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 the picture (below).
This week’s somewhat creepy photo is by the man himself.
Pass the bug spray, Al.
Click on this link to enter your tale, and to see what others have written.
© Al Forbes
Click here to hear the author read this story:
The Sound
I awaken with a start.
Normally my dreams are benign, but this one, I know, was not.
I can practically feel it slithering away to some dark corner of my mind, waiting for an opportunity to come back and haunt me.
I sip water from the glass at my bedside, and breathe.
As my body relaxes I realise what wakened me.
There is a sound.
It comes from outside the bedroom
In fact, from my computer.
Someone is tapping on the keys.
I arise swiftly, lifting my gun as I go.
I reach the door of my little study.
It lies open, I look in.
And I am filled with horror.
The person at the keyboard is literally the last person in the world I expect to see there.
I rap the gun against my knuckles to prove I am not dreaming.
And I stare at me.
Wonderful twist. It makes me wonder if he’s dreaming. It has that deep of a kind of nightmare that doesn’t quite make sense. Hugs CE.
Great Twist!…
You never know what you are up to when you’re asleep, or supposed to be.
Indeed, James
Wow, what a twist. A great twist. Very Kafkaish.
Kafka is one of my favourite writers, so I am thrilled at the comparison.
Thank you.
Sometimes I think that I could write for five hundred years. Now if there were two of me, that would lighten the load perhaps. Great story.
Or you would write for 1000 years? Thanks, Michael
Love the twist! And there wasn’t a dead body, . . . yet.
Oh, to be a “fly on your wall.”
Thank you, Lorraine, but no more bad jokes or I am liable to fly off the handle
Promise not to let any more bad jokes fly.
Very Twilight Zone. Still, it could work out well, one to do the work, the other has much more free time to enjoy.
I aspire to Twilight Zone, Iain, thanks for encouraging words.
Oh my gosh! That ending made me exclaim that out loud. Crikey your writing is good. Can’t add much more to that! It’s great ☺
Very kind of you, Victoria, this is the sort of comment that makes blogging worthwhile.
Thank you.
You’re welcome 🙂 And reading writing like this, makes the act of doing so worthwhile. You’re writings great 🙂
Such a fun tale this week. I have thought many times that I need more than one of me around.
That sounds like a scary thought!
Creepy. Unless this other you is finishing up a last minute project. Then I say, go back to bed! Excellent story.
Hahaha I so agree, Susan!
I love your pragmatic reaction, Susan, thanks for the advice!
That was a twist I did not expect. Excellent tale CE. Please tell me he shot him. That someone died at least. hehe
Shoot myself? Really, Al, I don’t remember you always being so bloodthirsty!
I only get bloodthirsty when there isn’t enough of it in a week’s stories hehe
Oh! was that an hallucinatory experience? So very tautly written, Ceayr.
No hallucination, Neel, glad it worked for you.
Is he a ghost or a dream?
Good one CE, hope you are well. I have missed “seeing” you.
Not a dream, Dawn, that’s all I can tell you right now.
Thank you for your kind words.
That is scary, C.E. Your doppelganger has paid a visit. That can’t be good. O_o Good writing as always. 🙂 — Suzanne
Scary is good, Suzanne, thanks for visiting
Another great edgy tale.
Cheers, Steve