“Poppa, why’d they put an orange spot on our hands?”
Poppa understood the meaning of the marks but explained, “It’s to show everyone we’re special.”
Poppa and grandson were shuffled into a compound teeming with thousands of others bearing the same mark. They were soon lost in the crowd of those barely surviving in their deprived world.
Having watched this, a small girl asked her mother, “Why were they put inside?”
Her mother warned, “We don’t speak of the Oranges. They aren’t people. People have, they don’t.”
In this world, the gap between those with and those without was vast.
This is the photo prompt from the #100WCGU site.
Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.
Ross's Writing Blog 
Paul
November 7, 2012 at 13:47
Another holocaust? Your story makes me uncomfortable, which is a great compliment of your ability as a writer.
Ross Mannell
November 12, 2012 at 20:16
Thanks for the comment.
I agree, the idea is uncomfortable when discrimination for whatever reason isolates people.
Sally
November 7, 2012 at 21:20
Shivers up my spine.
Ross Mannell
November 12, 2012 at 20:35
Thanks for the comment.
The shivers for me came with the attitude of the onlooker warning her daughter not to talk of such people. The warning comes from a claimed quote of pastor Martin Niemöller when he saw what had happened under Nazi rule in Germany…
First they came for the socialists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for me,
and there was no one left to speak for me.
(There is more than one version of this quote.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_they_came…
newpillowbook
November 8, 2012 at 07:56
Oh my. I agree with Paul, could be a Holocaust brewing – but it could also be a colorful (excuse me) metaphor for the way people living comfortable lives often mentally erase those who have less.
Ross Mannell
November 12, 2012 at 20:41
Thanks for the comment.
I agree, many find it easier to ignore those who have less. The danger can be as in the story when people are not only erased from minds but from society itself. Labelling those removed as Oranges or any other artificial label is one way of dehumanising them.
Delft
November 10, 2012 at 07:18
Chilling. “We don’t speak of …” “They aren’t people” – exactly the phrases with which we justify inhumanity. Great story.
Ross Mannell
November 12, 2012 at 20:45
Thanks for the comment.
Inhumanity becomes easier when we label others so as to dehumanise them. If we see them as less than human then we need not treat them as we would expect to be treated.
Kokomo
November 10, 2012 at 20:57
Brr, this could be historic as well as futuristic. Beautifully written.
Ross Mannell
November 12, 2012 at 20:48
Thanks for the comment.
There have been many cases of segregation in our history. Sad to say this could be a future case if we allow ourselves to see others as less than human.
Kokomo
November 13, 2012 at 04:18
Sadly there are still people who think that way 😦