Another week of top quality
writing, with nary a red rose in sight. for which much thanks, despite the fact
that it makes the task of choosing one piece above the others difficult in the
extreme. Eventually, the choice came down to fake news or fancy tattoos, and I
was unable to split them, so Patricia,
for her ‘Modus operandi’ and David,
for ‘Job description’ will have to
teeter together on the topmost podium.
My thanks to all of you for
posting and for the vital comments.
Words for next
week: brazen relish tithe
Entries by
midnight Thursday 22nd February winners and words
posted Friday 23rd
Usual rules: 100 words maximum (excluding title) of flash
fiction or poetry using all of the three words above in the genres of horror,
fantasy, science fiction or noir. Serialised fiction is, as always, welcome.
All variants and use of the words and stems are fine. Feel free to post links
to your stories on Twitter or Facebook or whichever social media you prefer.
Perspective
ReplyDelete“Brazen hussy” echoed from my childhood.
Not me. My mother.
No-one in the neighbourhood had a good word to say about her. But then no-one knew her like I did. No-one knew about the tithe she paid me, knowing how I relished every opportunity to buy a new outfit for my Barbie doll every time I let an uncle share my bed.
Sad but deftly written, and excellent choice of title.
DeleteThis is indeed a difficult subject to tackle but you managed it perfectly. The "Barbie doll" touch was inspirational and said it all.
DeleteNow there's a touchy subject. You're brave to tackle it. Well done.
ReplyDeleteyes indeed, thin ice and you did it beautifully.
DeleteFaith and Fury
ReplyDeleteChristian Molenaar complained brazenly about paying taxes to anyone who would listen but he unblinkingly tithed to his church every other week. The Elders paid little mind that Christian hadn’t updated his earnings report since 1998 – but heavens, most of the parishioners stretched the truth a little when it came to tithing.
It did, though, concern the Elders when Christian stormed the IRS employee parking lot firing his AK47 with the relish of a Taliban zealot.
An appointment was quickly arranged with Mrs. Molenaar, now a widow with a pension. The importance of tithing could not be overstated.
oh clever one, cynical and probably a reflection of many a person on a tithing scheme!!
DeleteCynicism well demonstrated and deserved. Powerful this one.
DeleteSkillful ending with those final two lines. A powerful and reflective piece.
DeleteSo visual in its telling, this was a marvellous piece. I agree with Zaiure that the ending was nothing less than totally skillful.
DeleteChange of focus [269]
ReplyDeleteEyes attempting to deny hypocrisy – time was, DI John Pettinger well knew, before he rose a couple of ranks his boss and he had relished more than one night of drunken debauchery – ‘You’ve decided to brazen it out? No defence?’
‘No defence needed. When I left her she was alive. And bitching.’
‘So you found a way to stop her?’
‘I left.’
‘Have to hope evidence proves you right. Your relationship with SOCO good? Paid your dues?’
‘Dues?’
‘To remove anything incriminating.’
‘Unnecessary. I pay no tithes to anyone –‘
‘Then we have to hope those that do are behindhand.’
double dealing by the barrowload! good one.
DeleteThis moved along at such a brisk clip while losing nothing in the process. Double dealing indeed...but then Pettinger is no stranger to that.
DeletePettinger continues to move within multiple layers of suspense, and we're left holding our breath (in a delightfully anticipatory way).
DeleteBefore anything else then, congratulations Patricia and David on such great writing. No red roses, no, I didn't put any in the shop window, either, I normally do! My red roses come out for St George's Day instead.
ReplyDeleteThanks to Patricia for asking (on the previous week's blog) there is one nasty bruise just appeared, the other pains appear to be ribs which makes turning over in bed extremely painful and a cat sitting looking at me while I spit and moan and rant about stupid people who can't stand up...
I wanted to jump in here and mention two occasions where Leo's prediction of problems using social media have caused lives to be changed if not wrecked. The first is a foolish chef who posted that the 'judgemental vegan' had gone to bed not being a vegan as she had spiked the meal - which caused her dismissal, to all intents and purposes and the restaurant losing 4 of its 5 stars immediately and now the UKIP leader has lost his job through his girlfriend posting racist comments. How right is Leo to warn us against FB and Twitter and the others!!!
He will be here this week with more potent comments.
It's Not Extortion
ReplyDelete"They're getting brazen, Don't you think?"
"They say It's not extortion, but a tithe."
"That's crap. I'd relish the chance to tell them what I really think."
"You do what you want, but not me. You Don't buy their cookies, those Girl Scouts will hurt you bad."
Welcome Joe, and this an intriguing tale, setting my mind in several directions before the end.
DeleteGreat story. I heard yesterday that it's now legal for the Girl Scouts to sell cookies in front of weed dispensaries. Should boost sales.
Deleteoh I like this! So off the wall surreal and yet appearing to be serious!
DeleteHow absolutely unexpected and not completely without humour. I too heard that the selling of cookies is now not unacceptable in front of "weed dispensaries." Perhaps those Girl Scout organizers have more going on than we give them credit for. So different from anything else on offer, this tale was a little treasure...and told in few words, to boot.
DeleteA humorous and cautionary tale. :)
DeleteCoffin Tithe
ReplyDeleteThe jar of hamburger relish sat on the table.
Madeline was not impressed. This was a pretty brazen two fingered insult to the settled order.
The old man shook dust from his coat and hacked a cough that spoke volumes about his exposure to the infected particles in the air.
“One tenth of all you scavenge,” said Madeline. “That’s the tithe.”
“That is a tenth,” said the old man, and spat blood to the floor.
“Not enough for a bed tonight,” insisted Madeline.
The old man dropped to his scrawny knees.
“Maybe enough for a coffin?”
I do so much enjoy your writing, David, and this as rich as ever. I'm learning much from your phraseology.
DeleteNice David. I can picture this scene so well. Something tells me Madeline wouldn't bother with a coffin if it came to that.
Deletedark stuff going on here, like it a lot.
DeleteDark stuff indeed...to echo Antonia. Another innovative piece with unusual prompt word usage. The entries this week seem to be full of them...unusual usages, that is.
DeleteA fascinating, and dark world. I loved the way you set the scene with the interaction between the two characters.
DeleteDeliverance
ReplyDeleteTithes come in a plethora of shapes and sizes. Our predilection has nothing to do with the accepted practice of one tenth contributions. We have no interest in monetary value. We demand payment in the form of brazenness. Not the human variety. An actual brazen article. Made of brass. Specific in usage. Preferably with some age to it.
We don't relish dispensing punishment, but it's common knowledge that an empty vessel is unacceptable and serves as an incarceration receptacle for the one who donates such.
The others lamps...the ones inhabited...are stored until needed.
Three wishes so often come in handy.
"serves as an incarceration receptacle" - what a cold, cutting and kick-in-the-gut line, matter-of-fact officialdom perfectly expressed.
DeleteSuch an unusual and interesting tale. It's no wonder genie's are often grumpy.
Deletemy djinn/genii would agree with that, John. He complained bitterly about jars, rings, pendants, all supposedly containing a trapped djinn. He could be the reason ebay banned the sale of all those types of items... come to think of it...
Deleteback to sensible now. Liked this, Patricia,capturing a rare thought in the incarceration receptacle. Love that!
So many wonderful phrases in this. I loved - 'We demand payment in the form of brazenness. Not the human variety. An actual brazen article.' I can feel the narrator's voice strongly.
DeleteWouldn't You?
ReplyDeleteI did nothing to suggest I might relish her company, but, like others over the years, I knew she would approach me at the bar. This one was prettier than most … petite and smiling and smelling of flowery things. She wasted no time inviting me to a dingy hotel room, where she said, “Thirty minutes ... fifty dollars.”
“You want money?” I asked in a very gentlemanly fashion.
“Call it a tithe,” she mockingly said.
Once again, disappointment flooded through me. Like the others, she was just another brazen trollop.
Then, like the others, I killed her.
Wouldn’t you?
I've just admiringly read a story by William Trevor - longer than 100 words - and this demonstrates just as well how to keep the reader unbalanced and tweak their expectations.
DeleteSuch a surprising, twisted ending. Very enjoyable writing here. I don't know why anyone would want to be a trollop - it seems so dangerous. Something is always happening to them.
Deleteonly the ones we hear about, John, the rest get on with life and make a lot of money. (I knew an escort, you see...) this is clever and cutting, Jim.
DeleteNow that was unexpected. I adore twisted endings and this counts among one of the best submitted here in recent times. Love the composition of how it was all put together.
DeleteAn unexpected twist, all the more chilling with its curt ending.
DeleteBoda
ReplyDeleteBoda relishes chaos above everything. If the old gods still picked heralds, Pandemonia would have snatched her up in a heartbeat. A brazen kiss in a Kraestonien market was all it took to make me dance after her shadow, forgetting family and oaths in an instant.
Two years later, here we are. She grins with that fox-sly mouth and adoration swells in my breast, spills across my cheeks, like the blood through my fingers.
Boda adjusts the dagger tip on the priest’s fluttering throat and rummages in the stolen tithe bag.
We’re dancing with death again, and she’s excited.
As ever, Raine, your writing reaches places others rarely reach - this is stunning in so many ways.
DeleteSo creepily vivid! So many powerful images! Nicely done!
DeleteQuite the girl, that Boda. I really like this one. Very well done.
DeleteI admire women who know what they want and go get it - Boda certainly does and Zaiure knows well how to do it, she's probably the same!
DeleteI always "relish" your submissions, Zaiure. This was no exception. Beautiful last line and Boda is certainly a memorable character. I think she'd fit nicely into a serialization of escapades.
DeleteThanks all!
DeleteAfter The Ball
ReplyDeleteHe'd never married and relished his reputation as the eligible and charming bachelor who set female hearts a-flutter. But now, he was gone. This most popular of monarchs had abolished the crippling tithe tax and been discretion itself regarding his romantic trysts, of which (it was rumoured...and rumoured only) there had been many.
No brazen notches on the royal four-poster for this adored ruler.
Just a locked antechamber which held an undetermined number of glass slippers.
An utterly stunning last line! I wasn't expecting that! A beautifully written tale!
DeletePretty clever, Patricia. I wonder what the fairy godmother's take is on all this?
Deleteso so clever!
DeleteSuch an enticing image, that locked antechamber.
DeleteI love a new approach to a classic tale, and agree with Sandra that the locked antechamber is indeed a fascinating image.
DeleteI neglected to express my thanks for the high honours last week, made even more special to think I'm sharing them with such a talent as David. I guess I may have raised my odds by submitting such a volume of pieces, but the honour is appreciated nonetheless...and I'll take what I can get!!!
ReplyDelete"Raised the odds"? No, it's quality not quantity Patricia (which is not to say the others were not as good, just that 'Modus Operandi' had the stronger hook for me.)
DeleteTending to needs [Threshold 198]
ReplyDeleteMy would-be brazen flickered and died, flame overwhelmed by the silted ash of Raven’s complexion, the shiny pebble-dash of sweat across his brow. I did not relish the thought (and he would even less) but it was vital I unwrap his torn-sheet bandages and examine the tally-scrawled wounds across his back. A recording, according to Lant, of atonement; paired tithes of flagellation for his earlier lying with me. His enjoyment in doing so.
Throat-throttled screaming, eyes squeezed shut, he enjoyed nothing of the following teeth-gritted minutes,
I even less: the sight of green-tinged suppuration confirmed Lant had left his mark.
The green puss can't be good. Raven's going to have to do something about this Lant guy... what a killjoy.
Deleteoh yuk... it was pretty gory before we got to the last line anyway and then, yuk!!
DeleteYep...plenty of yuk! And just the kind that I love! Very, very nice, Sandra!
DeleteSo descriptive as to bring about many grimaces...but in a good way, reflective of superior writing. Sounds like Lant may be even more lethal than originally believed.
DeleteCripplegate Junction/Part 133 - Taking A Toll
ReplyDelete"Are you familiar with the time-honoured practice of tithing, old boy?" asked the Station Master. "Cripplegate has enforced the custom for... Well, who knows how long?"
Clive Bailey did not respond.
"Immunity from the tariff has never been an option. None relish payment, with the exception of the beneficiary, of course," continued the Station Master.
"No, not the most retiring of us." He smiled at Clive. "Or the most brazen among us. Isn't that right, Marmalade?"
But the feline had made himself scarce and already disappeared through the cat flap.
that cat's rare smart, so he is, getting out of the way before he can be embroiled in a discussion like that!!
DeleteI wouldn't like to get on the wrong side of the Station Master - excellent opening sentence.
DeleteThe Mad Italian 43.
ReplyDeleteI am looking forward to a time when the average man, whoever he might be, becomes brazen enough to walk into the parliament chamber and speak for all those who are disappointed, upset and angry with their MP’s stance on many things. I for one would relish the outcome. It is obvious, though, that those who control the parliament would never allow it to happen. They tithe time as it is, allocating just so much to this or that and arranging the questions in such a way that the hapless MP is left looking foolish. But I can yet dream.
I am totally with Leonardo on this. All hail the "average man" who will finally step forward on behalf of the downtrodden. Like Leonardo, however, I fear it may only be a pipe dream.
Deleteexplanation: Our former MP was not well liked in parliament. He put forward a question to the Prime Minister about a circus tiger rescued by our zoo. The question was listed as no. 15 in Prime Minister's Question Time, which gave adequate space for all the more important - national rather than local - questions to be dealt with. Someone moved it near to the top so it looked as if our MP was trying to muscle in. The chamber went into uproar. Unfair tactics but what do we expect from a bunch of schoolboys and girls?
ReplyDeleteEvening Star
ReplyDeleteHe relished the feel of the sequinned velvet against his skin. Question, had he the nerve, was he brazen enough to walk out there wearing it? Sequins, at his age and his stage of emergence from the darkness of his mind into the brightness of the Real World. Live! Tomorrow it might all be over and done and he would regret not taking the opportunity to be the star of the evening.
The boots were sequinned too. What a sight, what a costume!
If only he’d realised he was the sacrifice, the tithe for the devil that night.
Oh, Antonia! Caught me out again. And what a perfect title - well done!
DeleteMagnificently put together and what a conclusion. I never saw that coming at all. Very pictorial as well. In fact, this little tale was really the total package.
DeleteI imagine he went out in style, Antonia. There are worse things. Love the ending.
ReplyDeleteKursaal (Episode One Hundred Eight) - "Recipes And Resources"
ReplyDeleteCrow's sole weakness was Gentleman's Relish. Each morning, he breakfasted at Lottie's Larder upon a bagel spread with the savory paste served in a ceramic-lined brazen pot.
Libby Pepperdyne often watched the clown enjoy his meal. With a list of ingredients supplied by Charlotte (Lottie) Fitzroy herself, Libby visited her mentor seeking advice Primrose Lee alone could provide.
The elixirologist offered assistance in exchange for a tithe of Libby's takings from the little girl's lichen sales. Libby readily agreed although she had no idea what constituted a "tithe."
That evening, Crow found a small wrapped box waiting at his door.
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To read the earlier installments (a suggestion only) which led to this point in the tale, please visit:
http://www.novareinna.com/kursaal.html
A link to return to "The Prediction" can be found on the site. Thank you.
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NOTE: Crow, Little Libby Pepperdyne, Charlotte "Lottie" Fitzroy (as well as her café "Lottie's Larder") and Primrose Lee have all featured in previous episodes.
oh oh oh, more double dealing, now where does this go?
DeleteAntonia took the words out of my mouth - this certainly does not bode well.
DeleteThe Adventures of Rosebud, Pirate Princess #117
ReplyDeleteDon’t Insult the Deadly Ones
Those people are so stupid! They completely ignored the threat and replied with a ransom disguised as a ‘tithe for admission to our guild.’ Maybe they didn’t know how deadly Teddy, Georgiana, and Cleopatra are, or how powerful my mother’s fleet is, but that’s still no excuse to be so brazen. I didn’t know Georgiana or Cleopatra when I knew Teddy and Elle, but now Teddy and I aren’t the only ones relishing our lovely forest fire plans.
As late with this as I am getting up this morning to read it - a joyful start to the day for me.
Delete