Monday, June 22, 2015

HOSPITALITY


HOSPITALITY

Hey boys, how ’bout y’all makin’ yer Ma some wind chimes?”

The words sounded authentic, the scene before me, even more so. A small two story house the color of the sky with white trim and a wraparound porch shouted welcome. The green trees and colorful flowers said water was plentiful. I licked my dry, cracked lips with an equally dry swollen tongue.

Each step up the wide expanse of hot red clay mixed with sharp gravel was sheer torture on bare feet. Three days ago my car broke down; I thought I could walk out, but the road changed and when I attempted to go back to my car, I ended up on a path to nowhere.


The Matriarch sitting in the rocking chair on the porch reminded me of my grandmother until she spoke.

 "Lookie hyar, fellas. Dinner's arrived, cuss it all t' tarnation. Come on now, put out th' welcome platter, we'll hafta fatten her up fust."

149 Words
Yolanda Renee © 2015

*****


This is unique flash fiction challenge is hosted by Barb Beacham, where she provides a new photo each week, and the first sentence of a story. 

Our challenge is to finish the story using 100-150 words, not including the sentence provided. Don’t forget to use the opening sentence… This challenge runs from Monday to Sunday! Get creative and have fun finishing the story!

Please include the photo with your bit of flash and a link back to this post. Do not forget to follow the link to Monday's Finish the Story and click on the blue frog. Be sure to add your link so that others can enjoy your story too! Now let’s have some fun!



41 comments:

Unknown said...

It is as though the Deliverance meets Wrong Turn.
Very creepy take on the sentence!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

That was a bad place to break down near!

Johnly said...

A really great scary creepy write ~ I love the finish ~ You have constructed a great character here Yolanda ~ Well done :)

Deborah Ratliff said...

Creepy indeed!!! I swear I felt like I was there while reading this... well done!!!!.

https://thecoastalquill.wordpress.com/

Jo said...

Gosh I'm thirsty. Didn't take many words to create that atmosphere at all.

Mina Lobo said...

Eeek! Great job giving us the Matriarch's voice...creepy old bat that she is! :-)

Sally said...

Creepy. I can hear that accent.

Unknown said...

Creepy good! Love the last bit! Thank you Yolanda for another contribution to the MFtS challenge. Be well... ^..^

Denise Covey said...

The voice is magnificent Yolanda. Deliverance all right!

Pat Hatt said...

Cannibals and Deliverance rolled into one.

Priceless Joy said...

Creepy! Cannibals have to fatten the "calf." Hope she finds a way to escape. Loved the dialogue but couldn't figure out where it was from.

Anonymous said...

Y'all done gud wit dis 'un.
Nice job.

Yolanda Renée said...

Funny thing is it didn't start out there at all! I was seriously thinking of my grandmother and a scene from my childhood. How hospitable she was and what fun we had going to her house. Somewhere I took a dark turn! :)

Yolanda Renée said...

Indeed, Alex, indeed!

Yolanda Renée said...

Thanks John, it did end up a bit creepy didn't it! :)

Yolanda Renée said...

Thank you Debbie, that's quite a compliment!

Yolanda Renée said...

Love the smaller word counts for flash fiction, but somehow when I have more words and a limit, I barely make it! :)

Yolanda Renée said...

Hey Mina, thanks, so appreciated!

Yolanda Renée said...

Thanks Sally, that means a lot!

Yolanda Renée said...

You too Barb, sorry there was conflict around this prompt - so uncalled for. The memories it triggered for me brought me here. Why the dark turn, just because - surprises are always good!

Yolanda Renée said...

An almost copy of actual family for that voice. Thank you!

Yolanda Renée said...

Just a short story is all!

Yolanda Renée said...

Haven't thought that far ahead, maybe I should as it was in first person! :)

Yolanda Renée said...

Thank you tnkerr, your have the dialect down quite well!

Shannon Lawrence said...

Fun and freaky piece! But hey, while they fatten you up, you get more of a chance to get away, right?

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Hopefully she can escape before she gets to fat to run.

Anonymous said...

Great write. Enjoyed this.

Chrys Fey said...

They're going to eat her? Eek! Cannibalism always freaks me out.

Yolanda Renée said...

Thanks Shannon, that means a lot! Your reviews of horror make me want to follow all your suggestions, but I fear too many sleepless nights ahead. :)

Yolanda Renée said...

Hey Diane, I have you to thank for a renewed sense of confidence! And yes, I'm thinking running is a good idea, but first a taste of those delicious looking cinnamon rolls! :)

Yolanda Renée said...

Thanks yarnspinnerr - your work is magic!

Yolanda Renée said...

Honestly Chrys, it does me too - it's why I hate Zombies! :)

Elizabeth Seckman said...

Oh no!! Wrong turn- go back!!!

Yolanda Renée said...

Ha, ha, it may be too late. Thanks Elizabeth!

Cherie Reich said...

Oh no! The MC definitely took a wrong turn somewhere.

Yolanda Renée said...

That she did, Cherie, that she did. :(

Maurice Mitchell said...

LOL that's great. I can almost hear the banjos playing.

Julie Flanders said...

omg this is so creepy. Love it!
I love these flash fiction stories, so fun to read.

draliman said...

Oh crumbs, I hope she was joking :-( I love the sudden change from the welcoming home, a saviour after such a long walk in the blistering heat, and then Ma's rather sinister proclamation.

P.S. Joshi said...

Path to nowhere indeed. It sounds like this bunch has gone mad as happers, completely bonkers. Well done, Yolanda. :) --- Suzanne

Ravyne said...

Great story, Yolanda! So creepy, but I can envision everything perfectly from your descriptions!

Lori @ The Rattling Bones