Friday Fictioneers is hosted by the wonderful Rochelle, the undisputed master of what I call Sound Bite Fiction.
She sets the weekly challenge, and the standard.
She also selects, with impeccable taste, the photo prompt.
Thank you, ma’am.
The idea is to write a story of around 100 words based on the picture below.
© C. E. Ayr
Animal Channel
I don’t like this place, she complains, and I don’t like your friend.
Alain is cool, I say, it’s the TV channel that bugs you.
My favourite café always shows wildlife programs, often with graphic scenes of carnivores feasting.
He could be a serial killer or something, she says, isn’t that how they all start, torturing animals?
We have many differences.
After she returns to Vancouver I am disappointed, but unsurprised, when she stops communicating.
But I am surprised to see her face on the news, under the headline:
Canadian woman charged with 11 counts of child abduction and murder.
Thank you for this photo. It’s marvelous. And if I correctly gleaned that this no longer exists, than I doubly thank you for snapping a photo of it so that it still exists in some form.
I love your sound bite story as well. It is humorous with a twist.
I am glad you appreciate the photo, but please remember that it is Rochelle who chooses from the vast number submitted to her.
And yes, the whole building is now demolished.
Happy you also enjoyed my story.
Hope to see you here again.
She cannot bear the sight of a carnivore having its fill. Masked lady. She should be be brought to book.
Thanks for visiting, and for taking the time to comment.
It seems she is being brought to book!
The end surprised me. What a hypocrite woman. Very nicely written.
Thank you, Indira, I do like to surprise you, my dear friend.
I’m already surprised that how with a photo prompt you could write such a beautiful story whereas I’m still trying to understand what this pic is all about.
You are too kind, my friend.
I took this photo of a partially demolished building with the stunning mural in Vancouver BC earlier this year.
So I knew what it was about!
Thank you again for visiting.
So nice of you to take the trouble to explain this. Thanks.
My pleasure, my dear Indira.
I like your Sound Bite Story… thanks for the pic this week.
Thanks, Ted, and thanks go to Rochelle for her selection this week.
Love the twist! And a female killer too, awesome!
Sorry to hear the mural is gone though, very lovely! Truly inspiring prompt!
Glad you enjoyed, Yolanda, and you know what they say about the female of the species!
The mural was spectacular indeed, a photo waiting to be taken.
Wow! That ending has a bite to it. I really liked the character dynamics – the nigglling conflict between the two characters is intriguing. I can’t decide if the narrator is male or female. Friendship or romance gone wrong? No matter, it works either way. And thanks for the picture.
Thank you, Margaret, I aim for an ending with a (Sound) Bite to it.
Unless I make it clear, you can assume that the narrator is male.
Usually!
But I had not considered the alternative and, as you say, it still works.
I loved the snap, but Rochelle, of course, selected it from the millions at her disposal!
What a twist at the end, never would have expected it. Don’t think I’ll ever look at Free Willie the same way again.
Nobody expects …
Oh no, even I have done that before!
Is that how it works where you are, Perry, a Free Willie with every purchase?
Once again, you got me with an unexpected twist. The animal channel obviously hit close to home. Clever and well done. Thanks for the photo, too! It’s a great prompt.
Glad to catch you out, and glad you liked the tale.
Rochelle has a knack for picking the goodies, does she not!
I really enjoyed both your photo and your story. The story is like so many relationships, so real. The twist at the end, while distinctly a twist…like life, is not so strange either. Life seems to throw the strangest thins our way sometimes.
I recognized this photo promptly, but was shocked to see that it has been torn down! I’ve passed it so many times, but didn’t see that it was gone. Like much in life, it happened while I wasn’t looking… Nice job!
Thank you, Dawn, life certainly contains some twists.
And, like I say on your blog, Vancouver BC from Granville Street Bridge.
As John Lennon said: Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans.
Or not looking.
Interestingly, or not, I’ve been singing the song Beautiful Boy each night to my new grandson. The John Lennon quote is from that song, a beautiful song all around.
I used to sing it to mine too.
And Joe Cocker’s You are so Beautiful to me.
Poor wee soul!
I like to think my voice is wonderful… at least to my 3 week old grandson. 😉
What an unexpected twist! Well done, C.E.
Unexpected is what I aim for, Jan, just glad it worked.
Thanks for visiting.
Great turn-around at the end, and nice photo!
Thank you, and thank you.
And thank you for visiting and taking the time to comment.
I am puffed out now!
She seemed so harsh in her judgment of others, but I’m sure found a way to justify her own actions (within her head). Very tight writing.
I had fun with the photo. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Glad you liked the story and the writing.
I saw you had fun!
Great story with an unexpected twist at the end. Great title also and thanks for a good photo.
Thank you, Irene, happy you enjoyed.
And glad you liked Rochelle’s pick of my pic!
Hmmm… I wonder who the lady’s dentist was?
Hi Kris, good to see you here.
But I have no idea what you mean by that comment!
Your story took an unexpected turn, and the whole narrative style was laconic, yet vividly evocative.
Wow!
Also, your prompt is fantastic. Thank you!
Thank you, DoD, very kind words indeed.
And happy you liked the pic, which Rochelle, in her infinite wisdom, sifted from the dross.
The picture is wonderful and can take you in so many directions. The telling of this story is great. It’s surprising and not surprising in some ways. We humans can be so complicated in such evil ways.
Thank you, Ula, very happy you liked my contributions this week.
And yes, our evil seems to be unlimited.
Canadian Psycho. This piece should be banned. Lovely.
There must be the occasional nasty Canadian to prove the rule, no?
Cheers, Patrick.
Terrific picture and a nicely delivered story. I liked the slightly off-hand, phlegmatic delivery of the narrator.
Thank you and thank you, Sandra.
I aimed for a reflective ‘well I never’ tone, like a verbal slight shake of the head.
So pretty close!
Wow. You never really know someone.
And yes, thanks for the picture. I REALLY like it.
Our mighty leader has an eye for a snap, does she not.
Glad you enjoyed, Dawn, thanks for visiting.
Loved the picture – thanks for sending it in. definitely out of the ordinary. Where’s it taken?
If I’m honest, I found your story a touch front-heavy: making the twist more like a punchline (albeit this is a long way from a joke!) than a twist in the tale. That being said, I like where you’re aiming with this, and the sense we have of both characters from a few sentences.
Ah well, you can please some of the folk some of the time…
Thanks for visiting, ma’am, and for taking the time to comment.
They say we hate our own faults worse in others. And also, “The world is a mirror.” You took all that to a whole new level, C.E.
All my best,
MG
Thanks, MG, but how do you know all these things ‘they’ say?
And I hope you mean a new level up, and not down.
Up and down are based on perspective and laws of gravity which may or may not apply here (and by gravity, I’m referring to Newtonian physics, not the serious nature of your story).
As for all those things “they” say, chalk my knowledge up to years of running with the cool kids. 🙂
Cheers!
As to this new level–I should. perhaps, have said your character took this to a whole new level. Fun stuff and good (albeit creepy) character development.
Love this, with her projecting her own desires onto another. And how odd that the picture made us both think of ‘Vancouver’ in some way: mine’s about the original owner of the name.
Hi Siobhan, and thank you.
Not so odd, as that is where I took the picture!
Whoops! What a twist in the end. I love the atmosphere of the story, the disagreement seems ordinary, the development normal, until all the lies surface. And thank you for the picture, I love it.
Glad you like the pic and the story.
I am having a good day here!
C.E., first thanks for a great photo. Next, thanks for a stunning story. Love the “punch” at the end.
Alicia, first thanks for your photo thanks.
Next, thanks for your story thanks.
Glad you liked the ‘punch’.
I am smiling contentedly now.
Good piece. As an aside why do so many of us non-Americans set stories in the US/Canada etc? I’m as guilty as anyone. Are we pandering to the mainly US participants on FF? I do try to use Scottish/UK locations but keep drifting back across the pond. Something I’ll need to think more about 🙂
Thanks, Paul.
Can only answer for myself, but I am hoping to catch Hollywood’s eye.
To be serious (for once), I think I only do when the prompt suggests it.
Today’s tale is set in France, where I live.
You set the bar high for excellent flash fiction. Lots of depth in this story. Thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
You are too kind, Graham, thank you.
Comments like yours make writing worthwhile.
Really incredible piece of flash here – with such an incredible twist – all so well written and delivered! Wow!
Thank you, JJ, for your very kind words.
I am happy that you enjoyed it so much.
😀
Bet the narrator was glad she had dropped the friendship!
Ya think?
Each of us is capable of a bottomless pit of both good & evil. Man is like that
Thanks, Larry, for your interesting if somewhat cynical view of mankind!
A Canadian child abductor and murderess? Surely not!
Goes to show… you just never truly know people, eh?
I’m with Rochelle, a novel that reads in 100 words…
Fabulous image, too.
I happen to know there are some crazy dudes in Canada.
D’you know Stephen Harper?
Glad you liked story and photo.
Oh Gawd…please don’t bring HIM up!! We needs must get rid of him!
What a punch at the end! ! You just never know who you’re dealing with, do you? I love the photo this week… Where was it taken?
Life is full of surprises, I agree.
From Granville Street Bridge, in Vancouver BC.
Glad you like it.
An amazing image!
Stunning photo! Love your story, as always well written and love the twist! 🙂
Thank you, Heidi.
And thank you again.
What a story, so much goodness packed in 100 words. And that image of yours is amazing.
Very happy you got pleasure from both.
Thank you.
Reblogged this on anelephantcant and commented:
AnElephantCant deny he’s a big dude
No one can describe him as frail
And when he blows his nose
He knows he really blows
But not as impressively as a beautiful whale
Cheers, big ears!
Dear C. E.
Methinks the lady doth protest too much. Animals do what come naturally…humans? I’m not so sure. You’ve written a novel in a hundred words today, from disagreements to failed relationship all the way to “gasp!”
Shalom,
Rochelle
PS Stunning photo. Thank you for your generosity.
No, ma’am, thank you
Ah, my dear Rochelle, we do not have the time or space here to debate the evil ways of humankind.
Thank you for your kind words, I am happy you enjoyed the tale.
That photo is an optical mind blower!.
Great misdirection.
Pure SBF.
It is a bit of a nailer, isn’t it!
Thanks, Em, how is the foot?
That it is! And the foot is slowly improving, thanks.
I like this.. it’s like the Janus face of a human.. there was a case here in Sweden with a high-ranking police officer that talked a lot of equality between men and women. It was a disgrace when he was caught with rape and torture of young women..
Thanks, Bjorn
Sadly, hypocrisy and double standards are widespread.