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.
This week’s photo by © Douglas M. MacIlroy confused me somewhat, though, in honesty, that is not a difficult task.
Anyway, as usual, I thought of love and happiness and produced this sweet tale.
The idea, as always, is to write a story of around 100 words based on this picture, below.
© Douglas M. MacIlroy
Click here to hear the writer read his words:
Real
She is real!
I have seen her so often in my dreams, but I’m awake now.
She is exactly as I imagined her.
She has long, flowing blonde hair, a suntanned sylph-like figure, and the slim, shapely legs of a dancer.
Her body sways gently, gracefully as if to some internal tune.
Her eyes are wide and blue, her look one of mild surprise.
She might be even more beautiful than the image in my mind.
So why am I heart-broken?
I am wearing a scuba outfit.
And her feet are chained to a rock ten metres below the sea.
Sick that somebody would have done that to her, but sad also. Too bad he didn’t meet her before this. Well done.
Thank you
Beautifully set up to the devastating reveal. I am left wondering who put her there.
It wisnae me! A big boy done it and ran away! Honest injun, ma’am!
Enjoyed the beauty of your corpse… alas a corpse is always a corpse.
Thanks, Bjorn, a bit of a deal breaker indeed!
Last lines are the blooming words. Love from India. ❤️
Thank you, sir, glad you enjoyed.
Hardly a sweet tale.. But well crafted! The final image was like a mermaid trapped at the bottom of the ocean. Must be something to fall in love with the dead…
Thank you, Fatima, but sadly not a mermaid.
Interesting way to get rid of a body. The fishes will eat it up!
Or to kill someone, hmm, Dawn?
Wow, heavy ending.
And a heavy rock, Michael!
Spreading sweetness and light as usual, I see 🙂
One does one’s best!
Wonderful unexpected ending. Not such a sweet tale after all.
Well, duh, Irene, you know me better than that!
You tried hard to throw us up a scented path but yep, I should have known better.
Great twist. Loved it.
Great comment. Love it!
So much for a budding romance.
Some you win…
I knew, absolutely, that when you mentioned a sweet tale, things would definitely end badly. You didn’t disappoint.
One day I’ll tell the truth, really confuse you!
That was a gut-wrenching ending
Sorry, Liz!
What a dark story. If you believe in second sight, it’s not unreasonable that he should have dreamed repeatedly of the dead woman. If you don’t – what a sinister person your narrator becomes…
What a deep comment.
A bit like the water, in fact!
Lovely description there. I knew, of course, that it would end badly, but it was nice to enjoy the ride and relish the sights before it did.
Laughing. Thanks, Sandra, you are such a sweetheart!
They should really stop meeting this way 😉
I think it was a one-off!
Nice watery twist.
Randy
Made quite a splash!
He’s back…..!
It sounds like he arrived a little too late.
Never mind, plenty more fish in the sea!
You reeled me in like a fish.
And I’d never throw you back, Tracey
Oh good grief. I think I’m mad at you. All that lovely idyll, and then death. Shame 🙂
How cool, I am smiling big smiles!
You could have just made her a mermaid in the last line…
Nah!
Oh, you rotten devil! All that gorgeous description and then that last line – love at first sight dead in the water. Literally. Ah, you’re a terrible tease, C 🙂
Rotten devil and terrible tease, I am a happy bunny here!
Haha! 🙂
Dear C.E.
Imaginative take on an admittedly confusing prompt. I didn’t know what that thing was until I got to know himself, Mr. MacIlroy.
Shalom,
Rochelle
We see what we see, m’lady, the reality is of little importance.
That’s certainly disappointed. Guess some dreams are not meant to be.
Ain’t that the truth!
Very chilling! Listening to you read it created such a heightened effect when you got to the conclusion! Well done!
Very happy you enjoyed the whole package, Ashley
A modern day Andromeda? Really loved this!
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
Thank you, Susan, but I, alas, am no Perseus!
I love the way you end the story. Relationship would be harmonious but a little one-sided!
Thank you, but you are a very strange lady!
Loved the last turn of phrase employed. The wait proved worthy.
Thanks, Neel
That would be an obstacle to the relationship. Yup.
Dampens the enthusiasm a tad