The Friday Fictioneer Challenge: Write a 100-word story based on the photo.

Photo copyright Sandra Crook

Once Upon A Time

From behind the face of the tower clock, the village looked small. Maureen remembered always being fascinated with the mechanical timepiece, abandoned long ago.

She dreamt of whirling gears and cogs. “Did it used to work?” she asked her parents.

“Once upon a time,” they said, “but we don’t need it now. We have electricity.”

That was before the war. Now, no one had electricity, anywhere. The war took too many lives, broke most technology chains. Turns out time can run backwards, Maureen thought. She finished oiling the clock and started it back up. Once upon a time was now.

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The photographer, Sandra Crook, is also a Friday Fictioneer writer. Here is her story, The History Man.

To read other Friday Fictioneer stories based on this photo, select the smiley blue frog.