Thanks again to cat-herder extraordinaire, Rochelle @ Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple for providing another Friday Fictioneers photo prompt. Her weekly challenge is for us to write a story (beginning, middle, and end) of 100 words or less based on a photo prompt. Thanks to Rowena Curtin for the photo.
Genre: Fiction
Title: Xin Loi Gonzo
Word Count: 100
***
The sun was behind him, half blinding me. Gonzo insisted on knowing why I asked to meet him so early.
He swore and moved aggressively toward me. I backed-up and said, βSome make the world a better place, some we would better off without, and some make no difference.
When he charged me, I drew the pistol, repeatedly squeezing the trigger before I could point it. He knocked me down but did not move after we were on the ground. I stood, shot him in the head, and said, βI just made the world a better place. Xin lα»i, Gonzo.β
***
Look both ways when making room and donβt bring a knife to gun fight.
Mind the gaps and keep the sun at your back.
Xin lα»i is Vietnamese for ‘sorry’ or in my case, ‘sorry about that.’
Our Literary Journey 
Brilliant take, Bill. And that final scene… oh man…
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Thank you, Dale.
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Brings the so-called “glory” of war into a completely different focus, doesn’t it?
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I’m not sure it is glory. More like the excitement of combat. Combat metaphors are replete in sports.
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“We did not fight the enemy, we fought ourselves”: the sad truth of so much of modern warfare, and your story encapsulates that so well.
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Yes. What the script does not say is “and we enjoyed it.” Thank you, Dora.
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Great film, makes me want to watch it again! Great written scene as well Bill, a brutal end for Gonzo.
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It was Gonzo’s time. I was just the messanger. Thanks, Iain. And I did watch it again, and now you got me thinking ‘one more time’. π
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I haven’t seen the movie so I don’t know what Gonzo did, or why the protagonist thought it was okay to kill him
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Good. Because that story is not taken from the movie. But I shall not spoil the movie either.
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The final line, brilliant!!
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Thank you.
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The darkness of war! Well done, Bill π
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Thank you, Sue.
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The ending was tough. It’s easy for us non veterans to see war as just a distant thing, but Gonzo and the protagonist went through quite a major moment of reality
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I am guessing the protagonists were not exactly enamoured of each other. A dark story done well.
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Dear Bill,
Pogo said it well, “We have seen the enemy and he is us.” Powerful piece.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks, Rochelle.
Indeed, our human nature has its dark side.
Peace,
Bill
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Dark, graphic, gory. Nice one Bill.
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Thanks, Keith.
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Strong write … Nicely done.
Be well … Be Safe
Isadora π
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Thank you, Isadora.
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methinks he didn’t see it coming. oh well…
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I guess Gonzo had to go. Brutal, nice one!
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The brutality of war. You captured it so well.
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I guess killing is much easier if one believes it’s making the world a better place.
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War does terrible things to man… and brings the worst into man, and the best.
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You can feel that shot at the end. Well told
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Good writing. God was on his side if the afterword is any indicator. The sun in his eyes and a gun not aimed are 2 strikes against him.
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Thank you.
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You’re welcome.
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Nicely done. War is a horror to experience. He survived it but I don’t think he’ll forget. Even if it was done to save others.
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π Depends on who you ask, Laurie. Thank you.
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A dramatic moment, and a very moving link. A lot in a few words.
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Thank you, Sandra.
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Yikes, that brought back those scenes. Well done!
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Thank you, Na’ama.
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π
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War is war!
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Letting out aggressions is a good thing, but remind me to stay on your good side. π
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