murder mystery – Tina Stewart Brakebill

Finally

September 17, 2025 Tina Stewart Brakebill

The house was quiet.

Finally.

The loud click of the lock had echoed in her mind for just a moment as she shut out the last of the stragglers. But the constant stream of words had stopped.

Finally.

No more kind-hearted souls urging her to “eat something.” No more obsequious parishioners offering her sympathy and prayers. No more polite policeman asking stupid questions. No more of his exacting demands for unattainable perfection. No more of her internal screams of anguish. No more.

Finally.

She gazed out the window. His final view offering her an open road to the future.

Finally.

PHOTO PROMPT © Sandra Crook

The attempts at unblocking my writer’s block seems to be have channeled me to the dark side! Thanks Rochelle and Sandra for the inspiration for this 100 word ode to revenge or maybe regret or possibly hope. The reader can decide. Visit her site for more info on the Friday Fictioneers challenge.

19 September 2025

Haiku & Other Poetry, History, tutto e niente

This Instead of That (a haiku tale)

January 14, 2021January 14, 2021 Tina Stewart Brakebill

A tale to be told?

Once brothers in law but now

eternal neighbors.

Thanks to Linda’s JusJoJan Challenge (neighbor) and to Fandango’s FOWC (instead) for the inspiration for this tale as old as time.

Flash Fiction, tutto e niente

Destiny

March 28, 2019January 29, 2020 Tina Stewart Brakebill

I’m not sure when I drifted off or what woke me. The birds? Or maybe the chill in the air? Whatever it was, it interrupted a great dream. We were dancing. Just like we did the night we met. I could still hear the fading beats of Crazy in Love in my mind and I fought to fall back into the music. But it was too late. Consciousness flooded in. Ruining my return to sleep. Spoiling my chance to revel in the hot stickiness of that dance floor.

But even awake, I manage to conjure up the thrill of that night. I remember the pounding music and the flashing lights. Seeing you. Surrounded by people. Laughing and twirling like you didn’t see me. But, I knew you could feel the tension running between us. Crackling like lightening in a storm. Pulling us together. Showing me that you were destined to be the one.

lights party dancing music — Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

I would have happily sat with that thought longer, but my waking reverie was broken by a shaft of light penetrating the trees. Its brilliance illuminating our special place, as if the gods themselves understood the holiness of that night. The light filled me with almost indescribable joy, but it also signaled that morning has come. Time to hit the road. But I knew I’d be back next year. I never visited the others. But even after fifteen years you’re still special. The first one. Our destiny fulfilled.

bright

This depressing bit of serial murder flash fiction (WC = 241) was inspired by Sue’s beautiful photo prompt (above) (Sorry Sue!! And if it’s too “rated R” for the prompt I understand) and by the challenge to spend a night in a cemetery courtesy of #TellTaleThursday with Anshu & Priya. Click here for details and other story links.