Friday Fictioneers is hosted by the wonderful Rochelle, the undisputed master of what I call Sound Bite Fiction.
She sets the weekly challenge, the standard, and the prompt photo.
The idea, as always, is to write a story of around 100 words based on this picture, below, which this week is supplied by Fatima Fakier Deria.
© Fatima Fakier Deria
Click here to hear the writer read his words:
Glenfiddich
I watch him, silently.
He sits staring out of the window.
His creased brow is reflected in the grimy glass.
His thoughts are troubled.
He knows he cannot win, but he refuses to go without a fight.
Someone will pay.
Under his right hand is a pistol, loaded and ready.
Near his left hand is a glass, containing neat Glenfiddich.
A great whisky, a fatal mistake.
When he turns his head to reach for it, I move.
Quickly and quietly I am behind him.
My knife slips across his throat.
The glass falls.
To my disappointment the bottle is empty.
This is more than a story…this is a book!
My original story is 149 words, trimmed to the requisite 100.
But still not much of a book!
Did the whiskey make him do it?
No, dear lady, the whisky – please note the spelling, no ‘e’ – is irrelevant to the killing
I jest CE. Please note a sense of humour. Thank you for correcting the typo.
My apologies, GiN, but humour in text is not always obvious.
I will remember yours for future reference.
Thank you CE.
In regard to spelling – in my research on the World Wide Web I discovered a great debate on the spelling of the word Whiskey and Whisky. Here’s what I found, “The Scots spell it whisky and the Irish spell it whiskey, with an extra ‘e’. This difference in the spelling comes from the translations of the word from the Scottish and Irish Gaelic forms. Whiskey with the extra ‘e’ is also used when referring to American whiskies.”
Isn’t that interesting? I use the extra e, because any extra whiskey is always better. Thanks again!
I appreciate your interest, GiN, and already pointed out to a gentleman below: There is no ‘e’ in Scotch, only in Irish and American imitations.
As my story features Glenfiddich, there is clearly no ‘e’.
Incidentally, as a Scot, I find the additional ‘e’ rather irritating, but I empathise with your view that more is better.
He needs to renegotiate his rates – perhaps a case or two should be part of the next contract? Seems a shame for the victim he didn’t get to finish his dram though. Wonderfully, cheekily written, as always, C. Hope you’re well
He isn’t really interested in the whisky, just being greedy.
The point is his indifference to what he has done.
An indifference to the act of taking a life but not to the loss of the whisky (please note the lack of ‘e’!) He has skewed priorities alright
Clearly feels no remorse for the murder.
Well done, Fatima, you understood exactly the point of the last line!
Aw, shucks. All that trouble and murdering and whatnot and the bottle’s empty 🙂
Life is so unfair!
What a waste of good whiskey… but it could have been worse… it could have been Lagavulin
Whisky, Bjorn, whisky – there is no ‘e’!
I guess you enjoy the peat smoke, but it just a question of taste, don’t you think?
Indeed… and I blame my spellchecker
Laughing. Can’t expect them to know about life’s more important issues!
A death, a murder or a revenge for drinking all the liquid gold. I feel the focus and greatest loss here is not of a man’s life, but for the whisky.
The life was the job, the whisky was the hoped-for bonus!
Did he kill him for the whisky or whisky was an after thought?
The whisky is irrelevant, except that the victim drops his guard when he reaches for the glass
That’s so disappointing. Try next door, I hear he drinks Glengoyne.
But he is not on my hit list, Keith
I don’t get whiskey, I do however get the story, well written stuff as ever!
Whisky, good sir, whisky. There is no ‘e’ in Scotch, only in Irish and American imitations.
I don’t drink it either, almost a crime for a Scot!
And thank you, glad you enjoyed.
I knew the e rule but wasn’t sure which way round it goes, like Devon and Cornwall cream teas! I wish I liked whisky, seems like an interesting scene.
A wee dram would’ve been just the thing to calm the adrenaline too.
Just can’t get the victims these days, Iain
Check the cabinet on your way out.
Excellent job of building the tension.
Thank you, sir, good idea!
Loved the way you built a chilling atmosphere and then surprised me with the light ending.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
I do try to tweak the last line, Susan
Oh, shiver and shudder! Great piece for a spooky Halloween Eve 🙂
Glad you liked it, Linda
Blood and scotch, all in a day’s work.
Spoken like a doctor, Tracey!
oy! That’s some troublesome scotch, that is!
Thanks, Na’ama
I’m more an Islay malt man myself. I wouldn’t kill for a Glenfiddich. But I understand tastes vary and he had his reasons. Well written as always, mate
Thanks, Neil.
Keep this under your hat, but I don’t drink spirits, not even Glenfiddich
Well I hope that glass was empty… the horror…
Great read.
Laughing at ‘the horror’!
Thank you, Tannille
Dear CE,
Glenfiddich is fluently spoken here. At least by my husband. A lot of trouble for a glass of Scotch.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Slainte to Jan, m’lady