I’ve been busy packing for my impending move to Boston and saying goodbye over and over to the same people (you could say I’m in denial) but I really hope to read everyone’s submissions this week and maybe catch up on last week’s Friday Fictioneers as well.
The day was overcast, the sky hanging down like a sheet of lead. The scene only lacked a cawing rook and the wail of a ghost–or perhaps the glimpse of a face at the window, the madwoman of Thornfield. As eerie as the outside seemed, April knew that the inside would be worse.
She walked into the cathedral, ducking under the bright yellow tape. The blood ran down the aisle and across the front of the church: a crude cross. The butchered body of some poor soul would be found in the bell tower.
He grew bolder; April shivered.
Vers Les Etoiles 
Dear Wanderer,
A grim little tale that sounds as though there’s a novel in there somewhere, waiting to get out.
Aloha,
Doug
Doug,
I actually wrote a longer story that had some similar elements–but it’s awaiting publication right now, so it won’t turn up on the blog. This, however, could turn into a whole new monster (pun very much intended) altogether! Glad you liked it! Thanks for reading.
Dear Wanderer,
This left me feeling desolate and chilled to the bone.
shalom,
Rochelle
Tough to say I’m glad about that one! I am, however, glad that the story had an effect! Thanks for reading.
Excellent creation of mystery and tension Wanderer. You have me looking for more.
Thank you! I had a hard time keeping this one to 100 words—I wanted more, too.
Very interesting and it leaves me haunted and very very curious.
Thank you! It could very well morph into something longer, we’ll both have to wait and see! 🙂
Great scene.
Thank you!
Impressive. i hope to read the longer version soon 🙂
If it gets written it will surely appear here! I had a story I’m currently working on in mind when I wrote this, but I’m not sure if it would really fit.
Glad you liked it!
Ten years later, Tour companies started adding the site to their “Most Haunted” tour. A young woman named Rebecca (everyone called her Becca, but never Becky) gave tours of the old church, where she had once watched, hidden in a confessional and terrified of discovers, as the killer, whose face Becca never saw but would create night after night in her horrid dreams, did terrible, unholy things to the young woman that Becca had been hiding from. Becca couldn’t cry out to save her sister, and that was the truth. Becca had lived with that horrible truth for too long, it seemed, because carrying that burden had proved too much for her to bear. Something had changed in Becca, and not for the better.
Can we have crossover Friday Fictioneers posts more often? My serial killer WOULD traumatize your main character…should I apologize?
*discovery
fantastically grim. you described the scene really well and left the readers wanting more ^^
Thanks so much! I wanted to write so much more.
Fantastic description. Beautifully bleak.
Thank you! The photo was just so beautifully gothic.
I agree with other readers that it needs to be longer. The story is not yet finished….
Thank you! I can definitely think of ways to spin it out longer—I’m juggling too many things as it is right now, but maybe something will come of it!
Is this a regular killer or something supernatural? Quite striking imagery, for sure.
I was thinking a regular killer–as regular as deranged serial killers can be. Thank you!
Very strong. I loved ‘the sky was hanging like a sheet of lead’ Nice work. 🙂
Thank you–I was a bit worried that line would be too much. I’m glad it worked!
Great descriptive writing. And lovely show-not-tell.
Thank you so much! I’ve always struggled with show-not-tell, glad I’m getting the hang of it!
Very grisly, very well done, and I’m glad I’m watching it at home and not in the movies. I have a sense that April might be the detective on his trail, but then again, I might be wrong.
You’re right about April! And I wrote this at night—perhaps not the best idea in hindsight! Thank you!
Nicely gruesome. Good one.
Thank you, Sandra! The photo just called for something scary.
Nothing’s like a serial killer escalating… reminds me of some Connely criminals.
I don’t want to say that I love serial killers…but (in fiction) I rather do. There’s just something so interesting, albeit disturbing, about the mentality. I’ve read a Connelly book or two, probably need to read a few more!
Dear Wanderer,
I love the Gothic air you gave to this piece, which feels like it is part of some mystery novel.
Keep it up and good luck.
Thank you! The Gothic church was just too good to pass up. I’m glad you liked it and thank you for reading!
It seems she’s had a run-in with him before. The tone fits perfectly with the photo prompt.
She’s on his trail, although who knows if she’ll catch him or not! Thank you–I always like the more serious photos, they’re easier for me for some reason.