IAIN KELLY

ALL SEWN UP

Granny Jess passed away peacefully in her home, surrounded by her family.

Sandra, her eldest, had the task of cleaning out the house where Granny had lived on her own for forty years. She took me along.

‘What’s this, Mum?’ I asked.

Sandra smiled. ‘That’s your Granny’s old sewing machine.’

‘Should we keep it?’

My Mum thought for a moment, then shook her head. ‘It served its purpose long ago.’

I lifted the machine off the table and struggled out the door with it. I dumped it on the lawn with the other rubbish.

My hands were covered in rust and dirt from the old machine. I wiped them on my white t-shirt. I noticed a smear of dark red.  We never spoke about what happened to Grandpa.


crook2
© Sandra Crook

Written as part of the Friday Fictioneers challenge hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields (more details HERE).  The idea is to write a short story of 100 words based on the photo prompt (above, thanks to Sandra for the photo this week).

Read more stories based on this week’s photo here: HERE

80 responses to “ALL SEWN UP”

  1. neilmacdon Avatar

    Granny beat him to death with a sewing machine?

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Perhaps… We don’t talk about it 😉

      Liked by 3 people

      1. The Writer's Village Avatar

        Neil’s response made me laugh out loud. Perfect response to an old secret and mystery.
        Randy

        Liked by 1 person

  2. rochellewisoff Avatar

    Dear Iain,

    Pity they got rid of the old machine. I wonder what happened and why the blood wasn’t cleaned off.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      It’s a mystery. I guess if the family still loved their Granny they must have forgiven or understood what had happened to Grandpa…

      Liked by 1 person

  3. Joy Joyancel Avatar

    Very intriguing… Some things are better left unspoken of indeed… Very good piece of writing.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Many thanks Joy 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  4. Al Avatar

    Haha I love it. Great story Iain.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Al – another one that has turned an innocent object into an act of violence….

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Al Avatar

        And done well 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  5. Sandra Avatar

    As I believe they say in Glasgow “Stitch that Jimmy”. Nicely done.,

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Sandra, and thank you for the photo prompt this week.

      Like

  6. Graham Lawrence Avatar
    Graham Lawrence

    Oh I didn’t see that coming!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      I couldn’t bring myself to just leave it as a nice tale, had to add a sting at the end!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Graham Lawrence Avatar
        Graham Lawrence

        I know how you feel! Sometimes you need that twist or sting don’t you 😉

        Liked by 1 person

  7. Björn Rudberg (brudberg) Avatar

    I guess it was not the red of rust… hmm better keep silent

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Some things are best kept quiet 🙂 Thanks for reading.

      Like

  8. Claire Fuller Avatar

    Ooh, that was a surprise! I don’t like to think what you could use a sewing machine for with a dead body…

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Best left to the imagination! Thanks for reading.

      Liked by 1 person

  9. shehannemoore Avatar

    Lol. Brilliant. I have one of these…..

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Whatever happens you didn’t get any ideas from me! 😉

      Liked by 1 person

      1. shehannemoore Avatar

        But of course…..

        Liked by 1 person

  10. Singledust Avatar

    poor Grandma, all sorts going through my mind, was it a jealous lover or a heated argument that left that red? or did she have Grandpa instituitionalised when he tried to do her in? Wonderful, wonderful story that keeps the reader guessing and coming back to read between the lines. as you can see i am on Grandma’s side.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      The family seem to be on Grandma’s side too. I think Grandpa wasn’t such a nice guy. Thanks for lovely comment.

      Liked by 1 person

  11. J Hardy Carroll Avatar

    Perhaps the odd leather jacket in the closet? Or maybe a lampshade?

    Liked by 1 person

  12. calensariel Avatar

    Well THAT’S a great hook! LOL

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Like to leave the reader with something to think about 😉 thanks for reading.

      Like

  13. gahlearner Avatar
    gahlearner

    I’m sure grandpa just had an accident, tripped, and broke his neck hitting the sewing machine, right? 🙂 Great twist.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Maybe… 😉 Thanks for reading.

      Liked by 1 person

  14. michael1148humphris Avatar
    michael1148humphris

    O dear,🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  15. Morgan Avatar

    Oh my..interesting…now I need more Iain! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  16. Caerlynn Nash Avatar
    Caerlynn Nash

    A mystery indeed. Sometimes things are best left in the past. Nicely done!

    Liked by 1 person

  17. TraceyDelaplainMD.com Avatar

    Served its purpose indeed. Good yarn.
    Tracey

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Tracey

      Liked by 1 person

  18. Clare Hempstead Avatar

    Oh dear, poor old grandpa!

    Liked by 1 person

  19. lingeringvisions by Dawn Avatar

    Sew what if she knocked off the old guy?! lol

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Very good. We’re all having fun punning with the word sew this week! Thanks for reading.

      Like

  20. FabricatingFiction Avatar

    Ooohh ominous end!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks, family secrets are best kept hidden 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  21. helenmidgley Avatar

    I loved the story in a story 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Many thanks Helen.

      Like

  22. creatingahome Avatar

    They killed her.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Interesting idea

      Like

  23. Poet Rummager Avatar

    Cool story with a surprise blood ending. Nice!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Glad you liked it. Many thanks.

      Liked by 1 person

  24. draliman Avatar

    Ha, I was just thinking “what a sweet yet melancholy story” and then that killer last line. “Killer” in more ways than one, perhaps 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Perhaps… Yes, I couldn’t just leave it as a nice sweet tale!

      Liked by 1 person

  25. Lynn Love Avatar

    Wow! That was a shocker. A nice family drama turned to murder in the blink of an eye. Nicely done, Iain – a great tale

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Many thanks Lynn.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Lynn Love Avatar

        My pleasure 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  26. rgayer55 Avatar

    As a grandpa myself, I now find myself extremely concerned when Connie asks me to look at her sewing machine.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Watch your back….

      Liked by 1 person

  27. nonsmokingladybug Avatar

    Let’s just hope he injured himself when he tried to fix the machine, but that’s’ not what you had in mind I fear.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      It could have been an accident, but most comments seem to think it’s something more sinister. Thanks for reading.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. nonsmokingladybug Avatar

        I actually have a workshop and a few sewing machines. I always joke that my DNA is on each and every one of them. That’s why I didn’t move to the dark side with this post.

        Liked by 1 person

  28. Laurie Bell Avatar

    Oooooo great ending! That red smear is very haunting

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Laurie. Could mean so many things…

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Alana Kristen Avatar
        Alana Kristen

        The lesser you know, the better you sleep, indeed.:)

        Liked by 1 person

  29. ansumani Avatar

    Killer last line- good twist. Nicely done.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Many thanks.

      Like

  30. Melinda Kucsera Avatar

    Oh my! So the sewing machine played a role in his death? What a cool idea for a murder weapon. It beats a gun in my book for creativity.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Melinda 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Melinda Kucsera Avatar

        You’re welcome 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  31. keenlifeblog Avatar

    Amazing work.
    Old stuff makes many emotions come flooding back. Hats off!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Many thanks.

      Like

  32. Emily Livingstone Avatar

    Whoa…still bloody after all this time? I wish we could know more about how this happened, though I like the idea of the family secret. Many families have interesting secrets, though not (hopefully) THIS interesting in most cases.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      I agree. Although it might make a good story to explain it more, I think this one is better left as a mystery. Thanks for reading.

      Like

  33. Michael Wynn Avatar

    Now that’s got me wondering how you murder someone with a sewing machine. You’ve left it up in the air masterfully. Did she sew up his mouth and nose so he couldn’t breathe. perhaps?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Ha, there are many possibilities!

      Like

  34. wmqcolby Avatar

    It’s hard to get parts for those old things anyway — the machine, I mean. As for grandma, well, I suppose that’s bigger than both of us.
    You nailed it, Iain. Five out of five salvage trucks.

    Liked by 1 person

  35. seekeroftruthweb Avatar

    Even more ruthless than in mine — the lady in mine just put images on the treadle — no one was harmed.

    Though I too thought sinister at first, could the blood be where Grandma had pricked her finger and had nothing to do with Grandpa?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Good thought. It could all be innocent 🙂

      Like

  36. jacquelineobyikocha Avatar

    Oh my! I love the intrigue. More!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Many thanks – so many ways it could continue…

      Like

  37. paronson Avatar

    I’ve read several of flash fictions based around the sewing machine image, but I really like yours the best 🙂 I’m a sucker for stories that wow you with their last sentence. Great writing!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Paul, I’m the same, always like to leave short stories with a last line twist. You’re very kind.

      Liked by 1 person

  38. patriciaruthsusan Avatar

    I guess we can figure out what happened to Grandpa. If Grandma was strong enough to pick up the machine and whack him with it, Grandpa should have been ‘much’ nicer to her. Great ending twist, Iain. Mom’s words, “…it served its purpose…” become clearer after the last sentence. Good writing. 😀 — Suzanne

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Many thanks. Lots of different theories about what happened to Grandpa, nice to get everyone’s ideas.

      Liked by 1 person

  39. Indira Avatar

    ‘It served its purpose…’indeed. Nice twist. I didn’t expect it.

    Like

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Many thanks.

      Liked by 1 person

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