Genre: Dark Humor (100 words)
Stump
“We can’t call the cops. My fingerprints are all over it,” Ray said. He waved the butchered arm around like it was a sparkler.
“Stop it with that,” Suzanne said.
Ray rationalized a missing body part could only be found in a stolen car. Never mind that they didn’t steal the car.
“We have to bury it.”
Suzanne promised herself she would never make out in a car again.
They planned the details for a 4:00 a.m. burial; the tools, the zealous runners, even their clothing needs. They underestimated the icy ground.
Later…
“Whoa. This is going in my zombie movie.”
*****************************
This photo reminds me a lot of the wetlands area near my neighborhood. Good thing I’ve never come across any body parts.
Thanks to Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for her gracious hosting and to Sandra Crook for this week’s photo.
All are welcome to participate in this challenge to write a 100-word story based on the photo prompt. Please visit Rochelle’s Addicted to Purple blog for instructions.
Click here for more stories from the Fictioneers.
Amy, I’ll bet frozen ground has foiled many people trying to bury the evidence. It’s never like that in the movies, is it? They probably get the film crew to pre-dig the hole for them. 🙂 I love the image of him swinging a severed arm around like a sparkler, maybe spelling out his name? You have some great images in your writing.
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Right, David. Production spends lots of time preparing in the cold, early morning. I’m sure of it, digging holes and what not. Thank you. I think Ray lost his train of thought playing with the sparkler…um, I mean, arm.
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This reminds me of how to get away with murder beginning. Nice post
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Whoever committed it is getting lucky! Thank you.
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Well you went out on a limb there………! True entertainment reading this one, great gruesome tone!
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Ha ha. Thank you, Hamish. I’m pleased it entertained. Nice to see you!
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Nature did punish them for their wrong doing, i guess!
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Right. Not so fast, it said. Thanks for reading and commenting
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Dear Amy
You had me until the zombie movie. Was that someone digging up the arm? Pretty creepy stuff. I like the way you used the “stump.”
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
That’s exactly it. I had to choose from a description or dialogue. Hard call. Thanks for you nice, creepy comments. Ha ha. Thanks, “stump” just occurred to me at the end of the writing.
Shalom,
Amy
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Dear Amy,
Many questions remain above ground with this one. Somewhere, someone is either dead or wishing they were ambidextrous.
Aloha,
Doug
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Dear Doug,
The questions remain alive or, alternatively, someone is wishing they were ambidextrous and might be able to help answers the questions. Ha! I hadn’t even considered that. Thank you.
Aloha,
Amy
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That’s what you get for making out in someone else’s car. Personally, I’d have wiped the arm clean and put it back where I found it. I did like the sparkler image; that will stay with me for a while. 🙂
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I should add that I always carry a packet of wet-wipes around with me for just such an eventuality.
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Enough!
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Better to be safe than…:)
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Yes, you take your chances making out in a random vehicle. You think these two would handle a unpredictable situation a little better. Not! I don’t think the idea of wiping something clean has occurred to them. Thanks so much, Sandra. Thanks for the photo, too. It looks really similar to the area around my neighborhood with a bit of early morning frost. 🙂
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I haven’t made out in a car in so long that I forgot you could do it.
That pic reminded me of The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. A kid’s book. Do you know it?
You haven’t come across any body parts yet. Keep going on those walks. You never know.
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Me, too. A car is purely utilitarian and I like to spend as little time in it as possible. I know Shel Silverstein. I’ve read his poetry, but not that book. I’ll have to check it out. I’m sure it’s good. I like him a lot.
Nope, no body parts. Whew! It seems like this would be just the kind of place you’d see one. I’ll never forget that “Blue Velvet” movie where he finds the ear. Seen that one? That would be so creepy! That has stayed with me.
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I didn’t expect the zombie movie direction … so I laughed.
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Thanks, Frank. If this happens with zombie movies, I just don’t want to know.
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Great movie scene. (There are always bodies in wetlands – even in your neighbourhood.)
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Thanks. Oh, stop! There are not?! Great, now I can’t go on any more walks. 🙂
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Many a Canadian winter has spoiled a good burial of a body part…or whole bodies for that matter. Perhaps you could set the zombie movie in the frozen Arctic?
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Oh dear, Michelle. I wondered why those Canadian zombie had an air of authenticity. Hmm. You know, that might be convenient to set one in the Arctic. You would save on refrigeration costs.
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That’s not the sort of thing you want to find while you’re making out. Bit of a mood killer 🙂 I love the way Ray’s waving it around!
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Yeah, I’m pretty this discovery was the end of the make out session. 🙂 Ha ha. Thanks. Yeah, I think he forgot it was an arm or maybe he got excited because it was. He’s simply not normal.
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A creepy take on the prompt. I especially like the sparkler idea.
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Thank you, Alicia. Please don’t try this at home. 🙂
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Great writing, fantastic story. I just wasn’t sure about the ‘later’ and the bit following.
Claire
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Thank you, Claire. I’m glad you liked it. Yeah, I wish I could add just a wee bit more. I could have described it or go with dialogue like I chose to do. He’s found the arm and wants to use it in his zombie movie.
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Haha! I could just picture these two kids in this situation.
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I get the impression that Ray is just way too desensitized from watching or making too many zombie movies! Between the shows on TV and the movies, the genre is definitely hot right now. Loved what you did again, so creatively with the prompt. Never know what’s going to come out of that head of yours, that’s for sure!
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Thank you, Kelly. The Walking Dead is one of my favorites although I like that it is not real. If it really happened, I’m not sure I’d want to live. But we don’t have to think about that! Thanks for your lovely comments.
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Ulp, Amy… fancy finding an arm. I get freaked out if I find a glove!!!
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Glove cans be a little freaky, Tom. I totally understand! Thanks for reading and commenting.
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I can’t shake the image of the floppy arm, lol 🙂
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Ha ha. Thanks, Helen. I’m glad it has staying power. 🙂
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Better to wave it around like it was a sparkler than to gesture with it like it was his own, I suppose.
Especially if he wanted to pick his nose…
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Ewww, okay, now that would be really disturbing. You win, Guapo!
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Ugh! You did a good job. Gross me out with the waving… 🙂
Lily
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Thank you, Lily. I’m pleased. 🙂
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Oh, the arm like a sparkler! How perfectly, wonderfully horrid.
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You like that, Jen? I can see that you like that. 🙂 Thank you.
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Whoa! I didn’t see that one coming! Creepy little piece, but I liked it! Nice Blog!
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Thank you. So glad you liked it. Thanks for stopping by!
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Nothing is worse for dirty deeds than frozen soil.. somehow I keep my arms close to my body now.
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Ha ha. You better, especially tonight on Friday the 13th. Bahahaha….Beware, Bjorn.
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uh oh, they are in a pickle! I’d love to find out what happens next!
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Thanks, Rachel. This arm could be traveling to places unknown. Maybe I’ll write more about it. We’ll see. Thanks for your comments.
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It did cross my mind—the body part sense of “stump,” seeing the photo…
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Gruesome. A clever use of the prompt – such very lateral thiking.
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Thanks for the kind words, Margaret. I appreciate that. 🙂
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Eeeewwww! I especially cringed at “waved the butchered arm around like it was a sparkler.” What an adventure! Yeah, I’m guessing that a couple who came across that sort of surprise while just trying to find someplace private to make out might have some serious issues later. Fun, creepy, colorful stuff, Amy.
All my best,
Marie Gail
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I have a feeling things won’t last too long with these two, but you never know. Maybe they’ll get married and always have this story. Thanks so much, Marie. 🙂
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Creepy and icky in all the right ways, Amy. I love the humor in the final line, but imagine really finding such a thing! Oh my.
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Thanks for all your wonderful compliments, Dawn. Ah, they make me smile. Can you imagine? It would be haunt me forever.
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Gruesome humor…just the way we Friday fictioneers like it!
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Hooray!! Thank you, Jan.
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Did somebody do it behind the stump? You set a tone with that pantry story, Amy. 😉
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Mark, now I will forever call that story “The Pantry Story.” Ha ha. This looks worse than the pantry and no privacy at all! 🙂
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I love this! That butchered arm really threw me.
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Thank you. So glad you enjoyed it! It’s not everyday you see a butchered arm.
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what would be the name of the movie? a farewell to arm? 🙂
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Ha ha. Good one, Plaridel! That would work.
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This got me to thinking about the one-armed killer from The Fugitive. All those years and we never knew his name until now–Stump. A fun story, Amy.
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Oh, that’s quite a name for a one-armed killer. It seems to fit just right or not fit. You know what I mean. 🙂 Thanks, Russell. Glad you liked it.
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We’ve been re-watching season after season of “The Closer” and there are often body parts or parts that come away from their bodies. So far, nothing like this, though.
janet
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That was both funny and horrible. Terrible luck to find a body part and get your prints all over it.He must have paniced. As all movie goers and TV crime watchers know, you never pick up anything at a crime scene. They’re really complicating things for themselves. Well done, Amy. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Boy, there’s a lot of grisly stuff in this one! I think I’m starting to worry about you, Amy; did that blogger award I gave you somehow warp you? Oh, well, bring on the severed arms and zombies, I’m enjoying it!
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