DELIRIOUS

I follow her into the house.

I grip the axe tightly with both hands.

The door bangs behind me and the cold night air evaporates.

It is claustrophobic and dusty and dark. With each step, old floorboards creak.

I hear the laughter of a small child. It sounds like my Jasmine, dead these last ten years.

A flash of bridal-white dress. A floating veil. I turn and look.

She rushes towards me. I swing the axe.

‘My darling,’ she cries, before the heavy metal blade slices through her jugular.

Blood sprays everywhere.

This time I prey she stays dead.


ted-s
Copyright Ted Strutz

Written for Friday Fictioneers 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.

TRILOGY FULL REVIEW

AMAZON UK     AMAZON.COM      SMASHWORDS      KOBO     BARNES & NOBLE

106 responses to “DELIRIOUS”

    1. That was the reaction I was looking for 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  1. Intriguing tale! Was it a spirit or living bride? And did that liberate Jasmine?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Many questions. Thanks Reena

      Liked by 1 person

  2. Gruesome ghouly one, Iain. Was the misspelling of pray deliberate?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I’m going to say subconsciously deliberate. Thanks Neil

      Liked by 1 person

  3. Bloody tale. Spine tinglingly good!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you Trish 🙂

      Like

    1. Thank you Shweta 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  4. Dear Iain,

    It seems Ted’s photo has brought out the ghosties this week. 😉 Creep-tastic story.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It’s a great prompt. Thanks Rochelle, hope you enjoyed your well=earned break 🙂

      Like

  5. Intriguing. The bridal flash was inspirational.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you Sandra, much appreciated.

      Like

  6. So good, Iain. Love the feel that this is an on-going “problem”… even if we don’t know the why.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you Dale, he does seem to know what he’s doing, as though he’s had plenty of practice.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. So interesting…

        Liked by 1 person

  7. I hate it when they don’t stay dead. 😀
    Gripping story.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Pesky, those ghosts that keep hanging around 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  8. Wow! Good and creepy.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you so much 🙂

      Like

  9. Ouch! That was graphic! And well-told. The child’s laugh was a nice touch.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you so much 🙂

      Like

  10. She was for real?
    Real blood?
    Terrible to stay with such memories and experiences…

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Or all in his head? An innocent victim? I’ve created more questions than answers!

      Like

  11. Wow. Didn’t expect that end. Nicely done. Hopefully this isn’t an eternal loop.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you Michele – he does seem to be a bit stuck.

      Liked by 1 person

  12. I’m not sure what happened here – did he kill both bride and child ten years ago?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It’s one possibility. You can decide.

      Like

  13. Creepy tale and the last line tells me that he’s been there before. It reminds me of that Star Trek: TNG episode when they were caught in a loop.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I haven’t seen much Star Trek, but he could have a space age stun gun instead of an axe in a future episode 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  14. Horror story, indeed. How many times had he killed her before? What a terrible way to live!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Perhaps never, perhaps lots, perhaps it’s all in his head, perhaps he kills a different woman each time. Could go a few ways. Thanks Linda.

      Liked by 1 person

  15. Gripping tale.
    PS: In the last line shouldn’t prey be pray?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It should, but as Neil pointed out, it kind of adds something to it worth the double meaning 🙂

      Like

  16. I still have goose bumps. Wonderful creepy tale. Hope he’ll finally have some peace.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks Brenda – but I don’t fancy his chances! 😉

      Like

  17. Chilling tale. Made me think for a moment about “Kill Bill” and the bridal massacre. ~Dora

    Liked by 1 person

  18. You did this horror story up right. Between you and Sandra, I’m already seeing a trend. Ted gave us a good one to use for the genre 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Yep, I was aiming for a good old fashioned bit of gory horror 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Going all out this week! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  19. Who’s really the prey in this story? They seem to be hunting each other.

    Liked by 1 person

  20. devilish! might want to change prey to pray though.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you. Might, but might not – see the earlier comments! 😉

      Liked by 1 person

  21. Oh my gosh!!! I kept telling myself it wasn’t as it seemed, he wouldn’t hurt her that you would have a twist! But……!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Nope, just a full on bit of horror 😉

      Like

      1. Haha! Just when I thought to know what to expect from you!

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Yes, I don’t do horror and gore much, but it’s nice to try once in a while 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Always good to branch out 🙂 even if it shocks your readers! LOL!

        Liked by 1 person

    1. I was going for a bit of full on gory horror 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Excellent, I can read it but couldn’t watch it.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Not a fan of horror films either!

        Liked by 1 person

      3. me neither, Mrs T watched Hostel which I bought for a fiver in Tescos years ago, we had to give it away it was so awful

        Liked by 1 person

  22. Frightening – Like watching a scary movies with ears covered but eyes wide open – I was waiting for the ghost child to appear, but glad she didn’t. Well done.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. She hasn’t appeared…yet 😉

      Like

  23. feels like a Halloween movie. don’t know if i can sleep well tonight. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Ha, hope I haven’t given you nightmares!

      Liked by 1 person

  24. Paula Sue Bryant, Writer Avatar
    Paula Sue Bryant, Writer

    Well, the last line kind of made me forgive him!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It does seem like he’s been through a lot 🙂

      Like

  25. Great atmosphere. Love the contrast of “‘My darling,’ she cries, before the heavy metal blade slices through her jugular.”

    Liked by 1 person

  26. Crumbs! A previous failed attempt? A ghost hunter? He seems quite practised at this task anyway!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Very adept with an axe – you have to wonder why?!

      Liked by 1 person

  27. Oooooooo great twist, Iain… good and evil twist and dance in the shadows… but which is which?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Maybe there is no good on either side!

      Like

  28. I feel she is going to haunt him…again.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. And again. Thank you 🙂

      Like

  29. Wow, a hundred words of horror! Absolutely brilliant Iain.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Oh definitely! Thanks Danny.

      Like

  30. ooh, what a shocker! Love a gory take on the prompt, this was great.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you Siobhan, glad you liked it 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  31. Super story, with a great and thought-provoking twist. There was an echo of CE Ayr in the use of short staccato sentences (but only an echo – the style was all your own)

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Oh yes, this was firmly in CE territory this one 🙂

      Like

  32. I was on the edge of my seat as I read this, Iain. YIKES … I hope that did the trick since blood was everywhere. Next time, perhaps, a stake through the heart. 😳
    Have a wonderful day … Be Safe
    Isadora 😎

    Liked by 1 person

    1. He may have to try a new tactic. Thanks for the suggestion 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  33. A story befitting the prompt indeed. Prey works quite well with the story 😉

    Liked by 1 person

    1. A happy mistake 🙂

      Like

  34. Wow! I love a good thriller! That last line was brilliant 😊

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you so much Sue 🙂

      Like

  35. Wow! Talk about having a bad day …

    I went a similar route on this one, too. Lots of good stuff in there, Iain. Very “cutting” edge. 😀

    Liked by 1 person

  36. Excellent, Iain. The story does intrigue with wonder of the backstory. I like the visual structure and layout. Well done.

    “This time I prey she stays dead.” Indeed.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks Bill, much appreciated.

      Liked by 1 person

  37. Very creepy. How many times has he tried to get rid of her?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I’m not even sure he’s still counting 😉

      Liked by 1 person

  38. Aaaaaaaahhhhhhh! Wow, what a short story. And this time she “stays” dead. Super creepy.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you – just the reaction I was looking for! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Don’t you love it when someone reacts exactly the way you had envisioned?

        Liked by 1 person

      2. I do – I wish it happened more often! 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

      3. I guess you need the right followers! I’ll stop back more often.

        Liked by 1 person

  39. I doubt she will leave him alone now.. next time she will be even more haunting

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It’s developing into an eternal battle I feel.

      Like

  40. Chilling tale, the mood inside the house was claustrophobic and airless. Made me think of vampires – perhaps she needed a stake through the heart ?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. A change of tactic maybe what he needs!

      Like

  41. Very atmospheric, Iain, I felt as if I was watching it happen!

    Liked by 1 person

Leave a comment

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