SIGHTSEEING

~ Iain Kelly

Another boat trip, thought Marcus, as he slumped into a window seat.

‘Come on, this is a great way to see the town. There’s so much history,’ his mother said. Marcus looked at her pointedly as he placed the headphones into his ears and turned on music – loud.

One more summer and he would be old enough to go on his own holidays with his friends – sun, sand and the rest – instead of being dragged round on dull sightseeing trips of British towns.

The tour guide began droning on about some historical building as they moved down the river. Marcus couldn’t hear the detail over his music.

Gradually he realised the guide had stopped speaking and was staring out the side of the boat, looking pale and shocked. So was everyone else. Marcus glanced over and saw the police divers hauling the naked, dead body out of the water, a red slit across her throat.

Finally he had an interesting story to tell about his holiday when he got back to school.

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© The Storyteller’s Abode

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.

Published by Iain Kelly

39 year old writer, avid film viewer and book reader, employed in the media industry as a television editor.

46 thoughts on “SIGHTSEEING”

  5. that would make any young boy’s holiday the most exciting in the bragging circle. You captured the essence of a bored young man coming home like a war hero to tell his tale.

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  9. Nicely written Iain – the teens viewpoint is very strong. This is my son when I drag him on another boat trip round Bristol harbour – fortunately, never seen a body though. Walked past a trail of bloody footprints one day, but that’s another tale! Very good as always 🙂

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  12. Pingback: Daylight | Powered by Robots

      2. Just following other blogs and also using the WordPress reader and searching for writing challenges. I stick to 3 or 4 that I do regularly, and others occasionally if I can find the time. All good fun and a good excuse to keep coming up with writing ideas.

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  16. That would indeed be a very shocking scene to see. But I suppose a bored teenager might think more of what his friends would think of his story, then the terribleness of a murder. Great write Ian!

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  17. He was relieved of his boredom, but at a price of someones death and the heartache of probably family and friends. He will have plenty to talk about when he gets home and may be a bit more interested in taking another trip…not looking for something so tragic, but perhaps open to the possibility of seeing something unusual again. Wonderful story .

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  20. Well, that certainly added a bit of spice to an otherwise dull holiday! Lol. Much as I love historical sites, I know that most teenagers find them all a great big yawn. Very well written, Iain. 🙂

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