‘Run through the checklist.’
‘Okay. The ceremony must take place in a grand altar.’
They look round the baroque dome and nod at each other.
‘Check.’
‘Six golden urns placed in a circle atop six poles.’
‘Check.’
‘Attire of purple cloaks to worship royalty and their wealth.’
They look sheepishly at the garish cloaks they wear.
‘Check.’
‘A dais with a plain altar in the centre.’
‘Check.’
‘Ropes and/or chains suitable for restraints.’
‘Check.’
‘Daggers.’
‘Check.’
‘I think that’s everything.
Pause. He turns the paper over.
‘Hold on, there’s something on the back here. A naked, voluptuous virgin with flowing golden locks.’
‘Ah…’
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.
Iain Kelly 
That made me smile
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Then I call that a success.
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I almost expected “and their heads turned to Sally, the golden retreiver”
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Well, maybe they will resort to that, but is Sally a virgin?! 🙂
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the golden retriever ‘pup’?
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😉
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Sinister, with fatal instincts!
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And incompetence! Thanks Reena
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Haha! Fantastic.
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Thank you Jennifer 🙂
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There is something foreboding about this story.
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Foreboding, yet also farcical, perhaps?
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Funny Iain. Some people are in such a hurry, they don’t read the whole thing first!
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Always read the instructions (I never do!)
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or the small print. I wonder how many people in years to come will not understand the significance of PTO!
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What about the brunette? More chance of a virgin?
Well done.
Best wishes,
Rowena
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Ha! Well, I wouldn’t like to make that assumption! 😉
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Thought I’d stir the pot a bit.
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Laughing. Flipping Sheila, get yourself under control, woman, and stop trashing all the other ladies!
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Ah…the virgin. Good luck, O Evil Harvesters Cult. This made me laugh, thanks Iain. It’s a good thing they made their lists. So many places (looking at you, NYC DOE) would work so much better if they checked off the appropriate boxes.
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I live by lists. Glad you liked it Stu
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Good to have a checklist. Wouldn’t want to go to all that trouble and not have it work. Well done.
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Thanks
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If they needed a recipe for their program, it sounds like maybe THEY were the “virgins” 🙂
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Ha, definitely ‘beginners’! 🙂
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Ha ha – always remember to turn over the page! Duh. Nice one, Iain.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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Sound advice. Thanks Susan 🙂
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Personally I would have skipped the chains and daggers and gone straight for the blonde, but what do I know…
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Certainly the sacrifice would’ve been more fun if only the daggers were missing, not the virgin.
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Don’t you just hate it when the most important thing on the list is in the P.T.O. section and gets over looked!? 😀
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Especially when they’ve gone to such an effort to get everything just right! 🙂
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Indeed 😁😀💜
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I’m not sure whether it depicts something real, a play , or what?
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Is there a difference between a play and a religious ceremony, or are they both filled with actors on stage?
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They have certain things in common
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Oh those last minute details….lol
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Yep, always one detail that gets missed!
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Details, details, details. Wonder if they will find an appropriate virgin in time for the ceremony Nicely done.
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It’s an awkward question to ask a passer by with blonde hair! 😉
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Ah, I see the problem. Most successful human sacrifice ritual party planners don’t ask. 😈
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Haha, now that would be an interesting career!
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Ah, the best-laid plans often fail. (At least in my world.) Thanks for the smile.
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You’re very welcome 🙂
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That did crack a smile from me… All that checking and then… of COURSE it has to be a virginal blonde…
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Glad it gave you a smile Dale 🙂
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That you did, Iain!
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Filename: Sacrifice, Checklist For The Use Of During needs a retype and reissue. PS As very possibly the most hair-obsessed among the FFs, does said virgin have to be a natural blonde? 😉
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I’ll have to check, I think it’s preferred but not essential if said virgin is desperate to be involved 😉
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i wonder who could she be? curious mind wants to know. i hope it’s just a stage play, though . 🙂
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Do you know of any volunteers? 🙂
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Sheesh! This is the last time I am letting the work experience guys organise a human sacrifice.
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Well, if you want a job doing properly…
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Dear Iain,
Sometimes the most careful planning can go awry. LOL
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks Rochelle
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Great story. I love the checklist.
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Thank you so much
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why do they always need a virgin!? This was a lot of fun, Iain.
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Thanks Varad
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Ha, I don’t think this bunch are going to have much luck getting one of those. Reminds me of that awful moment in the exam where you’ve been relaxing for 20 minutes thinking you’re finished, then you turn the paper over…
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I think they may have to reschedule. Maybe put an advert in the paper…
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Only a minor ‘ingredient’ seems to be left now 🙂
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Are they easy to track down? 😉
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Oh, some religious ritual scene you’ve created there! Sinister!
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Thank you
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The ecclesiastical turned satanic 🙂
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Although having a few issues with it 😉
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It is the detail that matters: now where are they going to get a virgin with golden locks?
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There’s usually a few hanging around a cathedral late at night, just in case. Right?
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Thats a good chuckle. Our best hope against the success of kooks lies in their own incompetence.
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I couldn’t agree more! 🙂
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Great reveal, Iain!
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Thank you Liz
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I can picture the bumbling group of worshippers going through the checklist, then gawking at each other when discovering the key ingredient on the back of the page. Very amusing! 🙂
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Thank you Brenda, glad you enjoyed 🙂
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Teehee! Voluptuous, blonde and a virgin? They’re not asking for much, are they?
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These rituals are very demanding 🙂
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Hahaha voluptuous, blonde virgins are definitely harder to come by. Great story man, I really dug the lighthearted feel to something that if you think about it is pretty damn dark haha.
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Thank you, just what I hoped the reader would feel 🙂
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Lol pair of geniuses here. Funny piece this week
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Thank you Laurie
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the story had to end like that
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Thank you
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Checkmate! Nicely done Iain
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Thanks Keith
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Hold on a minute. I’ll run down to Vigin Outlet and pick one up. If we can get a brunette for half price, will that be okay?
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It does specify blonde, and we don’t want to upset the Gods…
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No, it doesn’t pay to irritate the Gods. 🙂
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Hahahaha! XD
Ooo boy..another funny bomb from you!
Nice! 😀
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Thank you, glad you liked it 🙂
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Great ending!
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Thank you Lisa 🙂
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Just one more thing! Isn’t that always the case.
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Always the essential thing too!
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I think it’s dawning on what the ceremony is all about…
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And they don’t seem prepared at all…
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I’m guessing the ceremony will be postponed for quite some time, as voluptuous virgins with golden locks are harder to find than a needle in a haystack. 😉
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Certainly for these two I suspect!
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Will they be too late to find a voluptuous blonde virgin??
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I think they maybe out of luck.
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I’d like to see how they fulfil that requirement. Probably end up with red cheeks from all the slapping. Nice one, Iain.
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It will be a challenge, I’m not sure they are up to it!
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Got a snicker out of me 😉
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🙂 Pleased it raised a smile Dawn
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