Friday 8 March 2013

FRIDAY FICTIONEERS - THE MOVING STAIRCASE - 100 Words by Linda Palund



The Moving Staircase

            “I’m so happy you’re here,” Jonathan’s stepmother said, leading him into the foyer. “Look, here’s the spiral staircase.”
            Five-year-old Jonathan craned his neck and gasped. The swirl of railings stretched to the heavens.
            “We don’t have to climb them, do we?”
            “Of course not.  Since we lost the remote control, the stairs just shift wherever they please.”
            She sighed regretfully. “Your father should never have programmed them with Artificial Intelligence.  He was the last to climb them and he never returned.  He's lost without that remote.”
            This surprised Jonathan. He could see the remote poking out of her apron pocket.

29 comments:

  1. Hahaha! Nice job I enjoyed reading.

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  2. Nicely done...I hope Jonathan grabs the remote.

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  3. Nice Harry-Potterish touch! Maybe Jonathan's on to a great adventure ...

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  4. I too saw the grand staircase at Hogwarts in this piece. I thought Jonathan seeing the remote in her pocket at the end, was a great touch.

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  5. Lovely ending - very convincing.

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  6. That was fun, Linda. A moving staircase would be fun (escalators, for instance) but one that did what it liked--not so much.

    janet

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  7. Hahaha - beautiful!

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  8. Hmm, she sounds a bit sinister doesn't she? I wonder what she has planned for him. Good story!

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  9. Oh, I love this! I want to see it grow (besides what I see in my head). I just love fantastical writing, and this was.

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  10. Golly! Thanks. You made my day or night, as the case may be...)

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  11. Oh, and where has she sent the father and to what end?
    I loved this strange tale, linda. Very nice.

    Aloha,

    Doug

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    1. Oh, Doug, I've been missing you! Carlos is too wrapped up in his listomaniabath.com to get a break to write for fun - he's trying to write for profit now - a novel idea...

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  12. Great story - i love that idea - where did you get it from?
    Tiny typo in the final sentence, though - 'our' should read 'out'.
    Great stuff :)

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  13. Thank's so much for pointing that typo out! I don't know how I missed it - I guess it is one of those tricks our eyes play, I wanted to see " out" so that's what I read.
    Meanwhile I fixed it and changed a word I was too lazy to change before!
    Thanks!
    Linda

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  14. I like the idea of the stairs, but I don't think Daddy's coming back until Mommy cools off.

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  15. And don't forget, it's "Step-Mommie"!

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  16. Oh, that was hilarious. Finally mom gets control of the remote!

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  17. Well, that's one way of looking at it...

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  18. haha this was such a great read. the story took us to a whole new place and the twist was genius.

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  19. Thanks, Yes, it was kind of twintin' staircase!

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  20. Dear Linda
    Of course he's lost without his remote. Aren't all men? Fun story. Lots of twists and turns. ;)
    Shalom,
    Rochelle

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  21. Thanks, Rochelle,
    I think I am back to form - or getting close...

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  22. A wicked stepmother, eh? This looks like the start of a modern fairytale. I hope she gets her comeuppance at the end!

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    1. Glad you noticed. Yup, the wicked stepmother at it again. Poor dad. Poor Jonathan....

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  23. The father's fate would also be mine. Sure, I can write programs, but I can't operate the TV to save my life. Last time I tried, I gave up after ten minutes or so.

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    1. You made me chuckle. It is true that I always wrangle with my man over the remote, but each one does take getting used to. They're making it easier now though...

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  24. Linda, when I click on this week's link, I get last week's story. Help!

    janet

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