Friday Fictioneers for May 20th 2022

To shed light on her creative corner, Mistress Rochelle, our lady of many talents, has cast upon us a home-grown photo of her own, to be transformed into no more than 100 gifted words with which we tell a fictioneer’s story for Friday, 20th of May, when we celebrate the 76th birthday of another lady of wonder and many gifts, Cher.

 

Click on Rochelle’s corner to be whisked over to her page for the why and wherefore of FFs. If you decide to cop her picture, she asks that you tell her how you used it. All FF pics are owned by the contributor, in this case, Rochelle herself.

Genre: Autobiographical Fiction
Title: Secret Friends
Word Count: 100

***

Home alone at last. No one to say no.

To the dark, dark, dramatic cellar. The one dim light bulb cast eerie shadows over dark corners. The crypt like odor. What mysteries? What hidden fears and excitement?

A wet dirt floor crunched as I searched. I found him hiding behind the old coal furnace. He swore to protect me if I never told.

Now in my office I write about him. I sketch and paint him. Is he still there? Does he remember? Will I see him again? Will anyone believe me?

I was his friend; he was my protector.

***

Look both ways for what was then and what lives now in many memories,
be they fact or fiction.
Mind the gaps to be filled for the pleasure of the picture.

Click on your favorite Cher decade to find the squares and more magnificent stories.

44 thoughts on “Friday Fictioneers for May 20th 2022”

  2. Hmm… I don’t know how to feel about this one. It’s hard to believe the basement dweller was both happy and made is housemate happy, but whose side are we on? That’s for the next chapter.

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  5. You have left us wanting!
    You pulled is in, wanting to know more. Excellent write.
    Now I have to wonder at the autobiographical fiction title. The equivalent of your monster in your closet?

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    1. Thanks, Dale,

      I was attracted to the cellar. The only other person willing to go down there was my father. He only would when he had to. It was spooky, but that was the point.

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      2. It was a dark scary place. Like old abandon houses (haunted houses?), it was the risk and danger of it. It may not have been wise, but it was fun, at least in part because no one else could risk it. 🙂

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  8. There’s something about a cellar isn’t there? And even more so when there is an unknown presence lurking around down there. This one might stay with me.

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  14. Very mysterious. And fascinating that it’s autobiographical. I can feel the draw of the cellar and the protector lurking down there – but it’s a very creepy feeling. I like that the MC never forgot, and preserved the presence through art. That is a lovely idea.

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  16. Dear Bill,

    Perhaps the protector is hiding under your bed. Cellars can be frightening places. At one point, in another house, I used a corner of our basement (guess I’m not civilized…never claimed to be 😉 ) A friend of mine visited one evening. He looked around at all my posters, knickknacks (Paddywack) and many etceteras and said, “I’d hate to be inside your head.”
    As Dale said, you left us hanging and wondering. Good job.

    Shalom from my upstairs clutter,

    Rochelle

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    1. Thanks, Rochelle.

      I did not mean to leave it hanging. I try not to do that. I tried once to paint it, since there are not photos, but I couldn’t get it right.

      Peace,

      Bill

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  21. Very powerful writing, Bill. Using ‘dark’ three times in the first line could have been over the top, but no – you pull it off, it works and twice would have been too few. You get right down into the imagination of a small child (7 years old? 8? No older, I fancy). Great slice of autobiography, giving us a glimpse of the emotional drivers behind your writing.

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