This is where I live. This is where I belong, here, with you.
This is where I watch you study your reflection, listen as you call yourself fat. Yes, I say, you look repulsive. I love it when you cry.
This is where I stamp on your ideas, tell you that you can’t, that you will fail. You don’t often try anything anymore. You believe me when I tell you it’s safer that way. After all, I have your best interests at heart, don’t I?
This is where I live, inside your head, watching, criticising. I am your inner voice, evict me if you dare.
Written for Friday Fictioneers. A 100 word story inspired by a photo prompt. Read the other entries here.
fabricating fiction 
Interesting…I have always assumed inner voices are wise and benign.
Sadly not. I teach Mindfulness and our inner voices are often the harshest of them all.
ooooo, so very cruel. so perfectly written.
Thanks.
At times, that little voice can be our own worst enemy!
Wonderfully written and a great take on the prompt.
It can indeed. Thanks Francesca.
I recognise that voice, great job 🙂
Thanks Helen.
Powerful message well said. Really liked this one!
PS I know that voice too.
Thanks very much Karen.
Time to kick that mouthy bitch to the curb…so hard to do. Well done.
Thank you.
I finished reading this and said to myself, “Ohhh.” At first I thought it was a nasty significant other saying these evil things… then…. And how many people do this to themselves every day? So well done.
Too many I think Alicia. We could all do with loving ourselves a bit more.
This is where I live, inside your head…a perfect example of being our own worst enemy.
Thank you Dawn. We can be.
Excellent! You have my inner voice down pat. 😀
Give yourself a compliment today! Thanks for your comment.
🙂
Poignant. Well done.
Thank you Edmund.
Self-esteem is a fickle bitch!
Good piece.
She is! Thanks Mick.
The story turned nicely to the twist at the end, nicely paced. Well done.
Thanks Sandra.
I was assuming psychological abuse from a partner, but your final sentence turned that nicely. It’s so sad that so many of us have a similar inner voice to this. Why can’t it say something nice once in a while?
Very well done!
Thanks Ali. It can be kinder but that takes some practice.
excellent.
Thanks Karyn.
a very creative take on the prompt. enjoyed reading it.
Thanks very much.
Very well written, and deeply insightful. We all have that damn voice living with us. We may not have the strength to evict it, but perhaps we can move out ourselves, even if we have to slink away unnoticed in the middle of the night. Oh, right, that’s when Ms. Inner Voice is most active….
Thanks Jan. We can learn to tune out and be kinder to ourselves.
I know that voice, too, and I also know where it comes from. Trying to strangle it, but it never stays dead for long… this is a great study of the inner workings of too many of us who have been criticised for certain things for so long that we finally believe it to be true.
Thanks. You’re right with the ‘believe to be true.’ How seriously we take our thoughts!
I’m sorry to say that I clicked like…. Because it was very emotive.
But I didn’t really like it.
in fact, I hate the sadistic criticisms– and the inner voice has to be let go.
Randy
It does indeed Randy.
I thought it was a family member or partner at first too doing all the criticizing. Great twist at the end and a powerful last sentence – ‘evict me if you dare.”
Thanks very much.
Loved the twist in the story. The inside voice can sometimes be very negative.
Too negative Norma, thanks.
Inner voice, let me help you to the door… [push]
Tee hee
This one is a hard one to like! We have to learn to shut out that negative inner voice! Push it through that door and let it fall!
Absolutely. Thanks Dale.
What a wicked little conscious that poor person has! Enjoyed!
Thanks Roger.
A tragic story. Nicely paced – the ending is a real surprise. Emotionally very powerful, and true to life. We have to recognise that inner voice and keep it under control.
We do indeed Margaret. Thank you.
Loved this one!!! Great ending and something I think everyone can empathise with.
Thanks Cheryl.
Clever and also compassionate.
Time to get in the decorators!
Going to make sure I pay my children a compliment today!
That’s great. Thank you.
So that’s where the Harpies live! No wonder thay are so nasty!
Love how you used the prompt to make the point. Very well told.
Thanks so much.
Inner voices claiming your power … time to open the door with no steps and let it out.
I enjoyed this write. I have a nurturing post each week. For me, this felt like a connective story.
😎
Thanks very much.
I love what you did with this story. The destructive inner voice is one that I listened to for far too long. My head is a happier, more productive place without it
That’s good to hear Siobhan.
The inner voice can be so cruel, especially when it gives its host no peace. Destructive or negative messages like this can be soul destroying. So well written, Louise.
Thanks Millie. Inner voices can be brutal.
Dear Louise,
It’s hard to silence that tormenting inner voice. You’ve done a brilliant job of capturing it.
Shalom,
Rochelle
That voice can be somewhat persistent. Thanks Rochelle.
Kicking ourselves and elevating our harsh self-criticism…it still seems like we’d be actually lowering ourselves.
Thanks Adam. We should all be a little kinder to ourselves.
very well written, and thought provoking.
Thanks.
What a brilliant story, one of the best I ever read in FF.
Wow. Thanks so much.
Well written and tragic story, Louise. All too many young people have that terrible voice in their heads. — Suzanne
Many older people too. Thanks for the comment.
Louise, this is one of my favorites! I read it the day you posted, but just realized that I never commented… I think this story is too true for so many of… us. Very powerful and moving.
Thanks so much.
Dear Louise,
Perfect.
Now evict that inner voice, if you haven’t already.
Aloha,
Doug
Mine has been evicted and is firmly locked out. Thanks.
That kind of tenacity can work both ways for the landlord. On one hand, you can keep raising the rent. On the other hand, you may not want to.
This hit home.
I think it resonates with many. Be kind to yourself.