IAIN KELLY

A COG IN THE MACHINE

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.


crook3
© 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).

To read more stories based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.

 

75 responses to “A COG IN THE MACHINE”

  1. rochellewisoff Avatar

    Dear Iain,

    It sounds like Michael’s a man who really enjoys his job, but eeeeeeeewwww!!!!! I hesitate to say nicely done. 😉

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Rochelle, it’s nice that some people enjoy their work… 🙂

      Like

  2. J Hardy Carroll Avatar

    Working for the giant is never easy. He does love his ground bone bread.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      I’m sure he can produce a few different food stuff from his ingredients…. 🙂

      Like

      1. J Hardy Carroll Avatar

        Bone muffins. Bone scones. A versatile food group. 😉

        Liked by 1 person

  3. wmqcolby Avatar

    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!”

    Like

  4. neilmacdon Avatar

    Even ogres gotta have a rest now and again, right?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      He’s certainly a monster of some kind…

      Like

  5. Sandra Avatar

    I hate it when I get behind on my job like that. You’ve brought a new meaning to the words ‘daily grind’.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Glad you spotted that Sandra 🙂

      Like

  6. Dale Avatar
    Dale

    Daily grind indeed… Euwwwww… and you, who looks like such a nice boy…

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      It’s always the ones who look nice you have to watch out for 😉

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      That’s the reaction I’m looking for 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  7. Lynn Love Avatar
    Lynn Love

    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 …

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Lynn 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Lynn Love Avatar

        🙂

        Like

  8. Graham Lawrence Avatar
    Graham Lawrence

    Ouch! Very grisely.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Graham 🙂

      Like

  9. James Avatar

    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.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Very true, a definite benefit 🙂

      Like

  10. Alicia Jamtaas Avatar

    A bit like Sweeny Todd!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Good point, I hadn’t thought of that but definitely similar.

      Liked by 1 person

  11. Siobhan McNamara Avatar

    He takes a lot of (far too much!) pleasure in his work – still, someone’s got to do it!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Ha, thanks Siobhan 🙂

      Like

  12. Björn Rudberg (brudberg) Avatar

    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?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      I don’t think that’s bad at all 🙂

      Like

  13. plaridel Avatar

    eww… i didn’t expect that. definitely, you’re full of surprises. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks, a most welcome compliment.

      Liked by 1 person

  14. Dawn Quyle Landau Avatar

    Oh. My. Dark and macabre, Lain, and well told!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Dawn.

      Like

  15. michael1148humphris Avatar
    michael1148humphris

    You have created a whole set of new images for me, and heaven help me for now I got to try and sleep.😳

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Apologies Michael 🙂

      Like

  16. quillella Avatar

    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?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      It’s a messy job, he doesn’t wear them outside work 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  17. paulmclem Avatar
    paulmclem

    A psychopathic murderer’s work is never done. Happy New Year, and all the best for 2017.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Paul, and a happy new year to you too.

      Like

  18. draliman Avatar

    Ugh, very graphic. Great stuff 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks, not too graphic I hope…

      Liked by 1 person

      1. draliman Avatar

        Can anything be “too graphic”? 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  19. Christine Goodnough Avatar

    Oh, horrors! He sounds like another Robert (Willie) Picton.
    You’ve done a good job with the story mechanics, using your 100 words skillfully.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Many thanks Christine, had to look up who he was – chilling!

      Like

      1. Christine Goodnough Avatar

        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!

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Iain Kelly Avatar

        Wow, that’s a bit too close for comfort and such a tragic story.

        Liked by 1 person

  20. DebraB Avatar

    Yikes! That is one hard-working man! 😱

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks for stopping by. It’s a job like any other – work, work, work!

      Like

  21. nonsmokingladybug Avatar

    The bone mill yikes! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks 🙂

      Like

  22. The Writer's Village Avatar

    Back to the old grind. Ha.
    Randy

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Randy 🙂

      Like

  23. mandibelle16 Avatar
    mandibelle16

    Gory Ian, but very good. Sweeney Todd vibes for sure.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Mandi.

      Liked by 1 person

  24. k rawson Avatar

    Is it wrong that I laughed gleefully at the grinding? Nicely done!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      I don’t think so 🙂 Many thanks.

      Liked by 1 person

  25. Michael Wynn Avatar

    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? 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Ha, apologies to all Michaels, nothing personal!

      Like

  26. Julie Mortimer Avatar

    shades of soylent green! and loved and shuddere at the crunching bones!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Haven’t seen that film but having looked it up I must watch out for it, sounds like a good one. Thanks for visiting 🙂

      Like

  27. rogershipp Avatar

    Just another day on the job… I hope I don’t try to befriend this guy!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Roger, me neither!

      Like

  28. Symanntha Renn Avatar

    Great minds think alike. Thanks for always leaving me a comment!

    Liked by 1 person

  29. Clare Hempstead Avatar

    This made me laugh out loud. A great take!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Clare, always pleased to give a laugh 🙂

      Like

  30. Jane Dougherty Avatar

    Gruesome with humour. Made me laugh 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Jane, glad it gave you a laugh 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  31. The Reclining Gentleman Avatar

    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!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Many thanks, glad you liked it.

      Liked by 1 person

  32. lingeringvisions by Dawn Avatar

    This put in mind of the TV show Dexter.
    That nonchalant murderer with his messy ways!
    Good one Lain.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
  33. Dahlia Avatar

    Yikes – I could hear the bone cracking!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks for reading 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  34. creatingahome Avatar

    Yuck!
    Just yuck, yuck!!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  35. James Avatar

    Hah! my submission is at the bottom.

    Liked by 1 person

  36. BarbCT Avatar

    How gruesome!

    Liked by 1 person

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