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 the picture below, which this week is supplied by my second-favourite Fictioneer, me.
Click here to hear the author read his words:
Dog Owner
I like dogs.
Hate dog owners.
I’m in this secluded spot, minding my own business.
A cute wee beagle appears, tail a-wagging.
I hear a woman’s voice, a plaintive wail.
Lulu! Lulu!
I curse.
Go, I say to the dog, shoo!
The tail wags.
Inevitably the owner appears.
She shrieks at the scene.
I have no choice.
I strangle her, drop her into the hole beside Mr Johnson, whom I have been well paid to dispose of.
Sadly Lulu has to go in too.
Can’t have her sniffing around, can I?
Shame, because I like dogs.
Hate dog owners.
How darkly amusing! 😄
I was pretty much aiming for darkly amusing, so thank you, Sunra
😄
I’m starting to feel like you have a few too many “how to dispose of the body” stories to tell. Plus, this one involves a dog, and like John Wick, I find that to be crossing the line! 😉 Thanks for yet another suspiciously fun story!
You know what they say, Anne, stick to what you know!
I am sadly unacquainted with Mr Wick, but I am amused that so many readers care not a hoot about 2 people, but are upset about a dumb mutt!
John Wick is a movie about a retired assassin who comes out of retirement when some guys kill his dog. He kills a LOT of people. You probably wouldn’t like it, because it’s not very realistic. Like a real doctor watching one of those medical shows, I imagine.
Another good reason to keep your dog on a leash. Lesson learned. And a lovely image to write by this week CE. Thank you.
Thank you, GiN, glad you enjoyed.
And the image is one of my local beaches, a beautiful spot.
It is indeed a beautiful spot CE. Enjoy!
In one way your assassin was more socially responsible than some dog owners – he was clearing up his business, and not just leaving it lying around. Well written as always. BTW it’s a great prompt. It seems to have suggested a variety of moods and stories.
Laughing at the idea of a socially responsible murderer and pooch butcher.
As for the prompt photo, Penny, thank you, but credit goes to our hostess who selects from many.
Great one! Never expected that.
Cool!
The strap-line for this blog is:
where nothing is quite what it seems…
Nice one – so laconic!
Not easy to be verbose, Liz,with only 100 words!
It’s not a beach, its his composting bin. He should start planting….
Ever practical, hmm?
Great twist. Love the story!
Thank you,Tessa
Yep, dog owners can be a pain in the… neck.
Oh, I thought you were going to say… bum
poor lady, i guess she found herself in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Yes, but such an annoying voice, Plaridel!
You can’t take the good with the bad, can you? The repetitive ending was spot on, Ceayr! An congrats on the lovely prompt!
Check mine https://neelwritesblog.wordpress.com/2021/03/11/neelwrites-flash-ff-fiction-100words-11-03-21/
Thanks and thanks, Neel
iI only that hole was bigger, I know a few irresponsible dog owners. You can always tell the ones who don’t clean up after their pouchy pet. They never speak or else say hello they just rush off.
Loved the ending to this.
If …
Thanks, James.
Seems I touched a wee nerve there maybe?
Collateral damage, a shame but sometimes inevitable.
Yeah, well, just a dame and a pooch, no great loss…
LOLOLOL I’m so glad I had put my cup of tea down before I started your audio.
You high pitched voice as you said, “Lulu Lulu” had me laughing. I don’t know if that was
your intention but it worked.
I’m with you on some dog owners of those little yappy poo-poo froo-froo dogs.They’re annoying.
Nicely penned … Be Safe 😷
Isadora 😎
Well, actually, Isadora, that bit was my normal voice, the rest of the reading was meant to be funny!
Glad you got a chuckle.
😄😀😀
Reading this was just lovely 🙂
Thank you, ladies
If only dog owners could be more like their dogs, it wouldn’t have come to this!
Oh some of them are little yappy brutes too, Dora
Nice twist. Glad you the word restraints didn’t allow me to grow fonder of Lu Lu…I agree about those owners. lol
Jings, you folk really don’t like doggie people, do you!
Wow, he certainly does hate dog owners. This went south quite quickly. I loved it!
I only had 100 words, Brenda, no time to break it gently!
Thank you
You took us to the dark very quickly. I love the repetition at the end, a great literary device. I wonder how deep that hole is.
Deep enough for any politicians you want to add, Linda
Poor Lulu! I mean, it was looking like a happy ending, and then…
It’s just a mutt, Trent!
Yikes! Remind me to never walk my dog anywhere in your vicinity… Seriously though, I love it. Great voice, logical, rational, icy. Poor Lulu though…
Just don’t interrupt me when I’m burying someone, Gabriele, and you’ll be perfectly safe!
😀
I wholeheartedly agree with the first two lines. As for the rest, well, you gotta do what ya gotta do.
Seems that all the Scots are in pragmatic mode this week, Iain.
Any chance of popping Mr Starmer in there too?
Just bring them along, old bean, and sling ’em in!
Poor dog! There’s a lovely symmetry to this story, CE. And I’m not a fan of wailing dog owners either. Thank you for getting rid of one!
Jen!
I’m quite shocked at your callousness.
And utterly delighted too!
At least your story is about an egalitarian killer: men, women, and dogs. The sea will uncover them all soon enough.
Equal opportunity assassin here!
Well, technically only one is an assassination and the others are wanton murder, but I get the gist.
If only it were as easy to get rid of Mr Johnson in reality…
It’s a great story by a master of understatement and logic.
And I love the plaintive wail in the recording. ‘Lulu! Lulu!’ Perfection!
Unfortunately if we get shot of him we’ll get an even more evil b next.
Glad you enjoyed, Jenne
We both had dogs. We both had “accidents”… no death in mine, though.
I like 2 or 3 deaths sometimes
Don’t I know it
Ha non ! Pas le chien .
Comme tu es gentille, Corine, tu t’en fous des deux gens, mais je tue une seule chienne et tu cries!
Dear CE,
And the body count goes up by two. I’ll admit I laughed.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Anyone who calls a dog Lulu is no great loss, m’lady!
🤣🤣🤣
So much can happen at the beach!
Poor Lulu. She knows too much. Both she & her owner had to go.
A CCTV might be recording all this, what do you say?
No CCTV for miles, Anita, we don’t have crime here.
Clearing up is never easy, but did you have to include Lulu,
Well, yes, Michael, or she’d have been sniffing around until someone noticed
Even in a job you love, there’s going to be some bad stuff
Laughing.
I see you too are a pragmatist, Neil!