Short Story

On The Rocks – Part 6: Being Irrational

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Written for The Unicorn Challenge where
we are urged to get creative in 250 words or less.
The photo below is our inspiration; this is my story.

© Ayr/Gray

A little fresh air would do a world of good. Nigel opened the corner window and felt a tickle of a breeze …. lovely, but it did nothing for his throbbing head. Wrapping a handkerchief around a few ice cubes from the water carafe, he placed it to his temple. The Padua night was quiet, yet, in the distance Nigel swore he heard the screeching of car tires. This evening, spotting Donovan, had really gotten to him.

Exhausted, Nigel staggered to the bed and lay down fully-clothed. The ceiling fan swirled overhead and he was lulled into a restless sleep. His dreams were filled with faces …. Camilla screaming hateful words, her lover Eunice laughing in the shadows, a mysterious redhead eyeing him over pulled-down sunglasses. And in the center of it all, Donovan Saunders speeding through the hills of Sicily, laughing like a lunatic.

Soaked in sweat and his head still pounding, Nigel woke with a start, unsure of where he was. Why was he being plagued by this irrational fear? He was always in control of every situation. Why now, when he’d done nothing wrong, did he feel like the object of a manhunt?

Pushing himself up from the bed, Nigel stumbled to the desk and poured himself a Strega. The sudden squeal of car tires startled him and he dropped his drink, the broken glass slicing through his hand. It was Donovan Saunders, he was certain.

Nigel reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his gun.

NAR©2025
250 Words

To refresh your memory, here’s Part 5.

This is “Pressure” by Billy Joel

The Unicorn Challenge-28/03/25

All text, graphics and videos are copyright for Nancy’s Notes 🖊️🎶, The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephant’s Trunk, The Rhythm Section, et al., and are not to be used without permission. NAR©2017-present.

29 thoughts on “On The Rocks – Part 6: Being Irrational”

  4. loves me an engaging ‘jenga- narrative’ story enough characters to satisfy the most….no-wait-don’t-tell-me-everything Reader along with a multi-urgency points for good measure

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    1. And that is the $64,000 question, Jenne!
      While he may not be directly responsible for Camilla’s demise, he’s no innocent. He’s too smug to see or believe that, though.
      The ride will be exciting …. once I plan my route!
      Thank you, Jenne, for your excellent comments.

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