I’ve had a busy week, this week, away from home for most of it, and this weekend I’ve been a little under the weather so I haven’t had the time or energy to devote to my regular post, sorry.
Fear not, devoted reader, I have dug something from my archives for you to read. It’s a short story that I wrote a couple of years ago for an online competition, but it was never submitted in time due to technical issues (wasn’t operator error, honest). Hope you enjoy it. Normal service will resume next week.
The brief for the story was this: write a short story in less than 350 words (flash fiction) that shows an alternative history. What if a particular scientific discovery had never been made? Show what could have been…
The Cleansing
“Great-Grandfather, may I ask you a question?” Peter poked his head around the door of the study.
“You should be doing your homework, child,” said the old man, not looking up.
“I am, sir, the question is related.” Peter stepped slowly into the room.
His great-grandfather sighed and removed his glasses, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Very well, but be quick, I am being picked up shortly.” He gestured at the boy. “Bring me my jacket.”
“Another execution?”
“Cleansing. Order must be preserved, boy. Now, your question?”
Peter handed the jacket to the old man. “Well, I am currently studying the physics of the atom. It seems that a lot of work was performed in the early part of the last century on its structure.” He paused.
“Go on.”
“Well, then the text books just stop, right around the time The Cleansing began. I asked my teacher but he just refused to talk about it.” He looked at his feet. “I thought if anyone would know why...” He trailed off.
“If anyone would know, it would be me.” The old man finished, looking at him. “If this goes any further I shall know.”
Peter nodded “I understand.”
“Sit.”
Peter perched on a chair, watching his great-grandfather.
“Further work was done in those days. Those opposed to The Cleansing believed that the atom was not the smallest structure – that it could be...split, and in splitting it vast amounts of energy could be released, or harnessed. Vast amounts.”
“That's not in the books! Is it possible?”
“As they found out, it isn't. They failed.”
“But what if they'd succeeded? Where would we be now?”
“We'll never know, boy. Best not to think on it.”
“And no-one has tried to-”
“Best not to think on it, child. Ever.”
Peter's eyes widened.
A soft tap interrupted them. The door opened slightly and a blonde head looked in. “Mr Hitler, sir? Your car is here.”
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| Think of atoms like this. Then forget that, they're nothing like this. At all. But if it helps... |
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