Posted in #unicornchallenge, Challenges, Flash Fiction

Two Faces – #unicornchallenge – May 24, 2024

Posted on by R.M. Carlson

She sat on a bench across the street from the museum, studying the sculpture in front.  It was a man, seemingly sculpted from wood, reading. He reminded her of a book she once read, “A Man of Two Faces.”

If you looked closely at the man, you could see his skeletal-like face. Above it, between his forehead and the crown of his head, another face appeared to her. You could distinguish two eyes and a nose that would be looking skyward if the sculpture could have looked up. He captured her imagination particularly given the times she was living in.

The outward looking face of the man was bowed, reading a book. The book he was reading, she imagined, was a book on American culture in these unsettled current times. There were bitter political rivalries, hundreds of conspiracy theories, religious involvement, misinformation and disinformation. Neighbors turned against neighbors and family against family. Long-time friendships were forever destroyed. The American dream to her seemed to be gone and she had no understanding of half the American population and its thinking.

She looked at the other face of the sculpture. That face wasn’t as clear, the expression was more off-kilter, perhaps confused, and a little dreamy. Maybe that face was dreaming of what could be, but wasn’t, in America. The American Dream, but this time an inclusive American Dream that was available to everyone. Was it now lost forever? Destroyed by greed and the lust for power? The sculpture had no answers.

Thanks to Ayr/Gray for hosting the #unicornchallengeT.

Author:

Freelance writer, blogger, aspiring novelist. Former career as a college prof in finance. Encore career as freelance writer for a number of financial websites.

17 thoughts on “Two Faces – #unicornchallenge – May 24, 2024”

  1. Deeply thoughtful, beautifully written and very much to the point, and a great take on the prompt.
    I could substitute my own country for America and it would be just as true.
    ‘The sculpture had no answers.’ – an ending that doesn’t let the reader off the hook.
    Expertly crafted story, Rosemary.

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  3. Heavy stuff this week, Rosemary, and if it’s any small comfort most of the civilised world is looking with trepidation and mounting horror at the USA in case you do the unthinkable and re-elect the psychopath who is trying to destroy your country for his own ends.

    Powerful piece, skilfully written.

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    1. C.E.- The situation in the US is dire. There is no doubt about that. Two warring factions. One of them are supporters of the psychopath, even if he is in jail. Which may happen. It is tearing the very fiber of our society apart. People blindly following him even though they know he will destroy our democracy. I will never understand it. I hope the rest of the world knows that at least 50% of the US population will NOT vote for him.

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  5. Extremely descriptive and insightful write, RM.

    It’s somewhat terrifying to think about what will happen in November in the States. Evil, power-crazed politicians have destroyed everything good about the US. I pray there’s still time to get it right.

    Riveting story.

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      1. I can’t even think about that right now. Leaving the US would be the biggest and most disruptive move of our lives. It isn’t anything we’ve even seriously discussed until now and we’re still not entertaining the possibility. Global unrest is no joke; I think we’ll be just as unhappy somewhere else it the world.

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  6. I love this vision, both of the second face and of the hopeful thoughts he’s having. Maybe there’s a solution right there: look away from the media & focus on the grander vision of what we could make. ❤

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