The boxes of her water-damaged possessions took up three-quarters of the hotel room.
Until the destruction caused by Hurricane Matthew was repaired this was her home. The restoration firm said they would gain access next week. Until then, all she could do was sit and wait.
The flowers of condolence sat on the table. They stared at her, a constant reminder.
Bill was missing presumed dead, a victim of the storm.
She prayed that the cement in the cellar had dried in time and held once the water receded.
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.
I didn’t see that twist coming. Well done, Iain
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That’s a good sign, thanks Neil.
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That’s a fantastic twist there, Iain. Well done.
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Thank you so much.
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Oh God Bless. I really hope Bill isn’t dead
Click Here to see what Mrs. Dash Says
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I think it’s too late for poor Bill!
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Hah, that was a great, surprising twist, made me laugh out loud.
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Thanks Gabi, glad you liked it 🙂
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Wonder what Bill did to merit that!
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I wonder if he really deserved it or whether she over-reacted! 🙂
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I love an opportunist. Good twist.
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Thanks Sandra
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Ha! She threw him under the bus … or in the basement, in this case!
That ending was great, Iain.
Five out of five Casks of Amantillado (gee, I hope I spelled that right!)
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A fine sherry while she sits and waits… Thank you.
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Wow! That was amazing , of course ,not-so-amazing for Bill .
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Thanks Moon
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You remember Quincy? This man wasn’t drowned in the flood! It was MURDER! Kind of like the Tell-Tale Heart, too.
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Ha, I can picture the Quincy scene exactly 🙂
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Did not see that one coming, Iain. Well done.
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Thanks James
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Dear Iain,
So much for the grieving wife. Great twist.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks Rochelle
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Well done, Iain with a strong, unexpected twist in the last line.
Bill, has been very busy and has died multiple deaths this week. My dead person was Bill and yours is the second Bill I’ve read so far.
xx Rowena
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Haha, all the Bill’s in the world must be getting paranoid!
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I think I just saw one heading for the shrink.
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Well told with an intriguing ending. I wouldn’t count on her secret being safe if I were her. She’d best leave for parts unknown before renovation work begins.
And I agree with Rowena: poor Bill hasn’t fared so well this week. He should never have eaten Dale’s flowers.
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Thanks Christine. She’ll have to hang around for the insurance payout first!
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Gee, Christine, now you’ve got me feeling nervous.
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What a well told tale, Iain. Did not see that coming at all. Super job done.
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Thank you Natasha
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Hee hee… Quietly brilliant Iain.
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Thanks Shehanne 🙂
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Oh, you’re a dark and twisty man, Iain Kelly! Love the idea of the merry widow laying her cement as the flood waters rise … Great FF, Iain
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Thank you Lynn, I think the first time I’ve been described as dark and twisty 🙂
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Haha! Won’t be the last if you keep writing like that. Meant as a compliment, BTW 🙂
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I took it as one 😉
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Ooooo…loved the last line. I was just reading and then…what?
Great surprise there.
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Thank you Dawn, glad I can still manage a surprise!
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Boom! What a twist. Awesome story, Iain.
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My husband’s name is Bill…good thing we don’t live in a hurricane path. Nice twist there!
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Sorry Bill! 🙂
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Clever twist – I was feeling sorry for her till then!
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At first, I thought she is the victim here, but nope. An amazing twist in the end.
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Thank you
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Oh wow! Just when you begin to feel sorry for her. Great take on the prompt.
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Thank you so much.
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Storm damages indeed… and just when you want to send her more flowers… love the catch, fell for that bait way too easily. 🙂
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Thanks, seems to have caught a few people out, which is nice 🙂
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Great story with a very grim twist. That worked really well, Iain.
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Thanks Penny 🙂
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Here I was thinking: Poor lady, that sucks and then bam! Right between the eyes!
Well done, sir, well done…
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Thank you Dale, most kind.
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I was going to feel sorry for her and the last line hit hard.Well written. Great twist.
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Thanks so much Indira
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Talk about and opportunist!!
Great story!
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Thanks Alice
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Well done, I did not see that end coming.
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Thank you
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Oh! You are a very bad man! I did not see that coming! I was all happy you used the boxes in your story and feeling sorry for her…. So well done.
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Sorry to surprise you like that! 🙂
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Oh no! Not a pleasant surprise there at all! Nice twist, though 🙂
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Thank you
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Laughed out loud! Guess I’m assuming Bill had it coming.
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Thanks Maggie. I haven’t really decided if Bill was an innocent victim or truly deserving…!
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Oh! You’ve got a twist story too 🙂 Didn’t see that coming, so, great job! I’m sure she’ll be collecting a lot of insurance money 🙂
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Thank you. Collect the money and then heads off to start a new life somewhere, if Bill remains where he should!
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i didn’t see that coming. what an ending.
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Thank you.
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What a superb twist. Well written, Lian.
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Thanks Neel
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Naughty naughty lady!
Click to read my FriFic
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I’m sure there’s a perfectly innocent explanation…
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I had already composed a comment in my head while reading about how sorry I felt for her when… whammo! Great twist, nicely built up.
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Thank you, glad you liked it.
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Well constructed story, Iain. You set us up beautifully before yanking the rug out from under us. Kudos.
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Thank you, much appreciated.
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You got in everything other than an alien invasion…
..Next time!
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105 words and I would have got them in too!
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A very sad twist to that tale D:
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Thanks Sarah
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Damn, this is a good one, Iain. I felt sorry for till I read the last line.
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Thanks, she seems to be losing a lot of sympathy…
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Oooooo great twist! I did not see that coming. So well told Iain. Hmmmm i wonder if she will be caught
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All depends on what they find in her cellar… Thanks Laurie
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Poor lady. A victim of the storm and husband missing till the last line changed everything. good story-writing.
http://ideasolsi65.blogspot.in/2017/08/prompt-dale-rogerson-she-practiced-neck.html
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Thank you
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Ah i love a good twist 🙂
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Glad you liked it 🙂
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Doh! My eyes sure popped at the ending. 🙂
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Thanks Lily
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So topical. So many comments. So well written, Iain.
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Thanks Kelvin
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Well, wow. I read it once and was, so sad. Read it a second time and realized what you had slipped in with that final line. Brilliant! You have upped the game of subtlety.
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Thanks Sascha 🙂
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Haha! Brilliant. Well done!
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Thank you.
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I was starting to get angry with the restoration company when your ending hit me in the face. Well done.
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Thanks Patrick
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Superbly done Iain!
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Thank you Dahlia 🙂
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Yikes!!
Well the storm might just carry him away and no one would be the wiser.
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That’s what she’s hoping for!
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