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:
Deep Water
I’m sitting outside the little cafe on the port, enjoying the evening sunshine and reading Sebastian Faulks’ A Possible Life, when a shadow falls across my eyeline.
I’m surprised to see my ex-wife facing me across the table because, to the best of my knowledge, she has never been in Medville before.
I’m even more surprised to see how stunning she looks.
Please don’t misunderstand, she was always gorgeous, a slim, graceful lady as beautiful inside as out.
But I haven’t seen her in almost two decades, when she was almost forty years old, and she now looks to be in her early thirties.
So I’m confused and, as everyone knows, I’m not easily confused.
‘Hello,’ she says. ‘Pleased to see me?’
‘Of course, I’m delighted. You’re looking well.’
She says nothing, her smile radiant, and I wince, remembering that she stopped smiling long before our marriage finally ended.
‘But…’ I begin, unable to formulate the question.
She laughs, and I’d forgotten how delightful it sounds.
‘You’re wondering how I look so young, aren’t you?’
I nod, thinking back to those early, happy years before I destroyed everything.
‘I died yesterday,’ she says, the smile unchanging.
I gawp, speechless.
‘The afterlife is quite interesting,’ she tells me. ‘People deemed to be good can choose a punishment for those who hurt them.’
‘I get to decide how and when you die.’
Her smile brightens further.
‘I remember your terrible fear of drowning. Enjoy your daily swim, sweetheart. See you soon.’
Sound Bite Fiction 
I am glad I clicked on this story. I remember your writing was always spooky. I am glad to see that hasn’t changed. Wonderful story!
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Absolutely delightful and fully satisfying. Giving me ideas as I’ve just had to deal with a very hostile bully of an Ex. Heh heh heh…😈💩
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Glad it worked for you, Liz.
Kick him in the hee-haws, I think you’d find that pretty satisfying too!
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Better just to ignore him. He hates that.
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Grand wee story. Another chilling one too. Is revenge as sweet as it’s said though. I think not. Passing thought totally not about your story.
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Happy you enjoyed it, Lindsey.
As for revenge, not my thing, but it makes for interesting fiction.
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Great story.
Yes, I like the narrator and feel his gut-punch when she delivers words of his reckoning. I also wonder why the vindictive stunner is the one who is “deemed to be good.”
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Laughing.
What is it with you ladies that you all side with the bad guy?
I guess it must be true what they say, hmm?
Vindictive, maybe, but remember that hell hath no fury…
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very nicely done!
not for nothin’ but at the reveal ‘I died yesterday’ I thought, “ok, classic ceayr take on a ghost story.”
I continued reading, a bit slower, more on alert… and I smiled at the first hook and half-laughed at the second.
Masterful story-telling, yo
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Thanks, Clark, your thoughtful comments on the actual writing are much appreciated.
Yo!
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Ooh, excellent, CE!
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Ooh, thanks, Chris!
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At that, CE, is how you get it done. Absolutely glorious writing.
(Sounds like Sea of Love but I can’t make out who’s singing.)
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Thanks, Nancy, much appreciated.
Tom Waits (it’s in the tags!)
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There must be help somewhere/somehow. You have been warned to stay clear of water. We can’t change the past. The past has passed.
I got on a ship with a friend once. I made the mistake of trying to help my friend with a small problem. My help was disastrous! And I wrote: “I’m sorry. I’m the only one to be blamed.” Never heard back. I keep looking for a bottle bobbing up and down in the sea with a note in it letting me know if that is the end of the friendship or not.
Or perhaps “it was over before it even began.” It Was Over Before It Even Began. That sounds like a title of a good story. Don’t you think?
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My dear Lady, you make me laugh!
Your friend didn’t deserve you (perhaps no one does?)
Not sure that works as a title, it kinda gives away the plot, doncha fink?
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Oh she’s enjoying this. Sweet revenge indeed. Such a clever story, with a real punch at the end, delivered so charmingly. And I agree with Jenne in feeling sorry for the poor narrator. Surely his regret is enough to earn her forgiveness. He can’t offer her any more can he, now that she’s gone on to the ‘afterlife’?
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Thanks, Margaret, but I’m not sure why you feel sorry for this character, he’s a cad!
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Ouch.
Nicely set up and executed. (Oops, sorry, pun not intended. 😉)
You almost make me feel sorry for this cleverly wrong-footed anti-hero.
Has he never heard of karma?
And his ex-wife’s delight in her choice of punishment, presented in such a matter-of-fact way, is deliciously chilling.
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Thanks, Jenne, but I’m not sure he deserves any sympathy.
I like ‘deliciously chilling’!
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