I’m dreadfully late in posting my response to this week’s Friday Fictioneers prompt, and it’s been several weeks since life has allowed me to participate. However, I’m back with a story from the Lauren Shrecklich saga, this time from someone else’s POV.
Every week, people from around the globe participate in the Friday Fictioneers challenge. This week, my photo is featured as the prompt, and many writers have already submitted their 100-word stories. Play along with us if you like. The more the merrier. My story this week weighs in at 113 words (making up for all the words that have been missing over the past month).
Cheri hadn’t stopped thinking about Lauren since she met the petite FBI agent on a flight to BWI. As she slipped into the South End pizza parlor to meet with her writers group, Cheri did a double take. There stood Lauren. Cheri occasionally ran into passengers near her Boston home, but this stroke of luck surprised her.
Throughout the evening, Lauren remained aloof, avoiding Cheri’s gaze. At the meeting’s end, she finally made eye contact. “You should find a new writers group,” Lauren snapped.
Cheri swallowed the fury rising in her throat, turned, and fled the restaurant. She blinked, trying to see past the tears into a dream that had become a nightmare.
Dear Marie,
So is Cherie a vampire or just a close encounter? At any rate the piece stands on its own and leaves me hungry for more. Cut me another slice please.
Shalom,
Rochelle
So glad you’ve been left hungry. It’s killing me not to tell more of the story. Perhaps I’ll add a couple new flashes over the next week aside from the FF responses just to fill out this tale. There’s always multiple sides to every story.
😉
Peace,
Marie Gail
I hope I’m not a goof for not knowing anything about the Lauren Shrecklich saga, but this piece stands very well on its own.
Alicia,
I would never call you a goof. Thanks for reading. My hope is that all my flashes stand on their own, whether or not they are connected to other stories in any way. If you are curious, you can search my blog for stories with the tag “Lauren Shrecklich” to get more details. The way I’m weaving these, people who read them alone get a much different experience than those who read them together. I hope that both types of readers still enjoy these even half so much as I enjoy putting them together.
All my best,
Marie Gail
Dear Marie Gail, Good story – I don’t know anything about Lauren Shrecklich saga – that’s ok, this is still wonderful.
Nan 🙂
Dear Nan,
Thanks so very much! Cheri is a secondary character that has only come into my loosely connected flashes once, but it was time to introduce someone who might not see Lauren as a “good guy” all the time. I’m thrilled to hear that the story stands well alone. That’s the goal, and it is becoming more difficult as the full Shrecklich story becomes clearer in my own head. Guess that means I’m going to need to recruit a bunch of new readers to keep the fresh feedback coming.
Thanks so much for the kind words, Nan.
Marie Gail
Marie Gail, Thanks for the lovely photo prompt for this week. Good story. What’s happening with Lauren. How nasty and hurtful she’s become. 😦 This well-written story really stands okay alone. 🙂 —Susan
Susan, Thanks so much for reading and commenting. Yes, it’s killing me not to give Lauren’s side of this story just yet. Keep in mind that there are always multiple points of view. I promise to post a flash within the next week that gives you some more perspective. Poor Cheri. Poor Lauren. Such tragedy comes when the author is an evil bitch. 😀
All my best,
Marie Gail
Oh the possibilities of what happened in this story. I love it. Now I see why you liked the mystery at the end of my story….hope to find out what happens next.
Thanks, Ruth! We’ll see if we find out “what happens next” or if I share “the other side of the story” first.
Cheers!
MG
ouch that was pretty harsh. it’s a great story and also works well as a standalone piece.
Thanks, K.Z. Yeah, I’m guessing Lauren will feel pretty badly when she realizes what she did there.
MG