XXX
Today is Day Twenty-Four of the A-to-Z Blogging Challenge. Click on the letter picture to the right for more information about this blog hop. Like last year, I’m writing 100-word flash fiction stories/poems/scenes for this year’s challenge. Today’s is:
“Does anyone know what those marks mean?”
Tammy’s hand was fastest. Mr. Jedson nodded.
“XXX—it’s her signature, Mr. J.”
“No, Tammy. See, here’s her signature above.” There was silence. “These symbolize kisses. You know what a kiss is?”
The class stared at him. Mr. Jedson sighed.
“It’s when one person presses their lips onto another person, maybe onto their cheek, maybe onto their lips.”
“You mean, in real life?” said Tom. “Isn’t that dangerous?”
Mr. Jedson smiled at the wall of faces on his monitor, his virtual classroom, and brushed a withered finger over the signature.
Perhaps it was.
Come back tomorrow for Y…
Clever! I wondered how you’d get around X. Aussies wouldn’t have a problem because we have XXXX beer (referred to as ‘fourex’).
Mmm… XXXX–I’ll have to remember that for next year. 🙂
A thought of a virtual classroom like this is scary. It is scary because it is not unlikely.
The technology for this exists, so maybe it isn’t that far from happening. Hopefully never to the point where we don’t have any kind of real-life contact, though.
For families living in Outback Australia, this is already the reality. Granted, many of them are still on two-way radio for School of the Air. But hey, when you live thousands of kilometres from your next-door neighbour, this is how things are.
Wow–interesting. Thanks for that, Heidi! 🙂
There’s a whole book behind this story, Colin. Loved this.
I suppose there is… 🙂 Thanks, Amanda!
This story is awesome. And a little sad. Gives new meaning to the term Facetime.
Thank you, Dena. 🙂
Sad some people only know the internet.
It is sad, Katy. But I think there will be a shift back toward IRL relationships.
Write this book, Colin. We are waiting. 😉
PS It is sad and scary…But I believe that eventually people will drop the internet as a substitute for real human connection. 🙂
lol–oh, okay! 😉 Seriously though, I will have to think about that.
It is sad and scary, but I do think there will come a time when people have had enough of only meeting online. Already young people are seeing more and more the value of IRL friendships. Balance will come–I hope! 🙂
I hope so too, Colin! And I love your idea for a YA novel inspired by this story… 🙂
I like the concept of this flash. It’d be an interesting story.
~Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine~
Member of C. Lee’s Muffin Commando Squad
Story Dam
Patricia Lynne, Indie Author
The more I think about it, the more I can see this as a YA novel–a boy and girl who only know each other from a virtual classroom find a way to slip electronic notes, and then eventually find a way to break out of their secluded quarters to meet up IRL… at great danger to themselves and others. Mmm… That’s almost the query letter right there! 😉
Love this story. I was wondering how you were going to handle X for the Challenge.
I’m running out of options for next year, that’s for sure! 🙂