THE HANGING ROOM

Somewhere in the rural midwestern USA, after the war has ended.

‘Why bomb a barn way out here? They’ve blown the roof right off.

‘Never had a roof. Was meant to be like this.’

‘Why have a barn with no roof. What was it for?’

‘Hangings.’

‘Really?’

‘Yeah. Could get about ten on each bar. Fill ’em all, about two hundred in one go.’

‘That’s appalling.’

‘It was beautiful, seeing them all hanging together, swaying in the breeze, all those colours.’

‘How can you say that? It’s so evil, so inhumane. The horror…’

‘Wait. What?’

‘The bodies… Hanging there…’

‘Flowers. Hanging baskets… Of flowers.’

‘Right, yes… I knew that’s what you meant.’

Copyright Bill Reynolds

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 more stories of 100 words based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.

I’m delighted that ‘The Barra Boy’ is now available in the US , Canada and around the world through Amazon, as well as from many booksellers in the UK. If you’re interested, you can find all the information for getting a copy HERE.

If you do read ‘The Barra Boy’ and enjoy it, please do leave a short review and help spread the word!

59 responses to “THE HANGING ROOM”

  1. The apocalypse may not be so bad after all. Good one, Iain

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Better with flowers. Thanks Neil

      Like

      1. You’re welcome

        Liked by 1 person

  2. Dear Iain,

    Nice little, if not grisly, misdirect. 😉 Hanging flowers are so much nicer than hanging bodies.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I agree, definitely know what I ould prefer in my garden!! Thanks Rochelle 🙂

      Like

  3. Flowers are lovely!
    No bodies or war, please.
    We have a similar theme for our story this week- garden 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Chilling alternative to a “Greenhouse Effect,” though not completely out of the question. Margaret Atwood nailed it, so did you in this micro fiction on the psychological tenor of the times.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you, nice company to be mentioned with! 😉

      Liked by 1 person

  5. I was hoping there’d be a pleasant twist at the end and you did it in style!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks Keith, I’m glad there was too!

      Like

  6. Thank God flowers were hanging. Good one Iain

    Liked by 1 person

  7. Ha Ha! You got me. Horrific, then hilarious, the best of both worlds.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you – glad it managed a surprise! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. You’re very welcome, Iain 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  8. Imagining someone who would hang flower baskets in the middle of a war. That would be quite a person. Alana ramblinwitham

    Liked by 1 person

  9. We were both thinking ‘funny’ today! That brought a smile.

    Liked by 1 person

  10. Loved it.
    Made me laugh.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks so much 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  11. Glad it was flowers. Our history of hangings is a sad part of our nation.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It’s not a good look for anyone. Thanks Danny

      Like

  12. Great writing! Loved the twist at the end.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you Rosemary 🙂

      Like

  13. So well written I was tricked for a while. So relieved it was clarified that some hangings are nice.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you, glad you liked, and that it turned out well this time!

      Like

  14. Haha! That twist left my neck competing with Linda Blair’s in the Exorsist!
    Wonderfully done, Iain.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you Dale, glad you liked it 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. It was great fun. I love redirects.

        Liked by 1 person

  15. Well done, Iain. Even though I suspected the outcome, when I reached the end of your story, I had to laugh. I’m still smiling. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Always good to hear I’ve raised a smile, thanks Bill 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  16. What a wonderful twist! Now the song Forbidden Fruit is running through my mind

    Liked by 1 person

  17. I was hoping it wasn’t what I was thinking as I read your story, Iain.
    Yes, hanging baskets of beautiful flowers is a nicer thought.
    I hope your book is doing well. Good Luck on more sales.
    Isadora 😎

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks Isadora! Sales seem steady at the moment! Hope you get a achance to check it out too 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I will be doing that. 👍🏻

        Liked by 1 person

  18. Yeah, that’s a pretty important detail. 🙂 The image you drew reminded me of the strings of dried persimmons in Korea that they’d hang up to dry.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks David – I’m glad that’s the image it brought to mind, and not something else! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  19. Bahahahaha hilarious !
    Nice twist Iain.

    Liked by 1 person

  20. You had me fooled completely, I gagged. Now I don’t know if I should laugh or cry. Flowers make everything better. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you, I like that sort of reaction to my writing! 🙂

      Like

  21. Better than walking the plank, I suppose.
    That would be tough for a flower.

    Liked by 1 person

  22. Outstanding, Iain. You had me visualizing bodies for just a moment there 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  23. That’s a coincidence. Looking for a new greenhouse right now and wondering whether to have a rail for hanging… baskets of course. Nice one, Iain.

    Liked by 1 person

  24. All right. You got me. I was thinking, “The weight of all those bodies would bring down the whole barn.” Well played, sir.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I’m worried you were thinking about the physics of it! 😉

      Liked by 1 person

  25. ‘Say it with the flowers’ used to be a popular jingle for Interflora back in the 80s. I love the twist at the end, well done!

    Liked by 1 person

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