‘There’s never much green out here is there?’ said Bobby, reaching out to pinch the thorn end of a twig. The bush had rooted into one of the fissures running along the face of the valley and Bobby could see its thin, grey roots spidering outwards in tendrils.
He twisted his hand and
the twig crumbled.
‘Sorry,’ he muttered and dusted
the debris away.
He turned and walked the
fifty yards back to his car.
The boot was still open,
the spade inside.
‘I should have found somewhere nicer,’ he muttered, gripping the handle. ‘You would have preferred somewhere green.’
Carol J Forrester is a writer and a history geek. Her debut collection 'It's All In The Blood' came out November 2019.
She has a 2:1 BA degree in history from Bath Spa University, enjoys judo at least twice a week, and tries to attend poetry events around the Midlands when she can.
Her flash fiction story ‘Glorious Silence’ was named as River Ram Press’ short story of the month for August 2014 and her short story ‘A Visit From The Fortune Teller’ has been showcased on the literary site Ink Pantry. Her poems ‘Sunsets’ and ‘Clear Out‘ were featured on Eyes Plus Words, and two of her poems were included in the DVerse Poets Pub Publication ‘Chiaroscuro’ which is available for purchase on amazon.Her poem ‘Until The Light Gets In‘ was accepted and published at The Drabble and her poem ‘Newborn’ was published by Ink Sweat & Tears.
She has been lucky enough to write guest posts for sites such as Inky Tavern and Song of The Forlorn and has hosted a number of guest bloggers on her site Writing and Works.
View all posts by Carol J Forrester
29 Comments
Now why would he have to be digging a grave out in the middle of nowhere I wonder?! Good story.
Thank you Iain. I do worry sometimes with the number of stories I write that end or start with graves… perhaps it’s a sign I should be trying to write a longer one.
I’m guilty of this too, as are a lot of Friday Fictioneers – I think you’re right, in such a short number of words, it’s a quick way to make an impact.
That and I think my brain has a switch that says ‘Nope, too bland, too happy, let’s chuck some death and possible murder in there before people think you’ve turned soft.’
However, I do have the seeds of a short story about a leprechaun who can turn any liquid to whiskey that I’m think of writing next and that involves no graves. (So far as I can tell). It does involve a lot of bad whiskey though.
After a few stories that feature death I always set myself a challenge to go a week or so without killing anyone off – but it gets difficult. Maybe leprechauns is the answer! 🙂
Yes there are and I wouldn’t call myself a light writer if I’m honest. I do like this piece because it could be expanded and taken a number of different ways. Nothing wrong with dark though.
I’m picturing an accidental killing of Bobby’s dog, maybe he went shopping and left the window closed and the dog suffocated. Bobby feels awful and to appease his conscience rushes to bury the dog.
Its a very evocative piece and I like it!
Good point, and digging a grave takes quite a bit of effort. I mean if you think about how much effort goes into digging potatoes into the ground compared with the depth you’d need for a body.
A good place to hide a body. I laughed about your comments of not wanting to write too happy. I always have to force myself to write something darkish. 😀
I’m the opposite. I find the happy always feels forced. I’m more aware of that tonight as I’m trying to curate a collection of poems. My god I’m dark sometime. 8(
Now why would he have to be digging a grave out in the middle of nowhere I wonder?! Good story.
Thank you Iain. I do worry sometimes with the number of stories I write that end or start with graves… perhaps it’s a sign I should be trying to write a longer one.
I’m guilty of this too, as are a lot of Friday Fictioneers – I think you’re right, in such a short number of words, it’s a quick way to make an impact.
That and I think my brain has a switch that says ‘Nope, too bland, too happy, let’s chuck some death and possible murder in there before people think you’ve turned soft.’
However, I do have the seeds of a short story about a leprechaun who can turn any liquid to whiskey that I’m think of writing next and that involves no graves. (So far as I can tell). It does involve a lot of bad whiskey though.
After a few stories that feature death I always set myself a challenge to go a week or so without killing anyone off – but it gets difficult. Maybe leprechauns is the answer! 🙂
We’ll have to see.
Nice that he cared
I suppose so. Thanks for reading.
That he killed her but cared enough to think that he should have dug her grave elsewhere… hmmm… a killer with a heart?
The things we see, that (maybe) aren’t there. Who says it was a ‘her’? 😕
You are absolutely right. My bad for assuming.
Who says that’s the only question ?
Exactly! How many preconceptions are there?? 😕
Too many to count probably.
Maybe not a killer even
Maybe not indeed. My first thought was that he wasn’t… but hey, there are some dark writers in this group!!!
Yes there are and I wouldn’t call myself a light writer if I’m honest. I do like this piece because it could be expanded and taken a number of different ways. Nothing wrong with dark though.
It would probably not matter anymore. Green or no green, the person is gone.
Indeed, but we like to think we do right by people even if it’s only to do what we think they might have wanted
I think the killer is a psycho…he killed her in cold blood and now thinks of burying her in a place of her liking.
Perhaps so. I never actually say that he killed anyone however.
Oh! I just imagined the whole thing in my mind.
I’m picturing an accidental killing of Bobby’s dog, maybe he went shopping and left the window closed and the dog suffocated. Bobby feels awful and to appease his conscience rushes to bury the dog.
Its a very evocative piece and I like it!
Perhaps you’re right. I left it open ended to give readers a chance to be creative with what they though had happened.
Well at least he took the time to dig a grave.. Could have just tossed the body in…
Good point, and digging a grave takes quite a bit of effort. I mean if you think about how much effort goes into digging potatoes into the ground compared with the depth you’d need for a body.
A good place to hide a body. I laughed about your comments of not wanting to write too happy. I always have to force myself to write something darkish. 😀
I’m the opposite. I find the happy always feels forced. I’m more aware of that tonight as I’m trying to curate a collection of poems. My god I’m dark sometime. 8(
It would be awfully boring if we all wrote the same. 🙂