Well, what would you do, confronted by a photo of a dismembered mannequin and some graffiti? You’d write a hundred word story about it, of course.
You wouldn’t? Well, that’s what the Friday Fictioneers do. Try it – you’ll like it!
Panic
November’s a gray month, so dark so early. Take the wrong shortcut, and you might run into anything. Something rustled behind him. Leaves, he told himself. But the leaves were gone for the winter. Only a mugger, he told himself with a sour smile.
It wasn’t like rustling, he decided. Or footsteps. Something scraping along the sidewalk.
“Help me.” A voice at waist level behind him. A child in trouble? He paused, turned.
The statue approached, swiveling stiffly from side to side. Its torso was missing, and its head wobbled atop its hips. The lips moved. He yelled and ran.
The head sighed. “This neighborhood. Everybody goes to pieces.”
* * *
Please comment and let me know what you think of this story! And as usual, thanks to our fearless leader and cat-herder, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields.
A Number of Things 
Reminds me of the commercials I’ve seen on TV for “Sleep Hollow.” I’m sorry to say that because although I like your story, I’m not excited about the commercials. 🙂 Like your last line especially.
janet
I can’t say I’m wild about those commercials either! Anyway, I’m glad you like the story. (And the last line? That’s where the whole story came from. 😉 )
Great punch line
Thank you! I started with the punch line – then it took a couple of days to build a story to give me an excuse for using it.
the clever last line’s definitely my favorite here too 🙂
Thank you! I was worried it would be out of place with the rest of the story, but so far everybody seems to like it 🙂
You build the tension really well an the imagery is quite scarey – yours not the photo!
Why, thank you, Gilly! I felt like trying for a mini-horror story this time.
Very good, great last line – one has figuratively gone to pieces and one in actuality 🙂
Glad you like it! And yes, that’s exactly what I was going for with the last line.
Loved the closing line.
Thank you so much, Sandra!
Dear Sharon,
I tried it. I liked it. Look where it led. 😉
I can relate to starting with an ending line and then trying to find a story for it. You did it well. The image of being followed by a dismembered statue is pretty horrifying though. Nice one.
shalom,
Rochelle
Thank you, Rochelle! For some reason, the dismembered mannequin in the photo creeped me out a bit. (As well as inspiring the semi-joke last line.) Add some more realistic fears about run-down areas and street crime, stir well, and here we are.
yep made me laugh. i hate those dark night too 🙂
Thank you Beverley – I like making people laugh. And I’ve had enough of the dark nights. I want spring now, and I’m not gonna get it 😦 for another four months or so. 😉
yes please, spring now 🙂
A Hammer film in the making! You made a pun from the photo. Ann
Word Plays R Us!
🙂 Very funny!
So sad….lol
The tragedy of being detorsoed…
And, you know, the statue asked politely for help, and did our main character provide any??? No! What is this world coming to, I ask you?
We are all just so egotistical!
😉