Friday Fictioneers: The Past

Friday Fictioneers is where people try their hands at Flash Fiction – short stories. Rochelle provides us with a photo as prompt that she has borrowed from somewhere (with permission) and then you write a story of around about 100 words.

My story this week is a part of an ongoing saga that I am writing along with Jules. We both do the same story from two different angles. My side is that of a Vampire – Raynard, and Jules’ side is that if his prey – Saskia.

You can find the history of the story so far here with my story and here with Jules.

In last week’s story, Raynard was pulled into a supernatural tree with a branch starting to press against his chest beside his heart. This week’s story gives a brief look back at where Raynard came from and why he is obsessed with Saskia.

*I have updated this after receiving advice on dropping the word count as it was 120

Copyright –Kent Bonham

The Past

The branch presses close to his unbeating heart. Raynard closes his eyes and lets his mind drift back 130 years.

He celebrates his 31^st birthday. He dances in sunbeams with his sister. She and her new friend say there is someone he must meet, and drag him laughing upstairs into a dark room. They giggle and slam the door. Raynard has a moment of fear. Then she walks out of the shadows and sinks her teeth into his neck.

He yells and twists, escaping the branch. He will not die whilst the woman who looks like his sire lives.

Friday Fictioneers: Grandfather Oak

Firstly, if you have been following the Raynard/Saskia story, you will need to read Jules’ post first as that precedes and intermingles with this one. That can be found here.

Friday Fictioneers is a weekly Flash Fiction challenge set by Rochelle with photos that she puts up as prompts. The photos are offered to her, or she asks for them. This week’s photo comes courtesy of Claire Fuller. The idea is to write a story using the photo as a prompt, and with a limit of around 100 words.

Raynard/Saskia background. If you don’t wish to read the story so far which is here, then here is a very brief recap. Raynard is a vampire, and he has been chasing a human woman, Saskia as she managed to elude him. She stayed with a woman who gave her life to protect her. Saskia fled town, but Raynard tracked her down and set a trap for her. He put a wasps nest on her front door, knocked to gain her attention and threw a brick at the nest so the wasps would come out. Go read Jules’ story, and I’ll wait here for you.

Okay, you done? This image makes the briefest of appearances in this story.

Copyright-Claire Fuller

The Grandfather Oak

The wasps were buzzing around; she would come out soon. He took a step back and felt something on his foot. Looking down, there was a branch he hadn’t seen before. Realisation hit him as to what the tree was he had been using for spying on Saskia.

More branches shot out and grabbed him by the arms and legs, with one wrapping around his head. The tree pulled him off his feet and straight back into the oak tree, engulfing him. Raynard saw Saskia in the library as the tree pulled him inside. “Oh shit!” he said calmly as a branch pressed against his chest.

Friday Fictioneers: The Wrong House

Friday Fictioneers is a group of people who are given a photo and use that create a short, circa 100 word, story. Rochelle provides photos that come from a variety of places, this week’s photo comes from Rochelle herself. If you want to read other stories, click on the link that is below my story. This is a continuation of a story that I started with my first Friday Fictioneers contribution, and carried on in the second.

Photo © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

He stood there, plotting. He was in the house he’d thought was hers. There was no electricity in this house, just lamps which was unusual in a place like this, but it would serve it’s purpose. The spice rack had garlic in it; he could smell it even though it was sealed.

The dead woman in the hallway was not his target, but he had bled her completely dry to send a message that could not be ignored. It would not be long until there would be nowhere left to hide.

“Soon my lovely” he whispered, knocking over the lamp.

Friday Fictioneers: Leap of Fate

This is my first foray into Friday Fictioneers. Thanks to Rochelle leading it, and thanks to Jennifer Pendergast for the use of the photo.

© Jennifer Pendergast

LEAP OF FATE

He lay there at the bottom for a few minutes contemplating his next move. He looked straight up to where she had just gone through the door at the top.

He flipped to his feet and dusted himself off. He hated when people didn’t want to stop and play. He had so much to offer them.

He shook his head and decided that playtime was over. Now she would have no choice.  He mentally gauged the time reach the top. He extended his teeth and pushed himself up with force so he leapt to the top balcony and his prey.