IAIN KELLY

BLACK WIDOW

A shimmering spider’s web. Bright lights that hurt his eyes. A blacked out window.

He had resisted her obvious flirtatious advance. He hadn’t recognised her at first wearing an elegant dress with her hair and make-up changed – the dowdy middle-aged woman from the gallery office.

He had accepted the drink she offered. She flirted, he smiled and moved away after a polite five minutes.

He woke bound and gagged. He didn’t recognise the room. He didn’t remember how he got there. The drink must have been drugged.

Behind him a door opened. Heels clicked crossing the wooden floor towards him.


sarahs-spider-web-potter
Copyright Victor and Sarah Potter

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).

This story hopefully stands on it’s own merit, but is also a continuation of my entry from last week’s prompt, for those concerned about what became of her object of desire: IN THE VEILED LIGHT.

To read stories of 100 words based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.

109 responses to “BLACK WIDOW”

  1. neilmacdon Avatar

    A black widow indeed, and a dish best consumed cold. Good one, Iain

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
  2. Moon Avatar
    Moon

    Love this story, Iain. Look forward to the upcoming episodes. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      We’ll see. Thanks Moon 🙂

      Like

  3. Sandra Avatar

    No telling which way this will go, but whatever – I suspect it will go badly for him.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Pretty sure it will. Thanks Sandra

      Like

  4. rochellewisoff Avatar

    Dear Iain,

    One must watch out for those dowdy widows at the office. Those heels clicking across the floor at the end seem to herald mayhem. Good one.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Rochelle – it seemed like an ominous note to end it on 🙂

      Like

  5. Varad Avatar

    Nicely done, Iain. This one could easily serve as a sequel or a companion piece to your last week’s tale.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Varad

      Like

  6. J Hardy Carroll Avatar

    Good tension here

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
  7. magarisa Avatar

    Enjoyed this continuation of last week’s tale. And yes, it also stands on its own merit. Hope there will be at least one more episode!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      If I think on how to end it, I will write it! 🙂

      Like

  8. mumpoet Avatar
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you so much!

      Like

  9. James Avatar

    Dominatrix.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Certainly likes to take charge it seems.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. James Avatar

        Some guys like that sort of thing but it seems your victim is unwilling.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Iain Kelly Avatar

        Certainly not a willing participant at this stage anyway!!

        Liked by 1 person

  10. Jelli Avatar
    Jelli

    A danger that could be ripped from a dozen headlines. Awesome!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  11. Christine Goodnough Avatar

    Well written. I suspect a spy thriller will follow.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Possibly – or just a murder mystery. Thanks Christine.

      Like

  12. pennygadd51 Avatar

    He’s going to need quick wits here. Fluent story-telling, Iain.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Or a miracle! Thanks Penny.

      Liked by 1 person

  13. Susan A Eames Avatar

    That was chilling – and very nicely done!

    Susan A Eames at
    Travel, Fiction and Photos

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Susan

      Like

  14. scr4pl80 Avatar

    You’ve got me intrigued. Keep going.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      We’ll see. Thanks Janet.

      Liked by 1 person

  15. Lynn Love Avatar

    Oh, man is he in trouble! Nice twist on the ‘damsel in distress’ trope, Iain.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Lynn – yes, he’s in a lot of trouble!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Lynn Love Avatar

        My pleasure 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  16. Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist Avatar

    Slowly the realisation dawns that he has been caught in her web. Good story. Works well alone and also in continuation.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Irene

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Depends very much how you define ‘well’ I think.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. kindredspirit23 Avatar

        So, we shall say your story is “Well Done”.

        Liked by 1 person

  17. Susie Clevenger (@wingsobutterfly) Avatar

    Uh oh, I believe he got caught up by her designs for him.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Tracey

      Liked by 1 person

  18. Anna Rymer Avatar

    Nicely done! I missed last week’s so got to read the two together… clever move 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Anna 🙂

      Like

  19. Danny James Avatar

    Really liked this one!

    Danny

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Danny

      Like

  20. Joy Pixley Avatar

    I’m not sure it would have gone better for him had he shown her due interest earlier, but boy, he’s pretty screwed now. This is the part in the movie where I mostly cover my eyes and peek out between my fingers, worried about what comes next.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Yes, I get the feeling there would be no way to please her… Thanks Joy

      Liked by 1 person

  21. Dale Avatar
    Dale

    So many ways this can go…
    Well done, Sir!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Dale

      Liked by 1 person

  22. anuragbakhshi Avatar

    Aah, so she wasn’t just looking on him as a prey for a good time, he was actually her ‘prey’. Not what he’d call a ‘good time’ I’m sure!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      It seems she had it all planned out…

      Liked by 1 person

  23. Akshata Ram Avatar

    I am eager to know what happens next?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you – I’m not sure he wants to find out too quickly!

      Liked by 1 person

  24. plaridel Avatar

    you did justice to this week’s picture prompt. i don’t know how it can be better. well done.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Very kind, thank you 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  25. draliman Avatar

    I realised it was a follow-on before I read your note (it does stand perfectly on its own). I seem to recall he’s married or something? In which case I say, serves him right, the cheater!
    Nice one!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Oh harsh – I’m not sure he has much say in what’s happening to him! Thank you!

      Liked by 1 person

  26. neeltheauthor- author of WHEN LIFE THROWS THOSE CURVE BALLS Avatar

    You have left me wanting to know what happens next. Tantalizing end, or shall i say, start.
    Beautifully written, as always, Kelly.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Shall we say the beginning of the end – for him at least!

      Like

  27. justjoyfulness Avatar

    It seems like ‘Fifty shades of grey’ in reverse 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Joy – I’m not sure that’s how he sees it 🙂

      Like

  28. Keith's Ramblings Avatar

    Sounds a bit like a kinky game to me – not sure what that says about me though!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      You’re not the only one who thinks this Keith – I’m not sure what that says about the Friday Fictioneers in general!!

      Like

  29. granonine Avatar

    A black, bloodthirsty widow who just caught another fly in her web? His future looks rathe bleak.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      It certainly does. Thanks for reading.

      Like

  30. Balaka Avatar

    We mostly hear of women getting date drugs ..this one is a nice twist..a cougar or a nymphomaniac?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you – makes for an interesting story to switch the roles around.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Balaka Avatar

        Yes.. indeed it was interesting

        Liked by 1 person

  31. Sarah Potter Writes Avatar

    And this goes to prove that not all cases of abuse are men against women, but it’s much harder for a man to convince the police, psychiatric services, or whoever, that he’s the victim of such.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Exactly Sarah – even some of the comments seem to suggest the man would like being in this situation, but if the roles were reversed a female would automatically be seen as a victim – so why isn’t he?

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Sarah Potter Writes Avatar

        There are times when the powers-that-be swing too far in favour of women and forget that men can be victims, too. Equality should mean equality.

        Liked by 1 person

  32. rgayer55 Avatar

    Is she wearing leather and carrying a whip?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Possibly, although I’m not sure he will be caring too much at this stage…

      Like

  33. Elizabeth Young Avatar

    Be careful, Iain, your fantasies are showing!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      No thanks Liz, I’m happy to keep this as fiction! Interesting though, as I mentioned to other comments, that being a male in this situation is looked on differently from a female, who would be assumed to be a victim.

      Like

  34. Liz H Avatar

    Tables neatly turned.
    Be careful who you drink with, eh?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      You never can tell! Thanks Liz.

      Like

  35. Laurie Bell Avatar

    Oooo he is in for trouble methinks. Great story Iain

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Laurie 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  36. subroto Avatar

    Looks like things have changed since the “Will you come into my web”, said the spider to the fly.
    The spider now takes what she wants 🙂
    He is trapped! Till the writer frees him in the next episode.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Times have certainly changed!

      Like

  37. Sascha Darlington Avatar
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Sascha

      Liked by 1 person

  38. yarnspinnerr Avatar
  39. Björn Rudberg (brudberg) Avatar

    I feel that this is a story told more often from a man drugging a woman than the opposite.. I wonder what happens next.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Bjorn.

      Like

  40. Dan Bohn Avatar

    Ohhhh man oh man,,,, this man is in trouble. Nice cliff hanger.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      He definitely is. Thank you.

      Like

  41. The Reclining Gentleman Avatar

    It’s always the quiet ones you need to look out for, eh? I sense this might not be happily ever after…

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Definitely not for him…

      Like

  42. goroyboy Avatar

    He obviously had been a bad boy in need of punishment! The heels at the end, awesome!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      To her mind perhaps, I’m not sure he’s done anything wrong that he will be aware of! Thank you.

      Liked by 1 person

  43. Dahlia Avatar

    I really liked this Iain, especially when taken in continuation of the last story!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you so much 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  44. Rachel Bjerke Avatar

    Yikes!!! That story made my blood pressure rise… great story telling!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Rachel, glad you liked it 🙂

      Like

  45. Sarah Ann Avatar
    Sarah Ann

    I’m glad I saw this as follow on before I read to the end and you told me. It definitely stands alone, andI’m feeling even sorrier for her prey than I did last week. This woman really is determined to get what she wants.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      She certainly is! 🙂

      Like

  46. patrick prinsloo Avatar

    You needed some extra words to describe those heels! A story for its time – produced by Harvey Weinstein?

    Liked by 1 person

  47. Inside the Mind of Isadora Avatar

    Oh my, it looks like someone was getting a little perturbed by his lack of response.
    I think she’ll make sure he understands the length it took to make her dowdy-self look better. The clicky heels at the end, Iain, is a pefect set-up for what’s to come. Pre-doom sound. haha Well done …
    Isadora 😎

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Exactly Isadora – he will be left in no uncertain terms!

      Like

  48. patriciaruthsusan Avatar

    You don’t often hear about the women monsters who act like this but they must be out there. I’m afraid she can’t afford to let him tell about this. His chances seem poor at best. Good writing, Iain. —- Suzanne

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      No, I think unless he comes up with a plan quick, he’s done for. Thanks Suzanne.

      Liked by 1 person

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.