Abdulla studies himself in the mirror, turns this way and that, smooths his coat.
The mirror was his mother’s pride, said to come from a famous Tel Aviv department store, a seven-foot slab of silvered glass in a gilded frame.
Abdulla remembers that it took four men to bring it up the stairs to her room.
In the reflection he sees her bed behind him, made up just as she liked it, as though she might come in and lie down for an afternoon nap.
He smooths his coat again, then unbuttons it to check the detonators a last time.
Uh, that hit hard.
Abdulla’s reflections seem to have become somewhat distorted.
Dear Josh,
This one just sent shivers down my spine. Well written and cringe-worthy.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thanks. Effect I was going for. ;-)
I liked the human details. Given the them, I’d have liked to have seen his motivation, but you can’t have it all in 100 words
Powerful indeed.
Struggling to see the connection to the prompt.
Marketplace bomber.
Nasty, nasty. Brilliant but terrifying at the same time.
Too real. Well done. And for some of us, close to home. Oy.
Suggests that the only thing holding him back from this kind of activity was his mother, and now she’s gone? Or maybe someone took his mother from him and he’s seeking revenge? Excellent storytelling. I can see the scene clearly.
WTF? I did not see that coming. I’m sure his victims won’t either.
Powerful and fascinating, yet sad,
The mixed motivations, captured by descriptions of the mirror and Abdullah’s mother, are brilliantly done. And the last minute check of the detonators – wow. You take a perfectly mundane action that we all do – like double checking the passport in your handbag before setting off for the airport – and subvert it. He’s checking the detonators. Double take. WHAT???? Terrific writing, Josh.
Aw, thanks Penny!
Revenge for your mother – there is more behind this. What happened to her?
A reflective story with a hell of a sting in its tail. Excellent.
Here’s mine!
Scary stuff, Chilling. Brilliant.
That was good. Makes you think of what was unsaid and wonder.
Great build to the denouement. Well told