It’s time for Friday Fictioneers. Thank you to Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, our talented leader and to Marie Gail Stratford for the photo this week.
The challenge is to write a 100-word story based on the photo. All are welcome to participate.
I took my cues this week from the strange lighting I saw in the photo. Thanks for reading.
(100 words)
Unhinged
“Room 484.” Tom said. “I can’t get off my floor. Remember?”
“Try to be calm, sir.”
Despite the illuminated number, the elevator returned Tom to the 48th floor. The stairs proved as unpredictable, a bottomless series of doorways back to his room.
“Can’t you send someone up?” Tom slammed the phone.
He rushed out to the hallway and then he saw them, vacant-eyed and pale.
“Go ahead,” they said, whispering. “Take the concrete plunge. You know you want to. One of us can go free.”
And someone did.
The elevator resumed normal operations for only one. One of the lucky ones.
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For more stories from the Fictioneers, click here.
Spooky Amy, but it matches the photo perfectly. BTW, I like the blue treatment on the sand mermaid at the top of your home page.
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Hi, Holly. Nice to see you! Thanks. The mermaid is underwater. That’s what I hope it looks like. 🙂 Remember her?
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Great story- original! And yeah, isn’t the lighting in the image odd. I know sun can bleach things out badly, and shooting through glass without proper filters also does strange things, and then if exposure is off… well it can make for some odd results. Anyhow …. the lighting is really peculiar – but adds a wonderful element to the image – glad you chose to follow that route and play off it 🙂
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Thank you! Photographing with the sun is always a challenge. I like what happened here with the light however it happened. It definitely makes for an interesting prompt. The light helped me find a story. I’m glad you liked it.
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Ooooooo so creepy Amy, this is great! I’m wondering who cursed the building… What a choice to make – on behalf of someone else because your choice doesn’t help yourself!
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Thanks, Laurie. It is cursed. Definitely. Who are what? I cannot say. That would be an awful situation, wouldn’t it? There are no easy answers.
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Ooh, nice and creepy Amy! I really like this one. I can imagine it as a movie. 🙂
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Thanks, David. I can see it as a movie, too. I feel like it’s already been done, but I always feel this way. Maybe it hasn’t.
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I love that you saw more than buildings too… 😉 Great spooky take!
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Thank you, Dale. For me, it’s always what’s happening inside the building.
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For sure!
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This was seriously scary, Amy. The idea of bottomless steps is one that’s been with me all my life, it seems. Now to add an elevator that’s going nowhere… 😦
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Thank you, Sandra. The idea of bottomless steps alone is pretty dreadful, for me too.
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That’s the essence of horror – write something where the rules are changed, and make it seem an everyday thing. You nailed it
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Thanks so much, Neil. I agree when the horror is mixes with the everyday if feels all the more terrifying, perhaps because we can relate to it. Thanks for the compliment. 🙂
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Ooh, that was quite spooky! Reminds me a bit of a Dr Who episode 🙂
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Thanks, Ali. Ooh, I want to see that episode! Thanks. I’ll look it up. Do you know what season or the name of it or anything? Or, what I might look up? Thanks.
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“New” Dr Who Series 6 (Matt Smith), “The God Complex”.
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Thanks so much for the info, Ali. I will definitely look it up.
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Loved it, Amy! You write scary stuff so well – always so imaginative and entertaining! xo
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Thank you, Kelly! Glad it entertained you. xox
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Welcome, Amy!
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Intriguing!
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Thank you, Dawn.
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Ah, yes, Amy… VERY spooky!
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Thanks, Tom. I think I’d like expand this one. Thanks for your feedback.
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That horror was subtly done, great job 🙂
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Now that’s a creepy story! Somehow I don’t think “go ahead, take the concrete plunge!” is going to make it as an advertising slogan, but maybe the tag line from this summer’s big scary movie. And it better be in 3D!
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They’re so eloquent, aren’t they? Take the concrete plunge. I wanted there to be no mistake about what they’re doing. 3D or even the motion-watching one. The D-box. Yikes! Now that would be grim.
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Very spooky, Amy – a horror movie in the making! 😉
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Thanks, Dianne. Do you think?
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Absolutely 😉
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You really do creepy very well, Amy. Loved this, but I’ll always always ask for more of it.
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Thank you, Trent. For some reason, I enjoy creepy. Oh, what does this say about me? This is one I would actually like to extend. I think it has promise. Thanks for the encouragement.
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Dear Amy,
Twilight Zone fodder. Make sure the movie’s in black and white. It adds to the tension. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I grew up on those black and white Twilight Zones, Rochelle. There’s nothing quite like them. Thank you.
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Scary!
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Thank you!
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Really intriguing Amy. Could be a great movie!
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Thanks, Louise. I’d have to think of a clever ending. 🙂
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Wow! We’re off and running on this one. Nice suspense and wind up, Amy!
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Dark and menacing. Thank you for tonight’s nightmare, lol!
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It’s my pleasure! Thank you for reading, Madame.
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Very tense. The creatures in the hallway are nightmarish, but there’s ambiguity about them too, and I love that. Well told.
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Creepy, but good story, Amy. It was kind of Twilight Zoneish. I don’t trust elevators either. Well done. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Thanks, Suzanne. I was going for the Twilight Zoneish feel. Elevators always feel a bit risky, don’t they? Even if you’re not too high up. I’m glad you enjoyed my story. 🙂
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A tad bit creepy. Nicely done.
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Thanks so much. Glad you liked it.
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