Wednesday 20 November 2013

FRIDAY FICTIONEERS - DAWN RAID - MY 100 WORDS BY LINDA PALUND




DAWN RAID

            We arrived in the city before dawn, when most of the inhabitants were asleep.  No one saw us land in the alley behind Bloomingdales.
            We had been watching the humans with disgust.  They were keeping our kind in glass cages.  The entire city was nothing more than a vast zoo.
            The more depraved were toying with their captives, dressing and undressing them late at night, festooning their cages with humiliating decorations.
            Throngs walked by each day, staring through the glass; they called it “window shopping”.
            The R6-Series Robot brigade rescued as many as we could.  Sadly, we left many behind.

This Dabble in FLASH FICTION is from FRIDAY FICTIONEERS courtesy of:
and you can comment on mine below:

43 comments:

  1. Linda - love the idea of the city's shops being seen as a giant zoo. Something very 'planet of the apes' going on here (in my mind). Good stuff.

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    1. Thanks, Mike, I like to think about what we all look like from an alien point of view...

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  2. A great take on the prompt. You made me feel almost sorry for the mannequins. And boy they sound angry...

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    1. Thanks, Sandra. I have to say that I couldn't use my R7 Robots for this, because they are much to smart to think that mannequins were robots, but I liked the idea that a casual look at Bloomingdales by a planet of Robots might cause them to think such a thing.

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  3. Good one, Linda, and an unusual viewpoint. I like it.

    janet

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    1. Thanks for liking my unusual view point. At least I didn't kill anyone the way most folks have done this week!

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  4. looks like they are even dismembering the poor things. How horrible!
    Clever take on the prompt, Linda.

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    1. Thanks, Russell, Sadly, that is one we had to leave behind. We were too late for him...

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  5. Perhaps your R6s plan to return disguised as mannequins with the goal of taking over the world. Of course, they may be discouraged by the disrespectful treatment their predecessors have received and decide to move on to Mars. Good story.

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    1. Yes, you are right. I think the R6's are not smart enough to take over our world, but Mars is a likely prospect.

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  6. I like this story! Could be a tongue-in-cheek Twilight Zone episode or even a scary one. Until the end I was fooled; I actually thought it could be hamsters or something, not mannequins. Good writing! (P.S. I want to know about the band you were in and what kind of music you played. When you get a chance.)

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    1. Phew! I was worried my long winded answer was going to wind up here. Thanks for enjoying my little story and yes, it was totally inspired by Twilight Zone!

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  7. you did an excellent job introducing us to a very interesting viewpoint. if i were in the R6's place, i'd also think that the humans' treatment of the mannequins was indeed very horrible and messed up.

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    1. Thanks, but you have to bear in mind that these robots are not very smart. But good natured. That's what counts in a robot.

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  8. Dear Lindaura,

    It took me a second to realize what was going on here. But when I did I laughed out loud. One of my favorites this week.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

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    1. Thanks, Rochelle, any chance to sneak a robot into a story and I'm taking it!

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  9. This reminds me of that very first episode of the new Doctor Who with the plastic mannequins coming to life!

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    1. Oh, golly, I love Dr Who, but I don't remember that episode. Still, it is always wonderful to be reminded of Dr Who!

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  10. Hi Linda,
    I have to plead guilty. Dressed and undressing mannequins late at night has sustained me for many years. But that's all over after the R6 brigade raided my residence. Now all I have left are my paper dolls. Ron

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    1. You are so funny! I knew you would like this, but I didn't know about your stash of mannequins, so it wasn't me who grassed you out! Paper dolls are fun, but really no substitute.

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  11. Trés clever, Linda. The idea of a stores being zoos... the humanization of mannequins is really well done here! Really enjoyed this piece. Nice work!

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    1. Thanks for enjoying this, although it is the robotisation that I was aiming for...

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  12. That was great - either the shop mannequins are carefully hiding their true identity, or the R6 robots are going to end up disappointed when the newly freed captives "refuse" to communicate :-)

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    1. You are absolutely right. The poor R6's are just not as bright as the later R7 Series. They are going to be very disappointed when they find out what the mannequins really are. They meant well, though. They were programmed with human type sentiments.....

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  13. So cool. This is definitely a cautionary tale. We should be careful to treat our mannequins with respect. Give them coffee breaks and such things that OSHA might demand. Something like your story might happen. I enjoyed this a lot. Well done! :)

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    1. Thanks for enjoying it. I wonder what the robots would think if they saw the mannequins being served coffee and donuts....

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  14. Robot and mannequin rights: that will be the thorny political problem of the next century, I'm sure. :)

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    1. Well, robot rights anyway. These poor robots were a bit misguided this time around. The next batch will be a lot smarter.

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  15. What an original take on the prompt, Linda! I enjoyed this very much.

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    1. Glad you liked it. Just another world view - from another world, that is...

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  16. I love the angle from which you've told this story; well written, and insightful, and a good read!

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    1. Why thank you for all that lovely praise. Just a good read is good enough for me!

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  17. I really liked this! Sort of Twilight Zone-ish, which always gets my vote. Great take on the prompt!

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    1. Yes, I am a big fan of both the Twilight Zone and Philip K Dick. Both were always wrestling with the concept of humanity....

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  18. Enjoyed this one.

    :-)

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  19. Unique and innovative.. like the thought of the mannequins being another specie...

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  20. Thanks, Bjorn. I like that they are not, but the robots think they are!

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  21. Oh, I like this - fan of science fiction and all. ...makes me think of crop circles (which have been well debunked) and space ships coming down to save scarecrows...

    Thanks for your visit to my spinster sisters. ~Jules

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  22. Hi, Jules. Thanks. Yes those crop circles...and I know people who really believe in them - really believe aliens are making them. Your story was amazing!

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  23. Oh, I love it, Linda! What a great take on this prompt.

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