Image courtesy of Ted Strutz
I’ve finished the copy edits on ‘The Sister.’ It’s gone to the typesetters and it’s nice to have a bit of breathing space to join in with this week’s Friday Fictioneers, guilt free.
There’s a pounding on the front door.
‘Police.’
I’m in the bathroom, rigid with fear. Where can I hide it? My parents will be so ashamed.
Dad’s footsteps thud down the hallway, the front door creaks open.
‘We’ve a warrant.’
My heart thump-thump-thumps. They’ll find it.
Dad will kill me.
We wait outside the flat while drawers are pulled open, contents strewn.
‘We found this is in the kitchen.’ Plastic bags are held aloft.
‘That’s recreational,’ says Dad.
‘And this on top of the toilet cistern.’ My copy of Oliver Twist.
‘You’ve been….reading?’ Dad looks at me with disgust. ‘You’re no son of mine.’
Written for Friday Fictioneers. A 100 word story inspired by a photo prompt. Hop over to host Rochelle’s blog and read the other entries here.
fabricating fiction 
Dear Louise,
That last line sent a hollow chill through me. Well done as always.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thanks so much Rochelle.
Reading? Reading? How blasphemous!
That was great.
Thanks so much for reading.
Louise,
I definitely didn’t see the last line coming. My mind was going to drugs or weapons or a bomb, but when I read Oliver Twist my insides did two things. One my stomach twisted at the thought of a parent disowning a child for reading and two anger coursed through me that it was illegal!
I really enjoyed reading your story. I will say I held my breath until the last word. Great job!
Ashley Danielle
Thanks Ashley. I can’t imagine a world where you can’t read but stranger things have been banned.
I wouldn’t want to live in that kind of world. Sent chills down my spine…Great piece of writing.
Me neither! Thanks.
Ooh! Very dystopian. I like it!
A different direction for me. Thanks for reading.
Shades of Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, where books are illegal.
Expertly crafted.
Thanks – I might have to check that out.
Hah – I didn’t see that coming. Wouldn’t the world be an awful place without books?
I can’t imagine it Claire!
Very very clever. I wasn’t expecting that last line, nor to feel as outraged as I did. Well done!
I felt quite outraged writing it! Thanks.
The dialogue open it up, to give it room to breathe
I’ve used up all my 100 words!
sorry, I meant that the dialogue did open it up. It works
Thanks 🙂
We never know what might become contraband. Nice touch.
Thanks Dan. Hopefully never books.
Family values are going down the toilet! This is a terrific story. The last line is a sucker punch.
Bravo.
Thanks very much 🙂
Excellent wasn’t expecting that. But then, you don’t do Expected, do you? I’m looking forward to reading ‘The Sister’.
I try not to, Ted! Thanks.
My first reaction was to burst out laughing at the last line… then I sobered up and realised that it was a horrible thing to be chastised for reading… Never crossed my mind that it would be illegal… till I read the comments!
That was my reaction too, it amazes me how often the shock of something produces laughter, but Louise always manages to shock and surprise me with all of her work. Always original!
That’s very much appreciated. Thank you 🙂
😊
I think you could interpret it either way Dale. Thanks for reading.
I also thought of Fahrenheit 451.
It sounds interesting then – I shall definitely have a look on Amazon.
This totally made me think of Fahrenheit 451! Of course, I thought it was drugs, but that last line both made me giggle and cringe.
That’s a nice combination 🙂 thanks.
What a glorious twist at the end. Thanks for the smile.
Thanks Alicia.
Good take on the prompt, and to use “Twist” as the twist…genius!
Thank you Dawn.
Wow. Dangerous contraband! But…reading probably is very dangerous to dictators. They could well be deposed by an educated populace.
Education is power they say! Thanks for reading Jan.
It’s a horrible attitude but one that I expect is more prevalent than we think.
Sadly so I fear.
Great twist! Either a nasty dad or a touch of Fahrenheit 451 going on.
I’ll leave you to draw your own conclusion. Thanks for reading!
So that’s what life under a Trump administration looks like. 🙂
Sorry, shouldn’t get political…lol. Nice story, Louise. Shades of Fahrenheit 451 and maybe Brave New World.
I am definitely going to have to read Fahrenheit 451 – I’m feeling left out 🙂
Ah, there ya go, Louise. Fine take. Ray Bradbury would be proud. We’re off and running. Great story!
Thanks.
i bet dad couldn’t read. 🙂
You’re probably right!
How sad that some one needs to hide a book from a father. Nicely done story with an unexpected twist at the end.
It would be sad. Thanks for reading.
Well done! The last two lines took me instantly back in time to Ray Bradbury’s book “Fahrenheit 451”, always a favorite of mine because I treasure books so much.
Thanks. I’m really going to have to read it!
I am eternally grateful that this wouldn’t happen in my family – well written story.
Thank you Liz.
Alternate society…good job!
Thanks very much.
What an awful world it would be without reading. How would we survive? Great story, Louise.
For shame… Reading! Great story! 🙂
Nice Farenheit 451 reference.
I haven’t read it but thanks for reading.
What a great twist, didn’t see it coming. I chuckled at the ‘recreational use’ but then you poured that cold water over me, shocking! I can see this attitude developing, you only need to see some of the comments on social media… And I hope you’ll enjoy Fahrenheit 451, it’s one of my favs too. There’s also a film, that’s very good too.
The film is of the book? Sounds intriguing. I’ll have a look out for it.
Yes, and it’s a very good film, I think. It’s on Youtube, has ads in it, so I guess it’s even legal there.
🙂
That’s no world I want to live in. A staggering number of people probably wouldn’t care though. It’s sad, really.
I think you’re right Adam.
Though it seems surreal that books may be classed as illegal, my mind traveled to the time when some books were burned and banned.
Very gripping take on the picture, I enjoyed reading this.
Thanks so much for reading.
Oliver Twist eh? ‘Please sir can I read some more’. Shades of Fahrenheit 451 in the story, nice twist in the end.
Thanks for reading!
I very much enjoyed reading this because it threw me for some good ol’ loops near the end! Not to reiterate ALL of the previous comments here but man alive would it be scary to live in a world where books were banned! Talk about suspense fiction – great work, looking forward to reading more!
Thanks so much. I could live without a lot but no books would awful!