Betrayal: Flash fiction #dVerse

Reading what I have just written, I now believe that I’m a coward.

‘Let them shoot me,’ I thought as they marched me in, ‘I will not talk.’ But as soon as they showed me the knives, I crumbled. All my bravery evaporated like the breath of winter. One piece of paper, five names: the price of freedom. For the rest of my life, I’ll have to live with what I’ve done. With what I’ve done to them.

Coward or not, as I walk beyond the compound walls, I know exactly where I’m headed. The border guards shoot to kill: an easy out. I will not have to risk their knives attempting to cross over. And if I make it, though it will not save the friends I’ve just betrayed, I’ll make damn sure the whole world knows our story.

*** ***

Written for dVerse poetry, where Lillian is hosting and has given us the challenge of writing a short prose piece (not more than 144 words) incorporating the following lines from Louise Gluck’s poem ‘Afterword:’

“Reading what I have just written, I now believe.” I didn’t read the poem until after I’d written this, as I wanted to give free rein to my imagination. This story was inspired by a nightmare I had last night!

55 thoughts on “Betrayal: Flash fiction #dVerse

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  1. Powerful ending to this tale. This made me think of Senator John McCain and the 6? years he spent as a prisoner of war. He elected to stay there when he was offered the opportunity to go home. He did not want to desert his men. A true hero and a gentle and honest man as well. How the Senate misses him.

  2. Ingrid, you had me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen. Sounds like it was a real nightmare for you. Glad you dispersed it in your story!

  3. A dystopian take and very apt for our times. ‘All my bravery evaporated like the breath of winter’ I like especially. Let’s hope our choices to come are straightforward. Well done.

  4. Oo, I have has this experience reading my journal entries. Seeing my story down on the written page I have thought I am a coward. Not wanting to be a coward in ink has prompted me to find more courage.

    Love that I connected with this prose piece personally! The writing is strong.

    1. Thank you Gillena! So sorry I can’t comment on your post as I’m not logged in to Google. But I did love it, especially
      ‘A heart that loves feels longing,
      But is never lonely.’❤️

  5. This one gave me goosebumps! I have been having nightmares too lately .. but I love that you are letting it flow through your creative juices! Write on 💝

  6. Good heavens, what a nightmare. You must’ve eaten chocolate at bedtime or some other terrible thing to occasion such a nightmare!

  7. The opening is a real hook, Ingrid; not many stories begin with an honest confession. I think I would crumble when threatened with knives – I’m scared of washing up our big chopping knife and I won’t use it either. What a great sentence: ‘All my bravery evaporated like the breath of winter.’ The ending is powerful.

  8. The opening is a real hook, not many stories begin with an honest confession, and not many characters admit to being cowards. I think I would crumble when threatened with knives – I’m scared of washing up our big chopping knife and I won’t use it either. What a great sentence: ‘All my bravery evaporated like the breath of winter.’ The ending is powerful.

  9. Excellent and clever piece, part Tom Stoppard, part Hemingway. Like any trauma, we cannot guess our response to a fire in your home, being mugged, or burglarized. My only parallel personally is living 30 years with a chronic progressive disability, and I chose to accommodate to it.

    1. Wow, that’s praise indeed, very kind words, Glenn. I have no idea how I would really behave. I have quite a high pain threshold but this would be another level. If you can adapt to such challenges you are obviously a strong person.

  10. Oh help. What an ending! It is amazing what cheese can do. I ought to post my cheesey story now lol

  11. I think we’ve all wondered what we would do in these circumstances. I would probably crumble too. I like the resolve at the end to try to salvage some good from the evil. (K)

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