IAIN KELLY

AFTERMATH

Pale skin made her standout. Too many heads turned in her direction.

Assassinations make people suspicious. Years of civil war did that to a country.

The heat was heavy and oppressive.

The hotel, a ramshackle construction of tin roofs and wooden struts, teetering on collapse.

The receptionist, red lips and false eyelashes, eyed her as she entered, but didn’t try to stop her.

Crumbling stairs to the top floor.

On the bed he lay, sweat-stained and feverish. Makeshift rags as bandages, drenched in red.

Eyes flickered recognition. ‘About time,’ Phillips mumbled.

‘Let’s get you out of here,’ she replied.


js-brand
Copyright JS Brand

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.

Further stories featuring the spy Phillips can be found here: THE PHILLIPS SPY STORIES

 

98 responses to “AFTERMATH”

  1. neilmacdon Avatar

    Great atmosphere and desperate action

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
  2. rochellewisoff Avatar

    Dear Iain,

    Vivid descriptions…atmospheric and well written. I want to know more.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Rochelle – so do I! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  3. Claire Fuller Avatar

    I can really feel the heat; great sense of place in this one.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Claire, much appreciated. (On a side note, the card you sent to go along with your novels at Christmas went down a treat, my Mum is a fan! 🙂 )

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Claire Fuller Avatar

        Yay! That’s great to know x

        Liked by 1 person

  4. Danny James Avatar

    I can picture the scene in my mind. Very good.

    DJ

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Danny, much appreciated.

      Like

  5. Dale Avatar
    Dale

    So well described, Iain. I want to know more!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Dale – if the rest of the story ever comes to me, I’ll post it on the blog! 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Dale Avatar
        Dale

        Woot! 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  6. J Hardy Carroll Avatar

    Death and mayhem!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Who doesn’t like that? 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  7. Fabricating Fiction/Louise Jensen Avatar

    So visual – I was right there!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Louise 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  8. Jane Dougherty Avatar

    Very James Bond.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      As a fan this comment fills me with joy 🙂

      Like

  9. pennygadd51 Avatar

    I want to know more about the female agent who’s ‘rescuing’ Phillips. She might not live long, I fear, if she’s aware of being too pale and hasn’t remedied that with make-up! Graphic description, Iain!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Penny, hopefully neither of them hangs around long enough to get caught!

      Liked by 1 person

  10. bbryanthomas Avatar
    bbryanthomas

    Good one Iian

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
  11. James Avatar

    Maybe he’ll make it now.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      His chances have definitely improved.

      Liked by 1 person

  12. jillyfunnell Avatar

    Brilliant description, Iain. And I like the description of the receptionist – not what I expected.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Jilly, glad you liked that detail.

      Like

  13. Susan A Eames Avatar

    That was deliciously intriguing and beautifully visual. I hope she manages to get him to safety!

    Susan A Eames at
    Travel, Fiction and Photos

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Susan 🙂

      Like

  14. granonine Avatar

    You kept us wondering until the very last line. . .great suspense.

    Liked by 1 person

  15. Anita Avatar

    Hope she manages to rescue him safely.
    Great setting & suspense!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Anita 🙂

      Like

  16. robbiesinspiration Avatar

    This is very powerful, Iain. Well done.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  17. Lynn Love Avatar

    Ooh, nicely tense writing that conveys the danger of their situation very well. A cracking tone for a thriller Iain. Very nice

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Lynn, exactly what I was aiming for.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Lynn Love Avatar

        My pleasure. A cracking tale Iain.

        Liked by 1 person

  18. Keith's Ramblings Avatar

    A great scene-setter Iain. Spot on.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Keith

      Liked by 1 person

  19. Björn Rudberg (brudberg) Avatar

    I feel this as a script for a film… actually the film started to play at the back of my head.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      That’s a good sign, Thanks Bjorn.

      Like

  20. James McEwan Avatar

    A captivating – rescue from hell.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you James.

      Liked by 1 person

  21. EagleAye Avatar

    No doubt. That hotel looks like somewhere a spy, particularly an injured one, will go to lick his wounds. It’s a good thing she found him…I think. I half expected her to finish him off.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      With more words I would have built up the tension a bit more. Fortunately she’s here to help – this time!

      Liked by 1 person

  22. plaridel Avatar

    the visual was laid out perfectly showing your skills as a writer. well done.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you, very kind

      Liked by 1 person

  23. Christine Goodnough Avatar

    Now is he the bad guy or the good guy. what did he do to land up in this condition. Eagerly awaiting the whole tale. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Christine – I guess it depends which side you’re on as whether he is the good or bad guy!

      Like

  24. wildchild47 Avatar
    wildchild47

    This definitely has the flavour of a spy or intrigue. Well done. And your line descriptors add to the genre noire style. Made good use of that particular effect. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you very much 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  25. Alicia Jamtaas Avatar

    sweat-stained and feverish. Makeshift rags as bandages, drenched in red ~ this line brought an amazing sense of smell to your 100-words. Well done

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Alicia, glad you appreciated the details 🙂

      Like

  26. draliman Avatar

    Very atmospheric. Phillips is in a bit of a fix again!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      He is, one day I’ll feature him in a story where he just goes for a stroll and nothing happens!!

      Liked by 2 people

  27. Moon Avatar
    Moon

    I really like your superwoman here.
    Brilliant writing, as always.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Moon, glad you liked her 🙂

      Like

  28. The Urban Spaceman Avatar

    Nice, tight descriptions! You’ve really done a lot in 100 words here.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you, much appreciated.

      Like

  29. JS Brand Avatar

    Good building of suspense here, Iain.

    Liked by 1 person

  30. Laurie Bell Avatar

    Oooo great one. I could feel the quiet something in the air. Well told

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Laurie

      Liked by 1 person

  31. Sascha Darlington Avatar

    Rescue! Great description.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Sascha

      Liked by 1 person

  32. Norma Avatar

    Oh loved the description and the tension. Nicely done, Iain.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Norma

      Like

  33. prior.. Avatar

    the rescue…
    so nice

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you – he certainly needed it!

      Liked by 1 person

  34. Inside the Mind of Isadora Avatar

    An engaging write, Lain. Your description left me with the curiosity to know more.
    I loved it. I hope you do continue with this one. Intriguing story.
    Isadora 😎

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you, very encouraging 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  35. Dawn M. Miller Avatar

    Great descriptors. I could see the scene in my head.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
  36. Fatima Fakier Avatar

    Loved your use of descriptions. Was not heavy handed but really gave a sense of place and desperation. Sounds like a rescue mission.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you 🙂

      Like

  37. Dahlia Avatar

    Nicely built up and the perfect opening for a thriller.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Dahlia

      Liked by 1 person

  38. Sarah Ann Avatar
    Sarah Ann

    Such evocative imagery and scene setting. I felt Phillips could have been a bit more grateful for his rescue, but I accept he’s limited by the word count. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Haha, yes, with more of an explanation we could learn a bit more about what he had been through.

      Like

  39. patrickprinsloo Avatar

    Great bit of script writing.

    Liked by 1 person

  40. Brenda's Thoughts Avatar

    A very engaging story, nicely done! =)

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks you Brenda 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  41. Kwadwo Avatar

    Who is this mystery lady?
    She reminds me of the lady in red in The Matrix.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Interesting comparison, she certainly seems to be in control and good at her job of rescuing agents.

      Like

  42. magarisa Avatar

    With her appearance attracting so much attention, I wonder if she and Phillips will manage to make it out alive. Great atmosphere and suspense in this story!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  43. Jan Vanek Avatar

    Your sense of place put me right in the middle of your story, and with the surprise ending, now I want to know more!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Jan.

      Like

  44. ahtdoucette Avatar

    Great use of imagery to evoke a time and place. I especially loved the line that assassinations tend to make people uneasy. It says so much in such a short space.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Anne, very kind and much appreciated 🙂

      Like

  45. subroto Avatar

    Little does he know she was sent to terminate him but you will tell us that in the next episode 😉

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      That’s a devious twist, but I could see a story where they end up on opposite sides for sure 🙂

      Like

  46. Susan Avatar

    Great use of descriptive language.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Susan

      Liked by 1 person

  47. agoodlittlegirl Avatar

    Thanks for visiting my site and liking some of my blogs. I appreciate it.

    Like

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