Olivia Hildebrand drained the bottle of beer. She took a long drag on a cigarette and stubbed it out on her expensive Armani dress.
She tripped, one of her Gucci heels had broken, and landed on the ground. She looked up at the Hollywood sign looming brightly over her.
‘This is how it ends then.’ She stared at her own face. ‘Not even a big enough star for a wax museum anymore.’
Well, it had been an exhilarating ride while it had lasted.
She hurled the head away and watched her younger face smash to pieces on a rock.
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.
Feature photo – © Richard Lund
Thrilling
LikeLike
The interesting thing is, despite the ravages of time and the unfeeling world, she seems quite calm about it
LikeLiked by 1 person
Drunken acceptance I was going for, she’ll be back on her feet after the alcohol wears off.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Nicely drawn portrait of bitterness and disillusionment.
Good stuff, Iain.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bitterness and disillusionment – we writers have got plenty of experience to fall back on there. 🙂
LikeLike
I love the link to the prompt! And a nice message in this piece too. Great title!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Jessie, very kind.
LikeLike
Photographs of our younger selves are bad enough – thank God I’m never going to be famous enough for a waxwork.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Liz, I always find the waxworks look a bit dead behind the eyes anyway, quite sinister. Speaking of sinister, thanks for the photo prompt this week!
LikeLike
So poignant. How quickly some stars can fade.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Some burn brightly and quickly. That’s the fickleness and vanity of society though. Thanks Louise.
LikeLike
I loved what you saw and where you took us. Nicely done!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Many thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
A real Sunset Boulevard feel to this Iain. Tragic and yet inevitable too – no one’s star shines forever. Love how you’ve written this.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Lynn, nice to be compared to a film classic!
LikeLiked by 1 person
My total pleasure 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Iain,
I was thinking of a particular Twilight Zone myself. Stardom is such a fleeting thing. You captured the fading starlet brilliantly.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s such a shame that for a lot of actors, women especially, stardom is related to looks and youth regardless of talent. Thanks, glad you liked it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very well written and poignant, Iain. You’ve captured the feeling well — the feeling of somebody resigning to despair and defeat after a life of striving (and self-destruction). It made me think of that line from Eliot: ‘This is the way the world ends, not with a bang but a whimper.’
LikeLiked by 1 person
Resignation was what I was going for, and there’s not whole lot you can do about getting older. Maybe she’ll get one last hurrah and go out with a bang!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sunset Boulevard supreme.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Excellent. Made me think of the old Westworld and the Faceless Men in Martin’s books.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks J Hardy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Loved it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you!
LikeLike
Perfect mood for this photo.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Many thanks.
LikeLike
Great story full of passion.
My only thoughts would be to re-visit the second paragraph. You have two sentences starting with she and could mix it up a bit.
Liked the reference to the wax museum.
xx Rowena
LikeLike
Thanks Rowena, and thanks for the suggestion. I like the repetition of ‘She’ as it is, I like to try and keep it plain and simple. Iain 🙂
LikeLike
If you haven’t seen it already, I highly recommend the 1950 film “Sunset Boulevard starring William Holden and Gloria Swanson. Swanson plays a formerly famous actress who has “aged out” but dreams of a big comeback.
Some of the cast include silent film stars Hedda Hopper, Buster Keaton, Anna Q Nilsson, and H.B. Warner. Your wee tale reminded me of the movie.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks James, I have a copy of it somewhere, been a while since I watched it, always worth revisiting. Glad my story reminded you of it.
LikeLike
Excellent take on the photo prompt. It’s same everywhere for female stars especially. beautifully written.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Indira, unfortunately no sign of it changing anytime soon.
LikeLiked by 2 people
That’s true but hoping for the best.
LikeLiked by 1 person
She doesn’t deserve an Armani dress. Even a drunk lady knows not to use it to stub out a cigarette.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s how low she’s gone! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s not low, that’s stupid 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very Gloria Swanson. Liked it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Sandra
LikeLike
Nicely written. Acceptance tinged with tragedy
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cheers Dave.
LikeLike
I sensed an older actress, unsuccessful auditions, rumours in the tabloids. I felt her resignation alright! Maybe if she had built her career on more than just her looks, she could be Betty White, or Meryl Streep, or my favourite, Helen Mirren.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. Sadly I think even talented actresses (and some men too) can be cast aside when their looks fade, maybe she just needs to start auditioning for different kinds of roles.
LikeLike
To bad society judges people so much on their looks instead of their intelligence and creativity! 🙂 Great story!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, and I agree – not just for actors either!
LikeLiked by 1 person
No, it’s not. I had a good job in sales with an electronics retail store, and after my accident (and facial reconstruction) the District’s GM fired me. Reason given: “You’ve lost the “cute” value.” Had nothing to do with the fact that I was at top sales that earned me $10K @ 2% commission on sales in only fifteen minutes that morning. I haven’t been able to find any steady work since.. That was 21 years ago.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s a horrendous story. Hopefully things have changed in the last 21 years to make sure that doesn’t happen anymore. And the District GM is no longer in a position of power.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Actually, the entire company has been sent into virtual non-existence, shutting down 98% thereabouts of their stores. Karma bites! She laughs.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha, they got what they deserved definitely 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Everyone said what I wanted to… excellent portrayal of Hollywood’s cruelty…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Dale, always value your feedback 🙂
LikeLike
The limelight does fade, but the indignity of having your wax figure booted… Nice portrait of yesteryear’s star.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah, definitely a blow if they return your wax head in the post! Thanks Trent 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Star today, meteorite tomorrow! Oh well.
Click to read my story!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Better to have soared brightly through space than have never flown at all. Or something like that. Thanks Keith.
LikeLike
I must admit I gasped when I read the part about the cigarette being snuffed out on the dress. THAT line, to me, said it all.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Alicia, glad a detail like that had an impact!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was caught up in this dark tale, then the last line made me smile, until I realized that this is a still a tragedy. Well done.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A tragedy of sorts. She still might pick herself up from here. Thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Excellent, Iain. I enjoy the Hollywood scene, but I like the take on the prompt. Super!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Many thanks
LikeLike
‘Not even a big enough star for a wax museum anymore’ – great line, but such a sad story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, much appreciated.
LikeLike
Poor gal. Fame is so fleeting. The public is always looking for something new and fresh.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you
LikeLike
It’s a terrible day when even your waxwork gets retired 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s not a good day, that’s for sure!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Brilliant
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you
LikeLike
Tonight my to comment won’t flow, but you wrote a fine story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Michael
LikeLike
it’s definitely one of your best. well done.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Many thanks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Just listened to the story of Peg Entwistle … though she was not old yet, being discarded is harsh in Hollywood…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Expertly captured dillusionment
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Michael.
LikeLike
The pathos of a fading star aptly portrayed. The sadness, the disheartened feeling…loved it
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, much appreciated
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love the final line–it tells us a lot about her. Nice take on the prompt!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Emily!
LikeLike
I am taken aback by how some former stars look when they are older. The sad thing is, I think they still see themselves as they once were. Nicely told.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think your right Clare, very few grow old gracefully. That might be society’s fault as much as the individual’s. Thanks.
LikeLike
It’s hard enough aging in my simple world (back pain this week, knee last week), but brutal in Tinsel Town! Very evocative, Lain.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Dawn. Better to grow old gracefully out of the limelight 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nice. Throwing ones own head away that’s a striking image.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, I thought so.
LikeLike
It must be hard when that adulation moves on to others. It takes a strong personality to cope with fame, and a stronger one to cope without it.
Nicely told
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Better the wax face shatters than the real one. She seems resiliant despite the disillusion. Great atmosphere.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, I think she has the resilience to bounce back once she gets over the set back.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good take. I was with her the whole time.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Dawn
LikeLiked by 1 person
Some Hollywood actors less reliant on good looks for stardom, seem to command leading parts right up until the end of their lives.
This story is a wonderful example of how cruel the whole scene can be to those who are no longer useful.
Such a fickle world.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fickle indeed, thanks Sarah.
LikeLiked by 1 person