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.
Today’s photo by Madison Woods reminds me of my visit to Sainte Musse Hospital in Toulon yesterday.
There I suffered an Electromyagramme, which involves being electrocuted for a while and then having needles stuck into the problem arm while the muscles, and therefore nerves, are worked.
Not fun.
The idea, as always, is to write a story of around 100 words based on the picture, below.
© Madison Woods
Needle Point
I make earrings and bracelets and necklaces.
I adorn them with materials I find on the street, broken jewellery, wire, feathers, bits of cloth.
I am creative.
I have to be to survive.
I am part Cree, so I know some stuff city folk don’t.
For example, I have a bag of special product, that I sell very cheap to special people.
Arrogant people who treat me like a nobody.
Each piece has a tiny sharp point somewhere, which they find accidentally, but inevitably.
And which I coat in my own mix of ancient venoms.
Untraceable, agonisingly painful, always fatal.
That’s scary, C.E. It sounds like a series of perfect crimes. I hope the treatments you have to undergo help you heal. Get well soon. The writing is well done as always. —- Suzanne.
C.E.,
I hear you writing through the pain. Hope to find you’re feeling better soon.
Good work this week!
All my best,
MG
The tortured becomes the torturer. That’s one way to “give back” to the community.
Hoping the treatments prove effective in healing your ailment.
Electrocution, so not cool…I hope the procedure worked so that you never have to endure again. The poem is marvelous. As “wrong” as it sounds, I hope your Cree character’s idea does not fall too far from possibility. Reason knows it rings of a sense of justice.
Sorry you are suffering with these health problems. Lucky for your readers, your imagination is still unhurt.
Hmm. This gives me some ideas. Great story. 🙂
Ouch! hope you are mending CE!
Fine work as is your standard.
CE, hope you’re feeling better soon! Sorry you’ve been laid low, but whatever ails you.
You and Sandra seem to crave that chill factor, and deliver it so well. I love the rich back story that goes with a Native American who lives on the street, and finds her own form of justice. Well done!
oh my….special product for special people —- would not want to be on this Cree’s bad side!
Excellent writing as usual.
So sorry this week’s photo was so complementary to your treatment — certaintly the word “treat” should not be included within the word treatment in this instance! Hoping for better days …
sorry that the barb wire reminds you of your medical treatment–sounds awful. I hope it helped at least!! I do like your character taking out one arrogant jerk at a time 🙂
I love this one.
What a great take on the prompt, and brilliant writing as always. Arrogance never pays and your narrator punishes hard. Hope you’ll get better soon.
I have also been through the treatment, and it definitely not it’s my idea of fun. Anyway, get better soon!
The story itself is absolutely amazing, well done.
Pain is not fun and I hope yours resolves very soon. Your Cree character has an interesting method to her madness.
I’ve been tortured with that same electromyelogram and it is not for the faint of heart. Hang in there. As for your story …. It’s good and I like it.
Get well, doctors orders,
Tracey
Oh mon ami! I wish you did not have to suffer and truly hope this is the one that does the trick!
As per usual, your story has that sinister side we’ve come to love so well… 😉
It’s wonderfully written. And get well soon.
I agree with Sandra, C.E. “Machiavellian” is a the best word to describe that character.
Be well! We’re all pulling for ya!
I agree with rochelle – poet, chilling, beautifully written. Feels very true – real grit at its core. Wonderful
The aggressive are upfront. The silent ones do it silently! Hmmmm
Such a chilling character, another of your machiavellian best. I feel for you, your treatment sounds almost as barbaric as barbed wire. And I hope it’s effective. I can’t imagine how frustrating it must be, not to mention the chronic pain. Get well soon.
a murderer on the loose. hopefully, he’ll be caught soon.
Wow, this character is not nice and you wouldn’t want to cross them. It would be an agonizing death for you, if you didn’t see what they put in your mix. Wonderful cruel character you’ve created, makes one grimace in shock. Hope your hand is healing up!
Rochelle coined it well. And I thought this was only Maleficent’s choice of weapon. Well done sir.
There are always reasons not to be arrogant and mean.. I hope nobody finds hidden needles needless on me.
Hope the treatments work and make you better.
I could see the triumphant and self-righteous leer as he recounted this
The treatment sounds painful but hopefully will work for you. The jewellery maker sounds sinister, even if her victims aren’t nice people.
ooo, how cruel you are. evil incarnate! Great write.
If the trinkets disappear than she is safe. Hope the electromyagramme helps sort things out for you.
Yet another reason not to buy stuff from a stranger on the street, lol.
Oh your trip to the hospital sounds nasty – but I hope you weathered it well – and that it offers some relief from this terrible situation.
Your piece for this week’s challenge? Absolutely wonderful. It is brilliant – all aspects – and what a lovely, wonderful barb – the twist – adds a delicious quality to it all. Amazing attention to details, which speak so well to setting the ambiance and scene.
Dear CE,
Ouch on your trip to the hospital. I hope they were able to do some good rather than just make you more miserable. <3
As for your story. Subtle ingenuity on the jewelry maker's part. Chillingly poetic justice.
Shalom,
Rochelle