This was a mistake and, yet, here I am sitting in George’s little house with its white picket fence, staring at his bookshelves which are totally comprised of photography manuals and science fiction novels. I suspect his goal in life is to take photos of aliens.
“They exist, Jo. I’m telling you!”
Yes, near the end of our relationship desperation seeped in just like life-altering green ooze from one of his favorite movies. I couldn’t abide living in his fantasy world for one moment longer and he was disappointed in what he called my “close-mindedness.”
His front door opens. He strides in with an ethereal blonde who looks like a supermodel. The woman, wearing a cropped black top and low slung white jeans, glides across the room, seeming somehow removed from this planet. But then I suppose most models are.
“Jo meet XoXo,” George says, excitement spilling over.
I stand up, wondering again why I’m here, when suddenly the hand XoXo extends becomes a suction cupped tentacle that grasps my arm. The last thing I hear George say before I lose consciousness: “Poor Jo, maybe you’ll believe now.”
end 10/9/2016 (2)
188 words
S. Darlington
To view more Sunday Photo Fiction submission for this prompt visit here.
Categories: Writings
Nice work from the prompt. Poor Jo – a shame he couldn’t just be smug and let her live!
I once read writing advice that said you pretty much can’t have a first person narrator die; it’s kind of like one of those time travel conundrums. I know folks break that particular one, but I think Jo will not be “done in” here. Thanks for reading and commenting! 🙂
Very true, it’s a difficult rule to get round and still keep it believable.
Nice a supermodel girlfriend that’s actually an alien. Poor Jo indeed, Imhooe she’s okay.
*I hope
Reading your comment above, I agree that you can’t have first persons die, although in one book by Dick Francis the protagonist died. I was disappointed with the paradox of it. That was the last of his books I read.
I really like the way you did this, and poor Jo. I wonder if she passed out due to the unexpectedness of it, or something more gooey. Good story Sascha.
Thank you. Actually I’ve read a number of pieces in the past year with first person narrators who die. (I don’t think they got the memo.) 🙂 I would have thought better of Dick Francis, though. Thanks for reading!