The Friday Fictioneer Challenge: Write a 100-word story based on the photo.
Photo copyright J Hardy Carroll
Next Steps
“Everything I own, gone in just a few minutes.” Max heard himself say to the reporter as she packed up her gear. She hadn’t talked to him. She had interviewed only the man who lived in the penthouse suite. Both the penthouse occupant and the reporter ignored everyone else; not worth their time, they thought.
Max sat down on the curb, coughing from the smoke, unsure of his next steps. This isn’t how I thought today would go.
He unzipped his jacket just enough to see his kitten’s face poking out. She mewed. Max hugged her as he cried.
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To read other Friday Fictioneer stories based on this photo, select the smiley blue frog.
It's a long story ... 
A poignant moment. Poor Max.
You’ve written a fluent, well-paced piece exploring the shock and resentment of somebody who’s just lost everything. Almost everything. He has the kitten. I hope he and the kitten are able to salvage a life from what remains.
I had to re-read the story because I momentarily got lost on who was “he” and who was “she” but then I got it.
Seems the saving of a kitten would have made a terrific “human interest” story.
Good story. At least, the kitten will appreciate his help
Oh, how sad. Money gets its 15 minutes while real need gets a curbside seat and ignored.
Lovely story – lucky kitten.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
Having more doesn’t mean more to lose. Nice take.
Nice take yourself.
Aww. Well, he at least has his kitty to warm his heart. Poor guy.
Lucky kitten, but that line ‘This isn’t how I thought today would go’ made me wonder how the fire started.
How it’s always about the ‘haves’! A very beautifully written story about how the common man is almost always sidetracked.