Today Pegman took us to Wroclaw, Poland. I found this jolly Christmas village in the Magnolia Park Mall. In my mind, this tale started fairly fun before taking a dark turn. Sign of the times? Perhaps.
Let’s say that just this once Mikolaj loves Christmas. We’ll pretend Cecylia hasn’t left him and he has one last chance to buy gifts for their children. One boy. One girl.
Maybe not. Maybe Cecylia never had children and she spends all her time in the bedroom wondering why and her tears cause Mikolaj to run to Magnolia Park, the horrible mall at the center of Wroclaw, and he fights the crowds to buy his wife teddy bears, slippers, and her favorite perfume. Anything to slide under the tree to stop the crying.
Or perhaps our Mikolaj isn’t married. Maybe his parents fought all the time and he never wanted a life like that. Or they loved so deeply he knew, absolutely, he couldn’t have a life like theirs so didn’t even try.
In the end, let’s say his parents died in Auschwitz on Christmas day and Mikolaj was never born.
(150-words)
Up From the Ashes 
Wow. Stunning piece. Really great.
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Thanks very much.
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That was a great brain teaser. Playing with probability.
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I love this style of writing. One never has to come up with anything “real” while throwing out tons of probabilities.
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It works occasionally, but a steady diet of it might get boring.
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Oh, boy, I’m with you on that!
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Dear LIsh,
Let’s say I read your story and that it made me chortle with delight, let’s say that I read your story and it made me weep. Let’s just say I read it and it took my breath away.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Then I would say, “Thank you very much.”
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Very nice! All the possibilities of his life, from the perfect through to worst case. Great story!
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Thanks, Ali. I’m pleased you liked it.
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Hey Alicia, interesting style, as others have commented, probably would get tedious after a long while, as you agreed, I don’t know what else to say other than I would struggle to write this kind of story. So, well done.
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Thank you. I saw this writing style in “The Sun” magazine a few years ago and occasionally try it out. My story, published by Sweet Tree Review, is in this style. I love the challenge of it. You might give it a go sometime, just for fun! 🙂
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I shall bear it in mind, thanks Alicia.
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You’re welcome. It’s nice to have you in the Friday Fictioneers clan and Pegman. Tons of fun to be had.
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Knock me off the chair and leave me utterly speechless. Interesting format to the write, and quite the ending, for sure.
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Hope there are no bruises. Thanks for reading and commenting.
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This is so wonderfully done, Alicia. So powerful, those alternate lives that poor Mikolaj never had the chance to live. Gorgeously done
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Thanks so very much, Lynn. Kind of like the movie “Sliding Doors.”
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Yes, loved that idea, of alternate lives being led by the same person. Though the film upset me – how could they do that to Gwyneth Paltrow? My pleasure Alicia
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I know, right?
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Wow, the way that unravels is chilling. Love this. Fresh and frightening.
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Thanks so very much for your kind words. Alicia
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Great writing – the way you weave these scenarios alongside each other is so imaginative and emotionally powerful.
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Thanks for going back to read Mikolaj’s Christmas. For some reason, I was thinking about this story a few weeks ago and couldn’t remember the title.
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