Every week, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields (thank you, Rochelle!) hosts a flash fiction challenge, to write a complete story, with a beginning, middle and end in 100 words or less. Post it on your blog, and include the Photoprompt and Inlinkz (the blue frog) on your page. Link your story URL. Then the fun starts as you read other peoples’ stories and comment on them!
Photoprompt (c) Kent Bonham
Word count 100
A confidant
Rebekah stretched. It had been a long drive to her parents’ home in Galilee from her workplace, the Monod Institute, in the Negev. The garden, her father’s share of Abraham’s inheritance, held grapevines, a few olives and a fig tree.
Rebekah frowned, as she had for months. Could she tell her father?
She climbed up to be enfolded in her mother’s arms.
“And, guess what? We have your brother, David, for dinner tonight!”
Rebekah tensed with realisation. David! He was a physician, and discreet. She could tell him about the bioweapon, the Doomsday Plague, being developed by the Monod Institute!
Autumn Leaves 
what a deadly secret and what a lovely story ! 🙂 Great take on the prompt, Penny!
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Thank you, Moon!
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That’s quite a secret to have to carry around with you!
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It is, Iain. And such secrets are protected with draconian laws in Israel. Vanunu spent many years in prison for telling the world about Israel’s atomic bomb, and is still harassed by police and security. (Admittedly most countries would have shot him)
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Oh my goodness, such a secret to keep. She must feel such relief in being able to share it.
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Do you think so, Kelvin? Thank you for reading and for your comment.
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Exciting stuff. Will there be more?
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Ah, Sandra, thank you for asking! There already is more. This is a heavily cut and rewritten version of a scene from my (as yet unpublished) thriller, “The Doomsday Plague”.
Thank you for the lovely comment!
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Okay, now I want to read the whole book. Right now, please 🙂
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Thank you, Sandra! xxxxx
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Just a note–I’m not Sandra. This is the second time someone has called me by her name. Something spooky going on here 🙂 I’m Linda, aka granonine.
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I don’t think she should tell her brother, his job is to save life’s. He will have to spilt on her.
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now that is an ominous tale…
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Thank you for commenting, Jelli. I’m glad you found it ominous. My guess would be that it’s also, in essence, true. I’m sure that scientists work on such weapons, and I’m sure there are those who suffer a crisis of conscience as a result.
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One would at least hope that they do. A bit like Oppenheimer who, when questioned about his development of the Nuclear Bomb, said he regretted that he’d ever figured out how to split the atom.
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That’s certainly a possibility, Michael. Of course, Rebekah may feel the same, that people should be told. With the control that governments have over the media, just think how difficult that might be…Thank you for commenting!
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Linda! Of course! How stupid of me! I’m sorry for using the wrong name. BTW Your ‘nom de plume’, Granonine, is that because you have nine grandchildren, or something darker and more arcane…!?
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I hope Rebekah does tell her brother about the doomsday Plague – as for me – I’m eating all my vegetables from now on! Nan
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Thank you for reading and commenting, Nan. If she tells her brother, things may work out other than you suppose! All the best, Penny
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Do you think the brother will understand? Does he in the book or does it cause ructions between them? These secrets are too huge for normal human beings, don’t you think? Imagine being the person with their finger on the button – how do they cope? Nicely told, Penny
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In the book, he understands the implications better than Rebekah. His subsequent actions unwittingly lead eventually to a chilling result.
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What an intriguing storyline. Have you got to the point where you’re sending it to agents yet?
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Thirty rejections from agents so far…In fact, Rebekah is a minor character. Her actions trigger the events that pit Saleem, the jihadi, against Benazir, a recent recruit to the UK Intelligence service, with the fate of the human race at stake.
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It’s a long and painful slog, the road to publication, isn’t it? Why do we do it to ourselves? I know people who think I’m mad for putting myself through the constant rejection, but if I hadn’t sent stories out I would never have won competitions, never have the opportunity to become a published author. And you know the ones who make it are the determined, just like yourself. It sounds like a terrifying, fascinating plot and the very best of luck with it Penny. One day, I will see your name on the spine of a paperback … x
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Thank you for that lovely, encouraging comment, Lynn!
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My very great pleasure – stick with it 🙂
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Dear Penny,
That’s quite a secret to keep. Tense and well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thank you, Rochelle!
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Ooooooo what a secret to hold. In this case I hope she does tell him
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In the novel she tells him. Here, I’m not so sure…
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I want to read this novel. 🙂 What a secret to keep. As a physician, the brother will have to act on his conscience. And I agree, these weapons are being developed. Deadly viruses and bacteria are around in sufficient numbers. Keeping them virulent outside a body for some time, spreading them where you want them and vaccinating those whom you want to survive would be the challenge, I guess. What a cynical job to do. Shudder…
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Thank you for reading and commenting. I’m glad the story intrigued you enough that you want to read the novel. That’s a lovely compliment!
Cynical? I’m not so sure. There will be some cynics, but I think they will be outnumbered by idealists determined that their nation will have weapons to defend itself. Personally I think that’s an appalling conviction to hold, but I don’t doubt that it’s held sincerely.
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That’s some secret to be carrying around.
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It certainly is! It could drive you mad, or cause you to take actions that you would never otherwise take…
Thank you for commenting!
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Interesting take on the prompt Penny. I somehow got the feeling she didnt quite trust her father and even that he maybe mixed up in all this! I hope you make this into a longer story 🙂
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Quite right, Dahlia. He’s not mixed up in it, but he wouldn’t have been discreet. It’s a condensed scene from a nov el, so there’s lots more if you like it!
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Cool 🙂
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