IAIN KELLY

PLOTTING

The tourists and students poured into The Great Hall, the entrance to the Met.

This would be the easy bit. If she picked the right time, when the crowds were at their busiest, it would be easy to slip away unnoticed.

If he left the money under the ciborium in the Medieval Europe gallery, if he came and left alone, then she should be able to walk out with the package under her arm.

It was important to research the location. All that she needed now was a potential victim. She sipped her coffee and began typing:

‘Chapter One – Kidnap.’


the-met-roger-b
Copyright Roger Bultot

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.

98 responses to “PLOTTING”

  1. neilmacdon Avatar

    I liked the twist

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Neil, a last minute decision

      Like

  2. James Avatar

    The last line threw me for a second. Good one.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Good to know I can still manage to throw you James

      Liked by 1 person

  3. rochellewisoff Avatar

    Dear Iain,

    While I was writing my first novel and still working in a supermarket, I would discuss my story lines with my cashier friend. One day as I telling her badly I felt about killing off a certain ‘person’ I realized a customer was staring at me.
    Love the twist at the end of your story. 😉

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Liked by 4 people

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Ha, I can just see the customers face! 🙂

      Like

  4. Susan A Eames Avatar

    Ha ha – good one, Iain. I loved the ending. Great to get an insight into the writer’s mind.

    Susan A Eames at
    Travel, Fiction and Photos

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Susan, sometimes you have to put yourself into the mind of the villain!

      Liked by 1 person

  5. J Hardy Carroll Avatar

    Great twist at the end. John D. MacDonald had a scene where his two protagonists are discussing a case in a diner and are overheard by a lady in the next booth. She gets up and looks at them, saying “MONSTERS! MONSTERS!” in a shaking voice.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks J, the modern day equivalent is probably a writer’s Google search history when they use the internet for research purposes.

      Like

  6. joyroses13 Avatar

    Ahh! So clever!! Great job! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you so much Joy 🙂

      Like

      1. joyroses13 Avatar

        Very welcome! Thank you for giving great posts to read!

        Liked by 1 person

  7. Keith's Ramblings Avatar

    A piece of double fiction this week Iain! Cleverly done.

    Click to read my FriFic tale

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Keith

      Liked by 1 person

  8. pennygadd51 Avatar

    That’s just what you do, isn’t it! Check out the detail, how will it work, are the connections feasible! Nice one Iain.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Penny, research definitely pays off 🙂

      Like

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Anita 🙂

      Like

  9. prior.. Avatar

    It is there – it is there and she grabs it and…..

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      A bestseller beckons perhaps!?

      Liked by 1 person

      1. prior.. Avatar

        🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  10. notestowomen Avatar

    Didn’t expect that. Very clever twist. Nicely done!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you so much 🙂

      Like

  11. Alicia Jamtaas Avatar

    Your story sucked me in then surprised me. Thanks. It’s fun being a writer and doing research. I spent hours walking the docks of Bellingham Bay looking at fishing boats for a story I wrote about a small fishing town. One afternoon a fisherman took the time to show me all the parts of his boat. Very cool.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      In many ways the research part is the best bit of writing, before the real hard work starts!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Alicia Jamtaas Avatar

        A woman in one of my critique groups HATES research. What better way to learn stuff while procrastinating? Hello!

        Liked by 1 person

  12. Courtney Wright Avatar

    Great place for inspiration! You can come up with all kinds of good stories while watching people! Well done Iain! 😉

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Courtney 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  13. Frances D Avatar

    How many times have I been in that hall? Dozens and dozens. Love the twist at the end.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      A great place to get some inspiration, I have been only the once on my one visit to New York.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Frances D Avatar

        Glad you got to New York. When the heck you coming back ? 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Iain Kelly Avatar

        Probably when the kids are a few years older! 🙂

        Like

  14. Edith M. Field Avatar

    I love the way the story developed – each paragraph leading the reader in a new direction. The title is very clever. She’s creating her plot. Brilliant!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Edith, so glad you enjoyed it 🙂

      Like

  15. Joy Pixley Avatar

    Great twist — totally surprised me, and made me smile! My friends who write mysteries and thrillers always joke about how incriminating their browser histories must seem, and mine’s not much better , I’m afraid!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Yes, I do wonder that about my browser, I must have tripped an alarm somewhere by now!

      Liked by 1 person

  16. plaridel Avatar

    it was the twist of the century. well done. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  17. Dale Avatar

    Oh, I so love this, Iain. Great twist and insight into a writer’s planning…

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you so much Dale 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  18. shivamt25 Avatar

    Ah! So that’s how a writer thinks. A clever ending! Loved it.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you so much

      Liked by 1 person

  19. draliman Avatar

    Nice twist at the end. Or is she stupidly documenting her upcoming crime… 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Maybe she will be inspired, kidnap a literary agent perhaps, until they agree to represent her?

      Liked by 2 people

  20. Sandra Avatar

    You have to get your inspiration somewhere. Let’s just hope the plot stays on paper. On the other hand, she’d make more money out of the kidnap than she’s likely to do out of the book… 😦

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Ha, ain’t that the truth…!

      Like

  21. Jan Morrill Avatar

    Excellent surprise ending! After I read it, I started wondering about all the plot twists that might come about as the author continued to study the scene.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Jan, the museum does offer endless possibilities.

      Like

  22. liz young Avatar

    Being writers makes criminals of us all 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Some more than others 🙂

      Like

  23. yarnspinnerr Avatar

    A tightly woven intro. Great write.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you so much

      Liked by 1 person

  24. Alice Audrey Avatar

    So is she doing a test run? I once stuffed my husband into a closet for fiction. I needed to see how a guy would fit.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Ha, poor husband. Perhaps she will write something so convincing she will give it a go for real!

      Like

  25. granonine Avatar

    I really like this. The mind of a writer setting up a scene–indeed, a whole novel. Excellent.

    Liked by 1 person

  26. Brenda's Thoughts Avatar

    I enjoyed the twist, very clever. I’m the crazy lady who sometimes sits on my window sill people watching to get inspired. We have a bus stop in front of our apartment building. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Perfect place for people watching 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  27. Russell Gayer Avatar

    I like this girl. Maybe she could help me with Criminal Mimes.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Let me know if you need her to set a trap for them.

      Liked by 1 person

  28. Björn Rudberg (brudberg) Avatar

    Researching for stories would be wonderful… and I could grow to love writing at museums

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      It would be nice, although probably the Met would be a little too noisy!

      Like

  29. Laurie Bell Avatar

    Aha you saw criminals too huh? A dastardly plot. Would be a great read 😉

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Laurie

      Liked by 1 person

  30. lisarey1990 Avatar

    Great twist. A wonderful post.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Lisa

      Liked by 1 person

  31. patrickprinsloo Avatar

    Vere bene factum, vos, vel qui finem verba.

    Like

  32. jillyfunnell Avatar

    I really like the twist in your story, Iain. As always, very well written and guaranteed to entertain.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Jilly 🙂

      Like

  33. BriannaMarieWrites Avatar

    This was so well written. I was engaged in the beginning and shocked by the ending, I really loved it!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Brianna

      Like

  34. Woman walking Max Avatar

    Neat story, nicely told.

    Liked by 1 person

  35. An Introverted blogger Avatar

    Well written Iain! Like most of your stories – I really enjoyed this one! Great twist at the end.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you, you are very kind.

      Like

  36. Anna Rymer Avatar

    Very clever… I like this a lot! 😃

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you so much Anna

      Like

  37. gahlearner Avatar
    gahlearner

    I love this. A writer’s gotta do research. Great twist.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  38. Sarah Ann Avatar
    Sarah Ann

    Such great plotting yourself. Wonderfully set up with palpable tension. I imagine she’s going to do well with this one.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      A page turner for sure 🙂

      Like

  39. Inside the Mind of Isadora Avatar

    I loved where you took the photo prompt.
    A bit of coordination needed by these two. The tension could be felt.
    Nicely done ….
    Isadora 😎

    Like

  40. spicedmullings Avatar

    Very very very cute.
    Story within story!
    Great one!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  41. Ellie Scott Avatar

    Loved the twist, and would love to read the writer’s opening chapter, sounds intriguing!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Ellie 🙂

      Like

  42. J. E. Kennedy Avatar

    Great last line! Nicely done Iain.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you 🙂

      Like

  43. Lynn Love Avatar

    Lovely deflection there – from criminal mastermind to author in one switch of perspective. Perfect title too Iain

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Lynn 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Lynn Love Avatar

        My pleasure

        Liked by 1 person

  44. magarisa Avatar

    Ah yes, writers and their research. An entertaining read.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

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