Iain Kelly

The sound of the chisel chipping away stopped. Archie had been out in the garden for the entire week.

Agnes was skeptical about Archie’s latest hobby, but it kept him out of the house.

The neighbours had stopped her in the street to ask her about the chainsaw noise at seven in the morning. They didn’t appreciate the axe chopping late into the evening either.

‘Are you ready for the big reveal?’ said Archie when he appeared a couple of hours later. He was covered in green and red paint.

She followed him out to the garden.

‘Ta-da!’

‘Dear God, Archie.’ Agnes stared at the huge wood sculptures. ‘Is that a squirrel dressed up as the devil?’

‘Yes it is.’

‘And a deformed alien?’

‘Yes.’

‘Why?’

‘Well, the chainsaw got away from me a bit so I adapted my original plans.’

‘What were your original plans?’

‘The Devil in the Centre of Hell from the Inferno part of Dante’s Divine Comedy.’

‘Uh-huh.’ Agnes stared at the monstrous creations that took up their entire garden. ‘A bit ambitious for a first attempt perhaps?’

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. Thanks as always to the challenge host Priceless Joy. For more information visit HERE.

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