liked it!
Ali
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The setting of the story came as quite a surprise! Good one, Ali.
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I nearly made some mention at the top of me being in a post-apocalyptic mood at the moment, but I realised that would give the game away 🙂 I’m glad you liked it!
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Good thing you didn’t mention your mood. 😁
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🙂
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There are some who would say that Chicago is in desperate need of that kind of rehabilitation right now.
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Ha! I guess the same could be said of many cities. Maybe they’ll get the chance once they can return to Earth.
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Hopefully. Right now, Chicago has one of the highest crime rates in the U.S.
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Hmmm What if we are all holograms? Great story! 🙂
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Aargh, now I’m going to be thinking about that all day 🙂 I’m glad you liked it!
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Ali, this is a wonderful tale. You caught me off guard at the end ~ in a good way. Alicia
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Thanks, I’m glad I managed a bit of misdirection 🙂
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Now that’s a well disguised story. We watch television documentaries about places on earth that we wouldn’t get to go to. So guess we are watching holographs already.
You wrote a GREAT story. Love it.
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I’ve seen some clips of VR suites which recreate lost cities and places deep under the sea. Amazing stuff. I’m glad you enjoyed my story!
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Well, if there’s going to be a holographic Chicago, it’s nice they included Wrigley Field.
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It’s a full-featured hologram! I have Garry to thank that I know about Wrigley Field and its location 🙂
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Brought back happy memories of my trip to Chicago – and the hope that it never ends up like this.
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Let’s hope no cities end up like this. The human race wasn’t designed to live floating around in space!
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Love your story – and it is very realistic! Hopefully our children will never go through such a horrible experience.
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Fingers crossed. I guess it would hardest for the first generation as they know what they’ve lost. I’m glad you enjoyed it!
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I don’t even want to know what people look like by then. Let’s appreciate and take care of our world while we still have it. Good writing, Ali. 🙂 — Suzanne
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We do need to take more care. I’m glad you liked it 🙂
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Do you know something we don’t? Nice one
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I can neither confirm or deny… 🙂
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That was a good one. I wasn’t expecting that at all.
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Thanks. That was the plan 🙂
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So wonderfully imaginative and so very well written.
I had no idea they were not on Earth when I started reading. I can feel the mother’s longing to return.
A great read, Draliman.
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Thanks, I’m glad you liked it! I was careful not to give away more than a hint or two (“the baseballs” for example instead of “baseball”) until near the end 🙂
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Sounds like Doomsday.. We better take care of our beloved planet.
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It was I think. Definitely time to take more care.
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Topical. Delhi in grip of severe air pollution right now.
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Quite a few cities around the world are getting bad with pollution. Let’s hope that’s not the beginning of my story.
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Great story this week! Post -apoc… what would it take to restore the world to it’s original design…. something to think about.
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A few thousand years without humans ought to do it 🙂 I’m glad you liked it!
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Great twist at the end! Loved the story!
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Thanks, I’m glad you liked the twist 🙂
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A really unexpected and sad take.
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Yes, a little twist at the end there which turned it all around.
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Huge events and lots of time all contained in so few words. Well done.
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Thanks, I’m glad you liked it 🙂
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Well done, Ali, for a well imagined and well constructed story. You handled the reveal nicely, too. I read this as an optimistic story. Even though we trash the earth there are people left to care, remediate and re-colonise.
BTW did you know that technically such a refuge in space is possible with today’s technology? If I remember rightly, each module would be home to about 250,000 people. An ark for the present day. Mr Noah, please step forward…
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I hope that these people, when they eventually get down there, have learned the lessons of the past.
I didn’t know we could have space arks. I expect they’d cost quite a bit, though!
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But…… but…….. but Illinois requires our cars to all have emissions tests to ensure that we are keeping Chicago green! All that money and hassle and red tape! You mean it isn’t working!?!?!?
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Sadly no 😦 Turns out all those lying VW diesels are screwing it all up.
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I enjoyed this! Such an imaginative take on the photo prompt.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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Thanks! I’m glad you liked it.
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My favourite parts of Star Trek were when they went into holographic worlds. Sad if that is the only way to see places, but kinda cool if you’re stuck!
Loved this!
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They’re looking at VR at the moment to do that, I’ve seen some bits on the TV, recreations of ancient cities and so on.
I’m glad you liked it!
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Great take on the prompt. I was so wrapped up in envision the father and kids walking down the sidewalk I never say that ending coming. Nicely done.
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Only a virtual pavement. I’m glad the little misdirection worked!
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It was a fun yet scary take on the prompt – too close to reality.
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Far too close. I don’t wanna end my days floating in space.
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I hope that if never comes to this….
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Me too.
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That first line is such a wrong footer… unique take on the prompt, silliness and seriousness – a distinctive combination!
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Thanks, a bit of misdirection there. I’m glad you liked it!
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The world might be gone but it’s good to know that a kid’s excitement is undiminished.
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They don’t know what the real thing was like, poor things.
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You’ve managed to combine despair and hope in to one 100 word story.
Good one.
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Thanks, I’m glad you liked it!
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Dystopian futures are scary stuff… Especially when they seem so close. Good piece.
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Thanks! Never have I felt so close to one of my stories coming true.
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Let’s hppe you don’t have prophetic abilities 😉
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If I do, we’re all screwed!
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That was an unexpected end, Draliman…but a good one as usual 🙂 Some more Pawkisses 🙂 ❤
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Thanks, a little twist for my readers 🙂
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I so hope they will see more than just Chicago.
Your fiction looks very realistic to me.
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They can take a virtual tour anywhere 🙂
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Yes, their technology is highly advanced 🙂
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