I stared at my nemesis.
Last night I had thrown the chair into the lake, shouting ‘good riddance’ as I heaved it as far as I could. I heard the splash in the dark.
Overnight the lake had frozen.
This morning there it was, sitting upright. Waiting for me.
Mum saw me looking out the window.
‘Did you put the chair out there?’
I nodded. Mum shook her head.
‘Then I think you should go and sit on the chair again. One day you will learn how to behave. Best wrap up.’
I swear the chair was grinning at me.
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 stories of 100 words based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.
Iain Kelly 
88 responses to “NEMESIS”
Mum is a disciplinarian of the old school. But at least she made him wrap up warm
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Tough love I think they call it? Thanks Neil.
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Haha, such a funny piece. That chair does seem to be smirking, now I come to think about it.
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Thanks Jessie 😉
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Intriguing piece, Iain. Nice hook with the first line. Additionally, the starting ‘nemesis’ and suggestion of ‘grinning’ at the end lends the piece a somewhat insidious and malevolent feel. Nicely done!
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Thanks David – an insidious and malevolent chair – I like that 🙂
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Dear Iain,
I suppose if you have to sit on a chair for punishment, that beats sitting in a corner. Nicely done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Probably quite a nice view to look at while sitting out in th open there too! Thanks Rochelle
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Great piece! Love the Mum. 🙂
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Thanks Joy 🙂
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Love this. Putts me in mind of Monty Python. “Oh, but you can’t expect to wield supreme executive power just because some watery tart threw a sword at you! “
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Lol. Brilliant ending again
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Great work, Iain! 🙂
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Thank you Dina, much appreciated ! 🙂
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A cruel and unusual punishment! At least he’s warm – and the chair had the last laugh.
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He’s got to learn somehow! Thanks Chris
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The chair has the final word. I like that.
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The chair wins this round – I think there will be more to come. Thanks Sandra
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Oh, how cruel fate is. Good writing this morning! 🙂 ❤
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That chair sounds evil.
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I know for a fact that furniture can make faces. I restore old furniture and some of them laugh at me. Great take on the prompt.
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I hope they laugh in a non-threatening way 🙂 Many thanks.
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Now THAT is a determined mother!
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Marvelous, Iain ! Love that last line!
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Thanks Morgan, much appreciated 🙂
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I loved the idea of the chair ‘smirking’.
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Thanks Mike 🙂
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Indeed we usually have to live by our deeds – mum taught him well.
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Thanks Michael
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So much fun and we both used the chair as punishment! Not quite in the same way… 😉
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I have to read yours now!
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That had to’ve been the worst Time-out ever! Brrrrrr!
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A good chance to ‘cool down’ 🙂
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Why did he hate that chair so much? Mind, they’re not very comfortable, those things. Love how you give the chair personality – it almost looks smug now you’ve mentioned it 🙂 Love the tale Iain
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Thanks Lynn. I think he was just fed up of being told to go and sit on the chair by his mum! 🙂
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Haha! I’m sure you’re right – quite understandable.
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That’ll teach him.
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Lesson learned.
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I can see it smiling, definitely! I wonder what he will do it next and how it will inevitably have the upper hand again!
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I think a saw or an axe would certainly in handy next time! Thanks Clare
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I’m rooting for the mom. He is reaping what he sowed. Great take on the prompt.
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He will learn. Thanks very much.
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I never understood what sitting in the corner ver did for me, other than the fact it was an unpleasant experience.
Super story, Iain. Well-structured and perfectly ended.
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Sitting out in the open should be nice, so long as the ice is thick enough. Thank you.
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Ah the poor boy. There’s just no getting away from that chair! It was funny but with a nice layer of the dark side in there too. I have a friend who was convinced a piece of furniture she inherited was possessed by an evil force. After one too many debates about how it could be exorcised, I suggested she just sell it. She took my advice and as far as I know, it never tried to come back – but who knows, it could be lurking out there somewhere, biding its time …. 😉
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Scary furniture! Hopefully it won’t return, and hasn’t caused any trouble for whoever she sold it too! Thanks Siobhan 🙂
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Ha! This is funny. Good old mom, poor kid! At least she told him to wrap up before heading out.
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Thanks Alicia. It shows she cares for him, even when giving him his punishment.
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It surely does. Reminds me of my mom. Lots of love wrapped around every punishment.
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he he, fab! I think I see the smirk too…
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Many thanks 🙂
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this reminds me of the good old days. when somebody in the class misbehaved, the teacher told him to sit on the thinking chair. 🙂
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Exactly that, only an extreme version!
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The punishment fits the crime!
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Indeed! Thanks
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Ye gods – what a mother – what if you fell through the ice?
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Then he would really have learned his lesson! 🙂
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You have to admire a chair that lands on its feet. I guess this make you the Chairman, Iain.
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I suppose it does 🙂
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You’ve given me a story that I can relate to as it shows so many emotions. Love this.
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Thanks Lindy, very kind.
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🙂 🙂
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I’m picturing a naughty little boy in head. Lovely story.
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Thanks Sarah. A cheeky boy I think, rather than too naughty! He’ll learn 🙂
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Oh dear. Karma or just desserts! 😊 a fun piece Iain
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A bit of both. Thanks Laurie 🙂
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A conspiracy between chair and mom… better behave, and don’t eat and talk at the same time.
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I hadn’t thought of it as a conspiracy, that makes it a much darker piece! Thanks Bjorn 🙂
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best wrap up… love it… good story.
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Thanks Ted, good picture.
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Good old tough love parenting.
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It has to be done sometimes! Thanks for reading 🙂
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Well, that’s one step on from sending your child to sit at the bottom of the stairs without his or her toys, which was how I punished my children. It’s called “timeout” in behaviour therapy, which is better than a shouting match. The theory is that you give them positive reinforcement with plenty of attention/praise/rewards when they’re behaving but ignore them when they’re being naughty. Personally, I think that was quite a reasonable punishment, provided there was a time-limit on it and steaming drink of hot chocolate waiting for him after he’d sat quietly for half-an-hour.
You made me laugh, as usual 😀
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Thanks Sarah. We try that theory with our 2 but it fails because they love sitting on the stairs and are soon making games up there. Which is what they would do with a chair on ice as well! Thanks for the feedback, always appreciated 🙂
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If I had to be punished by sitting in a chair, I wouldn’t mind sitting in that one with that view and fresh air!
Good story, nicely written 🙂
-Rachel
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I think it might be quite nice and calming 🙂
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Very funny. A worse place to be punished inside then on the chair inside.
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Thanks Mandi 🙂
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Is that Calvin? It sounds like something Calvin would do. The Nemesis Chair 🙂 Nice piece.
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Thanks Tamal 🙂
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Maybe he threw the chair in the lake on purpose. So that he could go sit on the lake 🙂 Very well written!
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That’s true, I like that – a better view when he gets in trouble, smart kid 🙂
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Some battles you can’t win.
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I heard it going mwahahhaahaha too. Loved it Iain.
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🙂 Many thanks
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Hi, Iain! A great take on the prompt. You packed a lot into so few words. Great imagery and yikes! Beware of Mom!
🙂
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Thank you, glad you liked it 🙂
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As my son would say “You can’t let it beat you.”
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