Weak and broken, George stumbled on across the moor. The heavy mist that shrouded everything was a hindrance and a help – he couldn’t see where he was going, but neither could they find him.
He held onto his stomach where the blood flowed from the bullet wound. The hounds were getting closer again and he heard the distant horn call signalling that the hunt was on once more. He didn’t have enough energy for another chase.
Out of the mist the Lord’s country manor loomed. Servants who made it back would be spared – those were the rules of the game. No one had ever returned before.
George felt his legs go weak beneath him and stumbled over some roots. He felt the jagging prickles of a gorse bush slash at his skin as he fell to the ground. He heard the joyful whoops of the riders as they gathered round their prey.
*
At the front door of the manor, Samuel, the new House Boy, arrived to take up his new position.
Written as part of Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers. The challenge is to write a flash fiction story, in around 150 words based on the weekly photo prompt. For more information visit HERE.
To read other stories based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.
A very good story. Thanks for sharing!
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Many thanks Henrietta.
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You are welcome!
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The right mixture of mystery and spooky too. Poor Samuel, he has no idea what he is getting himself into. I have to confess tho, I was pleasantly surprised at the ending, I thought it was going to be a happy ending 😄, but I loved it.
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Ha, many thanks. I try to write a few happy endings, but I always seem to be drawn the other way! Thanks for reading 🙂
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Now I feel better for not writing a cheery, festive tale myself! I love the idea of people hunting a servant. That is certainly one way to terminate a contract! Very well done 🙂
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Thanks Angie, not sure where the idea came from – let’s hope employers don’t think it’s a good way to cut staff! 🙂
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Wow! So chilling and mysterious! A great write, Iain. It had me on the edge of my seat and the ending was a tear jerker!
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Thanks PJ, glad you liked it – I’m not sure it’s going to end well for Samuel either…
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I enjoyed reading it, Iain!
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At first I was like, “Plot twist: George is a fox.” And then I remembered whose blog I was reading 🙂
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Haha, I take that as a compliment 🙂 . Although it’s bad enough for the foxes too. Thanks.
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It totally is.
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Well, that was certainly chilling. Poor Samuel.
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Maybe he’ll fair better when it comes to his inevitable turn… Thanks for reading.
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Oh no, George was so close! Almost succeeding at this horrible game makes failing that much more chilling. I could really feel his despair and see the scene — well written!
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Thanks Joy, inspired by your prompt 🙂
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Very engaging!
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Thanks Graham
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Lucky Sam x
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Maybe he’ll fair better… 🙂
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Maybe he will…,
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Very atmospheric!
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Thanks!
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Heightened sense of anticipation. Very good build up and then the devilsh twist. Well written, Mr Kelly.
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Very kind, thank you.
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This photo definitely called for this story. Very well told, quite chilling along the lines of Poe.
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Quite a compliment, thank you very much.
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It appears this picture has drawn out the sadness and darkness in all our writing. Poor George. It’s bad enough having to be a servant, but to be considered “huntable” because you’re a servant. The Lords obviously did not consider a servant a person, otherwise, they wouldn’t be hunting them. Great write!
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Definitely all seeing it as a dark prompt! It’s the class society taken to the extreme, which doesn’t seem to far from the truth oddly 🙂 Thanks again
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This is just horrid.
Terrible human beings.
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Hopefully it’s just fiction, but I wouldn’t be surprised if something like this happened somewhere in the world…
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Great suspense. I kept hoping George would find a way to avoid his captors and I don’t even want to think about what they did to him! I’d like to think that Samuel would fair better, but I highly doubt it!
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🙂 many thanks
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