First Friday Fictioneers

PHOTO PROMPT © Na’ama Yehuda

This is my first swing at Rochelle’s 100 (or fewer)-word story challenge based on a photo provided by Na’ama Yehuda. Many thanks to both. If I did anything wrong, someone please tell me. My story:

Genre: Fiction
Word Count: 99 (including title)

Mourning Mystery

She told the turban-clad cabby, “Seventy-second and Central Park West.” As he pulled into airport traffic he asked if she was a fan. She said, “No.” But she claimed to be born on December eighth, nineteen-eighty. He looked and shrugged.

She stepped onto the Dakota driveway and walked slowly to the archway door. Then she walked across to the park. As she stepped onto the Strawberry Fields Memorial, she removed the Carter Arms .38 special from her purse, placed the barrel in her mouth, and pulled the trigger. She heard, let me take you down…nothing is real…forever.

***

Look both ways. Forty years ago from next December 8th, Mark Chapman murdered 40-year-old John Lennon by shooting him four times in the back with a Carter Arms Undercover .38 Special, in the arched entrance to the Dakota Apartments. One can walk across the street into Central Park and view the Strawberry Fields Memorial. Within days of Lennon’s death, several fans committed suicide. While this story is fiction, the emotions are not. Mind the gaps.

***

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34 thoughts on “First Friday Fictioneers”

  4. Dear Bill,

    Being a Beatles’ fan I got the references. Very powerful and left me wondering about this person who’s committing suicide on the shared birth/death day. Well done.
    Welcome to Friday Fictioneers as a participant. I hope this won’t be the last we see of you.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Liked by 1 person

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  7. Most of us of a certain age remember all too well hearing of his murder.
    Strong debut, Bill.

    One thing. Let us never mention the murderer’s name, he does not deserve to be remembered.

    Liked by 1 person

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  12. Bill! How cool to see you here at FF! And what a great story, to boot. How sad other people felt the “need” to commit suicide folliwng this horrendous murder.

    Liked by 1 person

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  16. Wow, a great debut! Welcome to Friday Fictioneers. I thought she was a bit young to be one of the suicides, but then I realised how you worked the dates to coincide with the facts of Lennon’s death. Well done!

    Liked by 1 person

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