ROOM SERVICE

~ Iain Kelly

Otto peered out onto another misty morning. Fine drops of dew decorated his web, glistening in the sunlight.

Sounds of guests wakening echoed round the hotel.

He heard scurrying. It was Slater. He was well-meaning, but a louse.

‘Another attack last night. Cleo this time. Why do they do it?’

‘It’s in their nature.’

‘They built this place for us, then they kill us first chance they get. Or stick us in a jar.’ Slater scurried away.

Otto scuttled back into the dark corner of his room where Cleo was still struggling to escape the sticky silk.

Time for breakfast.

sandra-crook-stacks
Copyright Sandra Crook

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.

Published by Iain Kelly

39 year old writer, avid film viewer and book reader, employed in the media industry as a television editor.

103 thoughts on “ROOM SERVICE”

    1. Thanks Fatima, they are becoming a common site around the countryside and in gardens here. Good way to recycle material and give insects a place to stay, helping out nature.

      Liked by 1 person

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  19. You have managed to lower my already low opinion of insect intelligence, while raising my already healthy respect for spiders. Fortunately (for insects anyway) what they lack in smarts, they more than make up for in numbers!entertaining and fun read.

    Liked by 1 person

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  40. Love these characters. Slater, it would seem is also a it dim as well as a louse. Otto definitely comes across as top predator.

    Liked by 1 person

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  41. Humph! Don’t think this is the sort of hotel I’ll be staying at, even if a few vacancies have just cropped up.
    Well done, Ian. I’ve been enjoying the various takes on the prompt and should’ve thought of something along these lines. I really wasn’t sure what that structure was and thought of it as some kind of shed project.
    Best wishes,
    Rowena

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

      1. You clearly don’t live in Australia having one of those in your backyard! There are even poisonous red backs in our own backyard and while I haven’t seen a funnel web at large, they are around and it’s not uncommon for them to turn up on the bottom of a backyard swimming pool. There is also the added bonus of snakes.
        By the way, my kids’ scout group’s patrol for Jamboree have called themselves the “Bin Chickens”. Don’t now if you’ve heard that term before but a bin chicken is an Australian Ibis. Thought you and kids might be interested and here’s a link: https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/the-humble-bin-chicken-is-headed-for-a-moment-in-the-spotlight-20180801-p4zuuh.html
        Best wishes,
        Rowena

        Liked by 1 person

  47. Clearly, Otto knows where his next meal is coming from. (I wish I did).
    I enjoyed the story telling here, the interaction between the characters and the anthropomorphism that gives a this a classical feel. Almost like wind in the Willows or more like the ‘the bugs in the tiles’.

    Missed out this week on a flash story – time constraints.

    Liked by 1 person

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