revenge – 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

Some days were better than others. He’d leave the house. Buy groceries. Walk in the park. Feed the squirrels. Try to go on without her.

But most days were bad. On those days he’d stay in bed. Thinking only of her. Hurting as badly as he had that first day without her.

And then there was today. The anniversary of that terrible day. 365 days of pain. And planning. Now it was time.

He imagined them. Walking hand-in-hand on the boardwalk. Oblivious to his pain.

Reaching into his bag, he smiled. Today was going to be a better day.

steeplechase

I swear this started out as a sweet story but at about word 63, it turned … well, I’ll let y’all be the judge and end it for yourselves. What’s he reaching for?

Thanks, as always, to Rochelle’s Friday Fictioners Challenge for providing inspiration.