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 teasing photo comes courtesy of the delightful Jilly Funnell.
The idea, as always, is to write a story of around 100 words based on this picture, below.
Click here to hear the writer read his words:
The Tower
The princess gazes forlornly out of the window.
She has been imprisoned in this high tower for almost two years.
She is allowed no visitors.
Her food and personal requirements are delivered by a gorilla-like deaf mute.
She must agree to marry the loathsome prince or languish here forever.
She hears a noise.
Someone is scaling the sheer wall.
Many have tried and failed.
Some have tumbled to their death.
But the sounds grow louder.
Perhaps rescue is finally at hand!
A handsome, smiling face appears over the sill.
Oh no, she thinks, not him again.
All that desperation and then to reject her saviour. Perhaps she is her own reluctant hero? Made me chuckle.
LikeLike
Wow, he must be really bad. This made me laugh, I hope it was laughable and not some thing darker.
LikeLike
Oh don’t be so bloody sceptical, Dawn, of course it was funny!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great ending I didn’t see coming. However desperate she is, she’s not that desperate.
LikeLike
Even after 2 years in prison, she still has standards, Michael!
LikeLike
I loved the original ending. Wonderful!
LikeLike
Glad you enjoyed, Lisa, I love the comment, I’m smiling now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The life of a princess is hell, all that waiting and abuse.
LikeLike
You look like the knight who can save her, James!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Spoilt rich girls are not for me, all that glitter irrstes my eyes.
LikeLike
Laughing. She is hardly spoilt, she has been a prisoner for two years!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Avec de la persévérance et si il ne meurt pas avant !
Il finira bien par conquérir cette idiote de princesse !
LikeLike
Mais non, elle attend un écossais, beau, charmant et poétique
LikeLike
J’espère qu’il arrivera vite , très vite , ce bel et poétique écossais !
LikeLike
Alas, it was that damn peeping Scot.
LikeLike
Alas, no matter how cute the princess, my tower climbing days are long gone!
LikeLike
Love your story and your reading of it. Fair to call in subtle cynicism ? Really like the fairy tale build up and the de-bunking last line. Well done.
LikeLike
You are very kind, WWM.
I am especially pleased you like the reading, I am never sure if it is worthwhile.
But cynical, me?
Hah!
LikeLike
And I see my comment on your story is still awaiting moderation.
LikeLike
You took me all the way up then dropped me from a great height – brilliant!
LikeLike
Thank you, Jilly, but if you were climbing in my window I’d never let you fall!
Cool photo, lots of different angles in this week’s stories.
LikeLike
The window cleaner maybe?
LikeLike
I don’t think that towers for the entrapment of princesses have double glazing, sir!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Handsome, loathsome, and now worrisome. This is quite something. Loved this story, CEAYR.
LikeLike
Thanks, Neel, he is kinda irritating!
LikeLike
Hahah
Him again!
Sometimes love is just not two-sided! And I like this as a modern princess tower
LikeLike
Some guys just can’t take No for an answer. And towers always make me think of princesses, an inherent flaw in my psyche!
LikeLiked by 1 person
flaw
or just essence…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha! Ha! I loved that last line.
At this rate she is not going to get a knight in shining armour but I think he is going to get a few nights in shining plaster.
LikeLike
Ha Ha, I love this comment!
She is a bit difficult, isn’t she
LikeLike
Really funny, maybe she likes the deaf mute a bit too much, a bit stockhausen syndrome.
LikeLike
If she falls for the guy who feeds her is that the Munchholm syndrome?
LikeLike
I think that deaf mute is way better for her than the loath/hand/some prince.
LikeLike
One doesn’t mix with the servant classes, Bjorn!
LikeLike
A fairy-tale where the princess doesn’t fall for the prince, I love it! Wonderful imaginings.
LikeLike
Yeah, a fussy princess, who’d a thunk it?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Strength, muscles, handsome, smile all this guy is missing is the horse. She is starting to sound like she bats for the other side.
Best wishes,
Rowena
LikeLike
Laughing. I should have expected this sort of thing from Oz! Too many Sydney Pride Festivals are clouding your vision, Rowena!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gay pride and heterosexual complacence. My husband and I have been married for 17 years and have become quite an oddity. Well, make that more of an oddity.
LikeLike
glad, the princess doesn’t fall for the handsome but loathsome prince.
LikeLike
She is a tough gal to win over
LikeLike
Ha! Makes me wonder if some of those who fell were actually pushed. Funny story.
LikeLike
Nah, she just leaves soap on the sill…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nice tale CE. I can guess how Viz magazine’s Sid the Sexist would have explained away the princess’ reaction, but I’m not going to share that in public.
LikeLike
Yeah, John, best not, this is a family-friendly blog!
LikeLiked by 1 person
This was just plain funny. The only guy that makes it up the wall is a handsome doofus 🙂
LikeLike
Happy you enjoyed, ma’am!
LikeLiked by 1 person
well, I mean, what’s the point of building a tower without a suitable prince?
LikeLike
My thoughts exactly, Neil, they go together like custard and Latvians.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Who is the owner of this handsome face? Is he the same loathsome prince?
LikeLike
Nah, just some wannabe who doesn’t press her buttons either
LikeLike
Handsome, smiling, athletic, courageous – and she turns him down?
Good girl!
Great fairy tale, CE!
LikeLike
Who knows what a lady wants? Not this ancient scribe, for sure!
LikeLike
Just like some people always get the weirdo sitting next to them on the bus, some princesses seem only to attract the wrong sort. But at least he’s alive. For now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Until she decides to join in this blog’s usual mayhem and helps him get down more quickly
LikeLike
Dear CE,
Not every woman goes for the handsome prince who might be a tad of a shallow fellow. Well imagined, sir.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Thank you, m’lady, I guess there ain’t no accounting for taste!
LikeLike
Such a bore when the tower isn’t climbed by the man of your dreams! A great tale. I loved it!
LikeLike
You never know who’s going to come a-crawlin’ through your window!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That last line puts it all together for me, says so much…unlike the deaf mute.
Sharp story my friend.
LikeLike
Thanks, Em, nice dig at the hired help!
LikeLike
Not quite the Knight in Shining Armour she was hoping for! Good chuckle CE.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, what’s all this love at first sight fairy tale rubbish anyway, hmm?
LikeLiked by 1 person
You old cynic!
LikeLike