Sunday Photo Fiction is a weekly challenge presented by my old friend Al Forbes.
The idea is to write a short story (200 word max) inspired by what you see in his picture (below).
This week’s intriguing photo has all the potential to lead to a dark place.
Or is there always light at the end of the tunnel?
Click on this link to enter your tale, and see what others have written.
Copyright Al Forbes
The Tunnel
I am dazed by the fall, unsure if I passed out or not.
Stupid, I think, so careless.
I do not want to need help so close to the body I have just buried.
I seem to be in a cave, or tunnel, perhaps.
Yes, probably fell down a mine shaft, there was once a thriving industry here.
I see a light in the distance.
I stagger to my feet, stumble towards it.
As I walk, I reflect on what went wrong.
Usually I study my victims, plan the disposal and escape.
This time I acted on impulse, buried her in this place I hardly know.
And crashed through those rotted planks.
But I am okay, the stiffness is easing, the light getting brighter.
They look like flames, I think.
Then I stop in horror as I recognise the laughing figure who steps out of the fire.
And I know exactly where I am.
Ah the murderous coming to a dark well-earned end. Such tidiness and frugality with words is to be admired.
Well done. Talk about taking a fall! Don’t think he could have planned for this one anyway?
Great story.
Your kind words are much appreciated, sir.
Now he sits at the receiving side. He thought to get away every time! Well done
Karma, fate or just life and death?
Glad you enjoyed.
Depends how deep his bad things go! 🙂
Oh my! You never fail to amaze me. This is brilliant! 😀
Oh my!
What a wonderful comment.
Thank you for taking the time to put a smile on my face.
You deserve every bit of praise. 🙂
Excellent!
Thank you, Corina, I am delighted it met with your approval!
Holy Black-Holes-To-Hell!! As if making this a murder story isn’t dark enough … you’ve taken the reader straight to hell. Wow.
Well, I am unsure how to respond to such an enthusiastically animated comment!
Thank you seems quite inadequate.
Regardless of my feeble attempts to properly express my gratitude, I am very happy that it inspired such a reaction.
Wow! He will certainly have one helluva of a time now!!! I believe he will be served his justice and it will be HOT. Enjoyable read.
Happy you enjoyed, JC.
Yep, karma has just bit his bum.
Oh my down in the abyss. He certainly fell far, right into Hell. Very scary story.
Oh, scary is good, thank you, Mandibelle!
That is one being I would not want laughing at me! That was a hell of an ending!
Ba boom!
Thanks for your comment, Joy.
Even when you think you know the ending you still keep reading.
Yes, me too!
Boy is someone in trouble. Well written. It was nice the way the story flowed into the truth of what really happened compare to what he thought reality was.
Yep, deep kanookies, for sure.
Glad you enjoyed it.
Very well done! I loved the pace and tone and gelt I was right there with him!
Seriously, what did he expect? That he would get away with his nefarious deeds forever?
Thank you, Yale, so blad you welt that.
Seriously, yes, probably, don’t we all?
Sigh…Yale needs to stop responding with her phone and pay attention.
Maybe she should just stop commenting altogether.
No doubt his comment on getting into that bit of a hole was, ‘Oh, hell!’
Or perhaps ‘What the devil…?
Nicely told. I was having so much fun reading that the ending crept up unannounced.
Well, thank you, sir.
That is about the nicest thing you or Graham have ever said to me.
Much appreciated.
Oh hell! He is in for a devil of a time now. Great twist. Normally you have the murder at the end, this time, the death was completely unexpected. Fantastic.
Thanks, Al, glad you enjoyed it, old bean.
That’s one helluva fall! And a helluva story! 😉
Thanks, Steve, bad people go to bad places.
Reblogged this on anelephantcant and commented:
AnElephantCant crawl down a tunnel
It’s not that he’s afraid of the dark
If he eats one more cookie
His mammothe bahookie
Gives him a problem even getting onto The Ark
and he does not want to be extinct!
Dear C. E.
Is it me, or is it getting warm in here? Justice is served with subtlety and humor in your well constructed story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Subtlety and humour?
That, interestingly, is almost exactly how KLM might describe my communications with them!