Written for Friday Fictioneers where we are asked to
write something creative in 100 words or less using
the photo below as inspiration. This is my story.
He walks on the beach with his dog, just as he always does. They have a routine. He tosses the ball, the dog brings it back. It’s all very natural and civilized.
Except for this night.
When the dog returns, he has a purse hanging from his mouth. He drops the purse and runs back to where he found it.
Looking in the purse, he sees a cell phone. Hers. The last call dialed was to him. He chases the dog; there’s a body sprawled on the rocks near the water.
And before he sees her, he knows who it is.
NAR©2024
100 Words
This is “O Fortuna” from Carmina Burana by Carl Orff
All text, graphics and videos are copyright for The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephant’s Trunk and The Rhythm Section and are not for use by anyone without permission. NAR©2017-present.
The Elephant's Trunk 
Oh oh no. This creeps up on you. Very well done.
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Good! The creeps are perfect for this type of story.
Thanks, Laurie!
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Dear Nancy,
Now you leave me wondering who she is. Nicely done two-fer.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thank you, Rochelle. I’ve written a follow-up for The Unicorn Challenge, if you are looking for something to read!
Peace,
🕊️
https://theelephantstrunk.org/2024/05/18/and-then-he-knows-revisited/
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Ahh a good whodunnit. What a way to find someone and know that they are dead. Great use of the prompt.
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Eerie, isn’t it? I surely wouldn’t want to come across a dead body …. especially someone I knew!
Thanks for your comments, Tessa
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I agree with you whole-heartedly. No dead bodies especially murder and someone I knew. Yikes!
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Nice
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Murders on the beach are intriguing, aren’t they. Hope you read the follow-up.
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I’ll be waiting..
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A well-written whodunit in 100 words. But the plot thickens …
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Thank you! The plot really does intensify in the follow-up.
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Good one, Nancy! Love the twist in the end.
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Thank you, KK. I do like to toss out the Sicilian Curveball every once in a while! ⚾️
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Yes, that’s the hallmark of your stories, and I love it.💖
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Oh, so many possibilities! Why did she call him? Who is she? He knows, but does he also know why?
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Possibilities abound! Thanks, GH!
This may answer some questions:
https://theelephantstrunk.org/2024/05/18/and-then-he-knows-revisited/
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A body on a beach always seems so much more dramatic than a body found in any other place. Intriguing.
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Isn’t that the truth!? So much mystery involved.
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As I’m going backwards through your posts in an attempt to catch up, I already know what happened next! Nice!
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Haha! It’s your own personal time machine! Cool!
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Short and shocking!
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Wait till tomorrow; it will be longer and shocking!
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A whole story hinted at in this great and tense snapshot, Nancy.
It has my mind working overtime…
And I LOVE the Carmina Burana.
The finale produces the same effect in me as the finale of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony.
Thanks for this reminder.
And off I go… ‘Oh, oh, oh, totus floreo, iam amore virginale totus ardeo…’
(I was one of the ‘ruffians’ in our school production of this a hundred years ago! Can’t sing, but any excuse to get out of Maths!)
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Ah, Jenne! We can all sing …. at least in our hearts!
I’m so glad to see you here; thanks for stopping by. I’m also pleased you like this story of mine bc you’ll be seeing it again tomorrow …. longer and (hopefully) just as shocking.
Thank you!
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A whole intriguing story hinted at in this tense snapshot, Nancy.
My mind is working overtime now.
PS I LOVE the Carmina Burana, thanks for that.
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Carmina Burana rules!
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Well, if it had been my dog, he never would have let go of the bag!
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If it were me, I wouldn’t either! A good bag that we love is hard to find! 😂
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As is a good man, one of my favorite short stories, that I absolutely know you appreciate!
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Oh no! Maybe my lady waiting for her john ended up with a wrong sort and now he knows what she does on the side!
Nicely done, Nancy.
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Could be! Your little story threw me for a loop. Well done, you devil!
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Uh huh… Glad I did 😉
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Me too, Toots! 😉
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Haha! 😉
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Oh this is very mysterious.
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Yes! And when I saw the photo for the Unicorn Challenge this morning I realized I could have waited. Oh well! Who knew?
Thanks, Sadje
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You’re welcome ☺️
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Did she fall or was she pushed?
The greatest piece of music 🎶 to go with cliff hanger ending. (See what I did there) 😄💜💜
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I did indeed. Have you read my “On The Rocks”? Haha!
The cliffs are always so inspiring that way, aren’t they?
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yrs they are 💜
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Good one.
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Thanks! Maryland was my muse, I think.
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So much not said. Did you pick up the call? If so, why is he walking the dog?
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For the sake of brevity that info was left out. It was likely an unfortunate dropped call. The dog walking was a regular thing; perhaps our dead friend knew that and wanted to be ensured of being found by him.
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You’ve got me hooked, would love to see this continued!
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Interesting idea. Thanks, Sweets!
I seem to have this thing about dead bodies on the rocks! LOL!
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