Back to work after the holiday then, thought Michael, heading down the stairs to the basement and pulling on his overalls.
It had been nice seeing family and friends, enjoying a few social nights out and joining in the festivities.
Now to carry on with the everyday grind. There was a backlog after a fortnight of over-indulging.
He tossed the first body into the grinding machine – Carly from the New Year’s party – and started pushing the old wooden cogs round. The satisfying sound of bones crunching and snapping soothed him as the blood sprayed onto his overalls. It was good to get back to work.

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).
To read more stories based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.
75 responses to “A COG IN THE MACHINE”
Dear Iain,
It sounds like Michael’s a man who really enjoys his job, but eeeeeeeewwww!!!!! I hesitate to say nicely done. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Rochelle, it’s nice that some people enjoy their work… 🙂
LikeLike
Working for the giant is never easy. He does love his ground bone bread.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’m sure he can produce a few different food stuff from his ingredients…. 🙂
LikeLike
Bone muffins. Bone scones. A versatile food group. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
I laughed out loud! Too funny! I knew it was going to go somewhere like that … and wasn’t I right?
Terrific story, Iain. Made my day. As the man said as he cranked out the sausages, “I’ve taken a ‘turn’ for the wurst.”
Five out of five “dem bones, dem bones, gonna rise!”
LikeLike
Even ogres gotta have a rest now and again, right?
LikeLiked by 1 person
He’s certainly a monster of some kind…
LikeLike
I hate it when I get behind on my job like that. You’ve brought a new meaning to the words ‘daily grind’.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad you spotted that Sandra 🙂
LikeLike
Daily grind indeed… Euwwwww… and you, who looks like such a nice boy…
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s always the ones who look nice you have to watch out for 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gah!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s the reaction I’m looking for 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, the old body grinding mills of yore … Shame their use has all but died out 🙂 Nicely, grisly tale, Iain. I’m imagining the splatter caused by the process now …
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Lynn 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLike
Ouch! Very grisely.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Graham 🙂
LikeLike
Yikes, that’s grim. On the other hand, I wouldn’t mind a job I could do from home, at least on days like this when it just will not stop snowing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very true, a definite benefit 🙂
LikeLike
A bit like Sweeny Todd!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good point, I hadn’t thought of that but definitely similar.
LikeLiked by 1 person
He takes a lot of (far too much!) pleasure in his work – still, someone’s got to do it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha, thanks Siobhan 🙂
LikeLike
A man who even enjoy the wet part of serial killing is taking scary into terrifying… Am I bad in hoping that the basement caves in on top of him?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t think that’s bad at all 🙂
LikeLike
eww… i didn’t expect that. definitely, you’re full of surprises. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, a most welcome compliment.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh. My. Dark and macabre, Lain, and well told!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Dawn.
LikeLike
You have created a whole set of new images for me, and heaven help me for now I got to try and sleep.😳
LikeLiked by 1 person
Apologies Michael 🙂
LikeLike
Oh, in just a few paragraphs you managed to make me fall in love with this character. He reminds me so much of some of my favourite fictional (I swear, they are fictional) characters…my little murderous baby. Who wears overalls on purpose though?
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s a messy job, he doesn’t wear them outside work 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
A psychopathic murderer’s work is never done. Happy New Year, and all the best for 2017.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Paul, and a happy new year to you too.
LikeLike
Ugh, very graphic. Great stuff 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, not too graphic I hope…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Can anything be “too graphic”? 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, horrors! He sounds like another Robert (Willie) Picton.
You’ve done a good job with the story mechanics, using your 100 words skillfully.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Many thanks Christine, had to look up who he was – chilling!
LikeLike
Getting maudlin here… Back in the early 70s my uncle lived for a time with Linda, and my dad babysat her children, boy and girl. I can remember this dark-haired girl about 7, growing up in an unstable situation, dads changing now & then, probable sexual abuse going on.
As a teen she went on the streets, left for Vancouver, then disappeared. Some years later police came to Linda wanting a DNA sample; they thought one of the bones they’d dug up on Picton’s farm might be from her daughter.
Your story brought this to mind, as Willie did grind them up. Yes, chilling! Horrific. I often think of this dark-eyed little girl, her tragic end. Man…it could so easily have been me!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow, that’s a bit too close for comfort and such a tragic story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yikes! That is one hard-working man! 😱
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for stopping by. It’s a job like any other – work, work, work!
LikeLike
The bone mill yikes! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks 🙂
LikeLike
Back to the old grind. Ha.
Randy
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Randy 🙂
LikeLike
Gory Ian, but very good. Sweeney Todd vibes for sure.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Mandi.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Is it wrong that I laughed gleefully at the grinding? Nicely done!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t think so 🙂 Many thanks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I see what you mean about taking the same route from the prompt. As usual you made me laugh, nicely done, but did you have to call him Michael? 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha, apologies to all Michaels, nothing personal!
LikeLike
shades of soylent green! and loved and shuddere at the crunching bones!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haven’t seen that film but having looked it up I must watch out for it, sounds like a good one. Thanks for visiting 🙂
LikeLike
Just another day on the job… I hope I don’t try to befriend this guy!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Roger, me neither!
LikeLike
Great minds think alike. Thanks for always leaving me a comment!
LikeLiked by 1 person
This made me laugh out loud. A great take!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Clare, always pleased to give a laugh 🙂
LikeLike
Gruesome with humour. Made me laugh 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Jane, glad it gave you a laugh 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wonderful! I could hear Michael whistling happily as ge got back to the work he loves. Then you had me wincing at the sound of the crunching and snapping!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Many thanks, glad you liked it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This put in mind of the TV show Dexter.
That nonchalant murderer with his messy ways!
Good one Lain.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Dawn
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yikes – I could hear the bone cracking!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for reading 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yuck!
Just yuck, yuck!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hah! my submission is at the bottom.
LikeLiked by 1 person
How gruesome!
LikeLiked by 1 person