He struggled to push the cart through the thick snow and cursed winter, the short days and the long nights.
He leaned his ladder against a lamppost and climbed. The gas ignited and a shivering orange glow lit the white scene.
White and red.
The body lay under a nearby tree. He scared a fox away as he approached it.
A woman. The Ripper again?
The crunch of footsteps in the snow. A passing policeman.
‘Officer!’ He waved to get his attention.
Too late, he noticed the stain of red on the uniform, illuminated by the orange glow from the lamp.
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.
78 responses to “THE LAMPLIGHTER”
A timely story, Iain. It made me think of the drunk cop who assaulted the woman in Bidford last week
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Thanks Neil, glad you made the connection to recent events.
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You’ve written it so well, Iain.
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Thank you Sadje 🙂
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You’re welcome
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I thought immediately of the Met officer in Kent.
Neat story too, Iain
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Thanks CE, the intention was deliberate.
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Terrible moment. Poor man.
Hope he is not falsely implicated in her murder!
What to do & whom to trust when those who are supposed to protect the law, flout the rules?
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A very apt question for today. Thanks Anita.
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Dear Iain,
Knowing nothing about recent events in Kent, I still thought it was an atmospheric, well-constructed piece.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks Rochelle, it was written to make sense with or without the knowledge of recent events (a woman was killed while walking home late at night in London and her body found in Kent a week later, a police officer has been charged with her murder).
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Timely piece. Well done.
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Thanks Sandra
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I did not expect the link, to the sad event in Kent.
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Thanks Michael, it can be read with or without the link in mind, but it was a reflection of it.
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Ooo now that’s a twist. I guess he’s next?
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It’s unlikely our killer is going to let him walk away unscathed!
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Hope the better man wins. It would make a great novel.
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Well done in every way–atmospheric, suspenseful, and very disturbing. In the US we’ve been overwhelmed with violence yet again–and distrust of police plays a large part.
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Absolutely the same here, although I do try and temper my thoughts on the police with the caution that their actions in many cases are dictated from the lawmakers and leaders who set the tone for what follows.
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You’re so right about that, Iain–what we’re hearing as this “trial of the century” is about to begin here, the defense will include that the officer was “following procedure”…but too bad a man had to die. There need to be changes in the system.
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Ooops… I hope Mr. Lamplighter is a good sprinter! It is difficult when those who are supposed to protect become those who we need to be protected from…
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A quandary that is prevalent to this day. Thanks Trent.
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Good twist at the end! I hope the lamplighter is able to escape!
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Sadly, I don’t fancy his chances in the snow! Thank you.
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Sad for a life lost.
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Thanks for stopping by.
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It’s a sorry situation when we need protecting from those who should protect us. A timely take Iain.
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Thanks Keith – a sorry mess we’re in indeed.
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Oh now this is a drabble that starts with a full-on run!
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Thanks Liz, glad you liked it 🙂
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I like this take on the Ripper which you’ve set up so brilliantly. What better camouflage than as a policeman, perhaps even a real policeman?! A better theory than Prince Albert anyway :>)
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Ha, yeah, I’m not buying the Prince Albert theory at all. Thanks Dora.
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It’s not just the snow that leaves a cold sense of foreboding. I think he’s just lit his last lamp.
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For sure, thanks Linda.
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Iain, you wrote this just right. The ending, where he saw the blood on the uniform in the orange light, was truly chilling.
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Thank you! Very kind.
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You’re welcome.
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Oh what a horrible thing to discover. And very timely, from the comments (didn’t hear about it on this side of the pond).
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Thanks Dale. The incident itself has gone on to cause a lot of protests, particularly by woman, which has led to further controversy with the police. It has not been handled at all well by those in charge – as we are becoming used to.
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Oh man… police brutality of all sorts happening all over the world. Not a good thing.
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Wow! What a twist! I like it!
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Thank you so much!
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An idyllic scene, sudden not so idyllic after all. Good one!
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Thank you
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You really build up the atmosphere, Iain, right into the twist at the end.What a good story. And yes, the sad parallel with our day.
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Thanks, much appreciated.
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How unfortunate that kindness is so easily disregarded under ignorance of assumption.
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Ignorance and assumption are two of the biggest blights on our society today.
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You are not kidding =(
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Shudder, shudder … and not from the cold …
Well crafted, Iain! (and … I don’t like that policeman….)
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No, nobody does! Thanks so much.
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🙂
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Very apt, and very relevant unfortunately. Brilliant stuff Iain
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Thank you
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The very person who’s supposed to keep us safe… very topical.
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Thank you
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I hadn’t read about the Kent incident. Still, the story made an impact. Well written, Kelly.
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Thanks Neel
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Good timely story – my world has been rocked in recent years by the realisation that we cannot automatically trust the police.
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It’s going to take them a long time, if ever, to rebuild the sort of trust they once had with the public.
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The first line took me to Wow! a story about a lamplighter, what fun! then the horrid idea of a dead body was presented. So very well don.
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a murderer in uniform. he’ll be caught for sure but when is the question.
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But will he? He now has a lamplighter to frame!
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A well written story with topical resonances sadly.
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Thank you
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Uh-oh. Maybe that’s why he never got caught. Well written.
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It’s one theory for sure. Thanks Anne
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Yikes! Wonderful story!
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Thanks Susan
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Whoops! Lovely story.
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Thank you
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Perfect pacing and excellent twist. You squeezed a lot into that. I hadn’t heard about the murder in Kent but was still able to enjoy the story.
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Thanks so much
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Ooooo oh oh. The killer may have another body this week. Well done
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Thanks Laurie
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Very topical, between the trial of George Floyd’s killer in America and the policeman accused of killing Sarah Everard. The shivering orange glow was particularly nice. 🙂
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Thanks so much, yes, a reflection on modern times.
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