The Unicorn Challenge.
A magical new weekly writing opportunity from her – Jenne Gray – and me.
Visit her blog every Friday to see the photo prompt, and post your amazing story in her comments section.
Or on your own blog, and stick the link down in her comments.
The rules are:
Maximum of 250 words.
Based on photo prompt.
That’s it.
To hear me read my story, just click here:
The Ladder
I don’t know how I manage to spot it, hidden as it is round the side of the house, in the long grass by the shrubbery.
Call it a father’s instinct, maybe, because I’ve never trusted that slimy little ratbag who’s always smarming around my daughter.
He’s far too old for her, that’s obvious to everyone.
Well, everyone except her, my baby, my little angel, my Nicky, which just proves my point.
She’s only sixteen, too young to see him for what he is.
And that is less than the dirt on her shoe.
So, when I see the ladder, I know he plans to sneak into her room, probably in a futile attempt at seduction, and then to force himself on her.
Well, I’ll fix him, once and for all.
Where’s my toolkit?
*
I’m waiting patiently in the garden shed, just out of sight of her window.
I hear the ladder being dragged out and lifted, hitting the wall with a clunk.
I smile in satisfaction at the thought of his comeuppance.
Or should that be comedownance!
I open the door silently, and my heart leaps as I hear the crack of the sawn-through rung, followed by a shriek of terror.
I hurry to the scene of the ‘accident’, but he’s not lying in the rockery.
He’s standing, staring open-mouthed at my sweet Nicky’s broken body.
Sound Bite Fiction 
The father got one thing right. Nicky’s his little angel for sure now.
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We shall all have wings and they’ll teach us how to fly…
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Say it ain’t so, C.E.! How can this be?
An exceptional surprise ending. Well done, as always!
PS – I contributed my story to this challenge in your previous post. Was I correct posting it there or should I post it here?
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As my strapline says, Nothing is quite what it seems…
And, erm, no, and, um, no again!
It was supposed to go on Jenne’s blog and I put it there for you, alongside a host of other great (I’ve been told to say that) pieces: https://talesfromglasgow137065088.wordpress.com/2023/03/30/the-unicorn-challenge-31-03-23/
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Merci! I had a feeling my wires got crossed. Thanks for uncrossing them!
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“Comedownance” was a great word. Excellently written story!
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Thanks, Nicole, had to lighten the mood somehow!
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Ah, the old sawn-through rungs on the ladder trick, eh, Chief? Loved comedownance. Prime candidate for Word of the Year.
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Laughing.
Thanks, Doug, I think we’re kindred spirits when it comes to manipulating (mangling?) words!
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Another story with a great twist! Set me up nicely for a murderous weekend! 😂
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Have fun, Lindsey.
Are you bumping off anyone I know?
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All depends on whether our paths have ever crossed in a life long forgotten – or buried anyway.
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A true tale of horror, of love gone wrong.
But it’s the tone of the piece that I find so chilling..
Expertly done!
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Thanks, Jenne, I try to stay matter-of-fact and let the reader react to their own mental picture of what just happened.
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Nice ‘sharp angle close’*.
Excellent twist ending to your story.
Here we Readers were, drawn in by the narrator’s love for his daughter and revulsion for her suitor and, bam! wtf!??
very effective, yo
*borrowed from a term in sales
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I do enjoy leading my readers astray, and then giving a good skelp in the gub.
Glad you enjoyed, sir
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