The following photo is the PHOTO PROMPT. Does it tell you a story?
PHOTO PROMPT © Stephen Baum
Genre: Historical Fiction
Word Count: 100
BELOW THE WALL
“Hurry, Annika.” Vati whispered, glanced over his shoulder at the border guards and pulled me by the hand down Bernauer Strasse.
“What about Fritz?”
“Forget him!”
Blinded by tears, I stumbled into a crowded building once used as a toilettenhäuschen where we followed other refugees through a hole in the floor. My father held me as we crawled through the dank tunnel. Within minutes we were lifted out on the other side.
While others shouted for joy I mourned my loss.
“Don’t cry, Liebling.” Vati grinned and took a groggy puppy from his coat pocket. “I couldn’t forget him either.”
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.
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More for those who can spare 3:30 extra minutes.
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple 
a poignant story, Rochelle 🙂
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Thank you LLM 😀
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I was shocked and then relieved. I was wondering if they had left a little brother behind.
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Dear Susie,
Nope, no little brothers, or even puppies, left behind. 😉
Thank you for taking the time to read and comment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Absolutely loved your short story..
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Dear Lata,
I love getting comments like yours. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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It’s hard to believe that people came to accept this division as a way of life, or at least a lot of people did. And ironic that once people were building walls to stop people leaving and now we’re desperate to find ways of stopping them arriving. A heartening note that the missing Fritz turned out to be a puppy, and that he came too, I’m a sucker for a mutt story. Well done, and thanks for the reminder, Rochelle.
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Dear Sandra,
I couldn’t resist the “aw” factor this week. And who doesn’t love puppies?
The truth is that when I came across this bit of history I had to write something. What these university students accomplished amazes me.
At any rate, I’m pleased you liked my story and dropped in to say so.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A lovely heart warming story.
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Thank you, Chioma. I’m glad you liked it.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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My, those refugees are getting so skilled with reinforced concrete.
Good piece.
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Dear Mick,
Actually the students who made way for the refugees were skilled at digging under the reinforced concrete. If you click on the link you’ll see what I mean. 😉
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Digging under is one thing, constructing from is another. No matter, I enjoyed what you wrote. Thanks Rochelle.
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You always set the bar so high with your wonderful stories. Still trying to reach your altitude.
DJ
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Dear Danny,
Compliments such as yours are not to be taken lightly. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A lovely story, poignant and well told.
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Thank you, Sally. I’m glad you liked my story and took the time to say so.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I loved this story. It is filled with so many emotions but the shining light is love.
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Dear Joy,
Glad the myriad of emotions came through for you. That was my goal.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I loved this ending. Adults have tragic things happen in their life and usually understand what and why something is happening. Children have to depend on the adults and the extra security blanket for this child was his puppy…it doesn’t erase all the pain, but it sure does wonders for the child!
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Dear Lucky,
It’s nice to have a happy ending every so often, isn’t it? Kind of restores our faith in human nature. In this case, the father, had to make snap decisions. The East Berlin refugees weren’t allowed to bring anything but the clothes on their backs. In my mind, Vati drugged the puppy who was small enough to carry in a pocket. But he felt it was safer not to let his daughter know until they were all out of danger.
Thank you for your lovely comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Aw….made me smile. Nobody doesn’t love puppies. Nice ending after my visual of getting out through a toilet tunnel. Or should I say “smell sensory”? Nice feel good story. As usual.
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Thank you, dear. 😉
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A story that explores how much people are willing to risk to get to freedom with a happy ending.
Thanks for sharing. A deeply touching story.
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Dear Phylor,
I’m pleased that you understood the full extent of what was happening in this story. I hope you took time to click on the link and watch the video.
Thank you for stopping by and leaving such nice comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Oh thank God no one was left behind! 🙂 Beautiful story, and I am so glad for that ending. I think Annika would have been too.
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Dear Vinay,
At the beginning there was a mother in the story, too. I just didn’t have enough words to keep her there. But I believe she still is even if I don’t mention her. And in the end, Annicka is delighted that no one’s left behind.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Another good story based on history, Rochelle; this one has a lovely happy ending. Well written as always. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Dear Suzanne,
Everyone needs a happy ending from time to time. 😉
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Sad story, but very well written.
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Thank you, Mewhoami.
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The usual quality writing. Well done.
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Thank you, Patrick. Nice of you to say so. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Hooray for Dad remembering the puppy!!!! Rough subject in history, and yet you give us a joyful uplift as the finale!
thanks!
BobiJo
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Dear Bobi Jo,
I fear we take what we have for granted and are dangerously close to losing it. I think I needed a happy ending as much as anyone.
Thank you for such a nice comment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Love the thoughtful father.. it’s strange to understand that these borders existed where they did.. I think they exist elsewhere today.
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Dear Björn,
It does seem that someone’s always building a wall, either to keep someone in or out. Although, I was a child when this particular escape happened, I don’t remember anything about it. I do remember when the Berlin Wall came down though.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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This is awesome, Rochelle. I was all ready to mourn for Fritz by the end. The twist at the end left me smiling. Lovely story!
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Dear Eric,
Happy to know I caught you by surprise and gave you something to smile about. 😀
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Another example of rich history with true humanity, glorious, Rochelle. I can’t wait to read your book (once I have minutes to myself again).
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Dear Jennifer,
Thank you for such a sweet compliment. I hope you enjoy my book once you have a chance to read it. It’s a challenge with little ones and I’m amazed at how well you do with writing a good story every week.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Beautiful!
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Danke schön, Dawn. 😀
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I never knew about these escapes. Amazing piece of film. Thanks… and for your story which took us to the original.
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Dear Hilary,
I was blissfully unaware of Tunnel 57 until I Googled “famous tunnels.” I love research. I found the film amazing as well.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Wow, you’re terrific at building a story. Of course, you had an excellent photo prompt. i just wrote something up, as people have been visiting my blog today. All the best!
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Dear Stephen,
Terrific is quite a compliment. It’s hard to miss when you have good material. 😉
Thank you for the comment and the photo.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Shalom to you and I’ll have my camera ready whenever I pass an underpass, or under an underpass or….😄
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A little raye of sunshine in an otherwise very scary situation! I love how you weave your stories from real situations. You’ve a gift!
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Dear Dale,
Your comments are always a ray of sunshine to me. You might have guessed by now that I love historical fiction. I feel it’s important to remember that real people, just like us, with the same dreams and emotions were part of history. It’s easy for them to become cardboard cutouts without souls in the history books.
Thank you for your glowing words.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks for taking them off the page!
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Hi Rochelle,
What a beautiful little story. I felt for her loss and was elated that Vati had saved him and surprised but delighted that Fritz was a puppy.
Cheers Irene
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Dear Irene,
For a child the loss of a puppy would be most tragic. Actually for any pet lover, I think.
Thank you for your kind words.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I totally relate to that Rochelle. Cheers Irene
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Great story as always, very real and gritty. I’m glad the puppy came along too!
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Dear Ali,
I couldn’t resist the puppy. 😉 Glad you liked the story.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Beautifully crafted, beautifully written, and with a twist that makes the reader, even this old cynic, smile with pleasure.
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Dear CE,
Somehow you don’t strike me as being that much a cynic. Nonetheless I’m pleased that my story made you smile.
Thank you for your kind words.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I note that you don’t dispute the ‘old’, just the ‘cynic’!
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Dear CE,
I say nothing about old because I doubt there’s much difference in our ages and I’m in denial. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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You made my heart break and then soar with your story. Beautiful, Rochelle.
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Dear Renee,
I’m pleased that it didn’t break your heart for very long. 😉 And my heart soars to see you here.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Awesome. I think we are most human when we take risks for animals that aren’t. Well-told.
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Dear BR,
Animals are special people. 😉
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I was afraid at first that they had left a person behind, but even though it was just a puppy, her heartbreak was real. Beautifully told, as usual, Rochelle.
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Dear Tiffany,
I’ve always thought of our pets as part of the family. 😉 I’m pleased it all came across the way I wanted it to.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Rochelle,
Many people do. 🙂 It was a touching little story – the ending can’t help but make you smile!
Tiffany
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A wonderful, uplifting story. I love how you surprised us with the true identity of Fritz. Would you believe we had a dog called Fritz once? A big, gangly German short-haired pointer who I brought home from the back room of a local pet shop. He’d been abandoned, I seem to recall. Thanks for a lovely story.
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Dear Margaret,
My father in law used to have a Schnauzer named Fritz. 😉
I’m so pleased you liked my story. I think it may go down as one of my favorites that I’ve written.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Lovey to read a happy ending to such a story – there weren’t nearly enough escapees. My first husband was in Berlin the day the Wall came down and said the scenes were extremely moving. What a waste of human loves that was.
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Dear Liz,
I remember the news stories when the wall came down. Sad piece of history.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A wonderful story of an escape. That video at the end was most enlightening too. Thanks for sharing that. You be well Rochelle, and shalom. ^..^
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Dear Barb.
I’m glad you took the time to check out the video. It was such a great find and fueled my passion for the story. Glad you enjoyed both.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Well done Rochelle!
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I love both the historical aspect of it and the escape and the optimism in it – but the PUPPY! The PUPPY wins, paws down!
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Dear Vijaya,
Who can resist a puppy? 😉
Thank you for taking time to read and comment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I’m glad to see a happy ending in the midst of what I’m sure will be a long and difficult journey for these characters.
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Dear Emily,
There’s so much that’s difficult to include in a hundred words, like the fact that the refugees weren’t allowed to take anything but the bare necessities. They would have to build new lives on the other side of the wall.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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It was like reading a whole novel in 100 words. Wonderful!
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Dear Joyfulness,
Compliments don’t get much better.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Rochelle,
I’m glad this ends happily. Even a puppy doesn’t deserve to be in a place like that. It’s so true that for a young kid like that, a dog can be so important. Glad to be back reading other stories.
-David
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Dear David,
Glad you have you back in the fold. 😉 Sometimes a person just has to write a happy ending.
Thank you for taking the time to read and comment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I’ll try to stay back. I’ve been putting a lot of work into my novels and I feel a little burned out on flash fiction sometimes. But I always recover and I’ll never go away, don’t worry. 😉
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Awwww, sweet.
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Thank you, Alice. 😀
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Yay, the puppy is saved. This is quite a story and historical flash for us. I hadn’t heard of this tunnel before. Thanks for the video. Wonderful story as always, Rochelle.
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Dear Amy,
I was also unaware of Tunnel 57 until I Googled ‘famous tunnels.’ I hope that others watch the video, too. These dedicated students did so much. Amazing.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I seriously thought Fritz was going to be a brother or father… I’m glad the dog made it 🙂
Nicely written sweet story.
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Dear KT,
You went where I wanted you to. 😉 A high compliment for an author.
Thank you for your sweet words.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Billie,
I always love tunnel escape stories and hadn’t heard this one (being just a pup in ’64). I also love the idea of no dog left behind. Good one.
Ian
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Dear Ian,
I was a bit of a pup myself in ’64. I remember the commercials about the Iron Curtain, but I was blissfully unaware of the escape stories until this week.
Thank you for phrasing it so nicely. 😉
Shalom,
Billie
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Great story with a wonderful ending! The video was an eye-opener, too.
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Dear Jan,
After reading several articles about Tunnel 57, the research trail led me to the video. How could I not share it?
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A lovely story, Rochelle. 🙂 I’m glad they all managed to escape – including the puppy!
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Dear FM,
I’ve always been sucker for brown eyes and a wet black nose. 😉
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Oh how comforting it had a nice ending, and the puppy image makes it even softer. Nice story!
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Thank you for such nice comments, OnChi.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
Your story is very sweet! This will be my first time participating in Friday Fictioneers, but this is a great prompt to work with 🙂
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Dear Sohini,
Welcome to Friday Fictioneers. I’m pleased you like my story and I’m looking forward to yours.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thank you, Rochelle! I’m very excited to get started 🙂
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Such a sweet ending. Loved it.
The escape in 1964 totally unbelievable and sad knowing the wall didn’t come down for 20 more years. Thanks for sharing that.
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Dear Yolanda Renee,
It’s amazing the length to which people will go for freedom, isn’t it? Glad you liked my story.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks for that happy ending-twist at the end there. If we feel strongly about a puppy it’s much more hard to imagine leaving behind people. A good historical story… as always
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Dear Ansumani,
I enjoy a happy ending myself, even though I don’t always write them.
Thank you for such nice comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
What a sweet ending to a story about a truly awesome bit of history! My mom went to school with a boy who had escaped East Berlin with some of his family. She often told his story to us as we were growing up, and I recognized the setting for this story of yours immediately as a result. In 1970, my mom traveled through Checkpoint Charlie on a college tour, and her best friend was made to disembark due to a difference in the signatures on her passport and visa. Scary times indeed. Times when one needs the comfort of a sweet little puppy!
Peace,
Marie Gail
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Dear Marie Gail,
It was fun strewing the clues along the path without being overt. I’d hoped that my readers would understand and it seems they have. 😉 I have to admit that this story provided me with an unexpected education.
I’m glad the muse provided Fritz for comfort.
Thank you and shalom,
Rochelle
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A happy ending for all involved 🙂
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A happy ending indeed, Samantha. Thank you for coming by.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I’m so glad it ended well. So many died at the fences and the wall. Part of my family lived in Eastern Germany and when visiting, we got a glimpse of the suppression they were under. I can’t even begin to say on how many levels I love this story, one being the german terms you use correctly, which is rare. BTW there is a german movie about the tunnel, but I doubt that it is available internationally.
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Dear GAH,
Your comments are so affirming. I’m pleased my story resonated with you.
Danke schön,
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Brilliant metaphor for trudging through historic poo before getting to the light at the end of the tunnel. Leave no person or dog behind. 🙂
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Dear Adam,
Thank you for such nice comments. It’s always important to save the puppies. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Enjoyed the juxtaposition of the serious history lesson and sweet puppy.
Have just read stunning first novel set before and after the fall of the wall – mythical tunnel escapes figure in this plot too. It’s well worth a read.
(The Leipzig Affair by Fiona Ritoul.)
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Dear MJ
The tunnel escape fascinated me. I had to write about it. And who can resist a puppy? 😉
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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First, Rochelle, wow! Your numbers seem to be growing every week! That’s awesome!
Such a lovely, meaningful story, Rochelle. So many times these bitter sweet moments played out, and continue to play out, in history… I’m reading The Boys In the Boat, and really thinking a lot about WWII and all that took place in Europe. You always tap into a perfect balance of history and storytelling. Nice job! Shalom, friend.
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Dear Dawn,
I’m glad you found the time in you planning and packing to stop by for a read. Your comments mean a lot. I think this story might go down as a personal favorite, too.
I’m pretty amazed at the numbers, too. 😉
Happy Grammy-ing.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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this never ends, only the time and place change
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Dear Arora,
It’s true. Some things just don’t change.
Thank you for coming by.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Loved the story and especially the sweet ending. BTW sorry I am so late. Just put my story in. 🙂
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Dear Susan,
Glad you liked it. Better late than never.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Hello, I think I’ve done what should be done although I didn’t mange to add the blue frog link. I’ll try to add that for this weeks challenge. This is fun!!
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Danny James, above, is right. You do set the bar high, Rochelle! I’m glad that Fritz wasn’t wasn’t left behind (you had me worried). You always pack so much information into your one hundred words. BTW, I remember the Berlin wall, but not the story of the tunnelers. I guess at 11 I was to young to take notice. I’m so glad you shared it!
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Dear Linda,
Looks like we’re the same age. 😉 I turned 11 in 1964. This story was too good to pass up. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things in desperate times. Gotta love it.
Thank you for such high praise.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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