PHOTO PROMPT © J Hardy Carroll
As I slide the invitation out of its thick cream envelope my breath catches in my throat.
Your second wedding.
I resist the urge to tear the invite into a thousand pieces, remind myself that we’re friends now. Adults.
The church will be freezing, smelling of beeswax and hope. Benches as hard as my heart. But I’ll go.
I’ll compliment your new bride on her dress, jostle for her bouquet, raise my glass in a toast but when it’s over, when the confetti has crumbled to dust, I promise you this. I will destroy her. The way she destroyed us.
I think working on the end of my new novel has brought out my dark side this week – I’ve scared myself a little! Written for Friday Fictioneers. A 100 word story inspired by a photo prompt. Read the other entries over at Rochelle’s blog, here.
fabricating fiction 
My god, that’s bitter. I expected something like it from the title but you really delivered. Brilliant.
It’s horrible! First thing I’ve ever written I’ve felt uncomfortable reading back!
It does seem violent to the point of heartfelt. You could certainly use that character elsewhere. The fact it made you feel like that shows what a great piece of writing it is.
She may appear in my next novel!
Some of my best writings were when I went out of my comfort zone, too. It’s scary, yes, but high risk, high rewards.
It’s a good way to develop writing a think if a tad uncomfortable!
Actually, I quite like your character. But then I’ve always been hot on revenge. Served cold. Super story. 🙂
Thanks!
I think that being friends is never really possible… I can see this as an opening to a bigger story… somehow I would not have been fooled into believing that friendship can be possible… great story.
I think your right Bjorn, if feelings still run deep it must be hard.
Oh dear.
Quite!
Very nice! If there was a child thrown in the mix that would make it even more interesting. But if I wrote it I would make it far too cliched lol
Thanks. I couldn’t add a child with only 100 words but it’s a possibility 😃
Oh yeah I meant if like you made it into a longer story. But I don’t know I just remembered that it kinda seems more about a conflict between the women than about a custody battle. But either way it’s already a really cool post. I like stuff that gets real dark there at the end
Thanks Shane. Many possibilities here. I love the dark stuff too 🙂
This is wonderfully bitter. I love ‘benches as hard as my heart’. As others have said this is a great start to something bigger.
Thanks Claire. I always mean to expand these things but never get round to it!
Best idea is not to go. Yes, think that would be for the best.
For everyone! Thanks Paul.
Woah woah woah.
A tad dark…
I’m not sure which is worse the vengeance underlying this or the thought of inviting your ex to the wedding with their replacement and you!
He is a tad deluded. He’ll learn!
I wouldn’t even let this ex know I was alive!!
Loving the darkness 😉
Thanks Helen.
There are some wonderful touches to this. I love “smelling of beeswax and hope”. I can see why it might have disappointed you though – I got to the ending and I was exoecting more
Wow! When’s the sequel coming?! I would love to know how she has her revenge. Absolutely nailed it with this. Cracking ending! 🙂
Thanks Clare. I don’t think there will be any happily ever afters here!
I love this, and her resolve for revenge. It is dark, but it makes his delusion and her suffering complete. I think that this would be a great start for something longer, too.
HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! YES!!! That’s how it’s done, Louise! Loved it! The emotions came first, then the situation… and then BAM! Memorable payoff. Bravo!
Five out of five poison ivy bouquets.
Ooh poison ivy bouquets *frantically rewrites* Nice touch!
So very dark, but so much said in the tiny word count. She seems just a tad bit bitter. 😯
Ooh, very cool story. I’m imaging the steely frost in her eyes as she smiles her way through the wedding.
Thanks Ali.
Every woman would feel the same, me including. Only I may do it!
‘The church will be freezing, smelling of beeswax and hope. Benches as hard as my heart. But I’ll go.’ Oh, how I love that! And they were foolish enough to invite the scormed woman to their wedding? More fool that smug new bride! Very nicely written – few words but well chosen. Love how we all see these pics from different angles – great stuff
Thanks Lynn – I think they’ll live (or not) to regret sending the invite…
Haha! I’m sure they will 🙂
Dear Louise,
it’s seems cold of him to invite his first wife to his second wedding. I’d love to see this played out in a longer piece. Sharp and edgy.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thanks Rochelle.
Oh, but you dark so well, Louise! I’m with Rochelle; this would be a compelling longer story, but you’ve done it so well in flash fiction. I wouldn’t go, but I’d share her sentiments at the end!
Thanks Dawn. I wouldn’t go either!
Makes me think of the old saying, “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.”
Very apt! Thanks for reading.
Welcome
i guess she should learn to forgive and forget.
Don’t think there’s much chance of that!
She is both in some ways appalling and in others a very sympathetic character – she really could go a long way! Forgive and forget – well we all know we should! But…
I think she’d be fun to explore a little more.
I think maybe they shouldn’t be “friends”.
It won’t end well!
Youve captured the anger and betrayal brilliantly Louise, especially with the way she has to remind herself they are friends. I don’t know if she wll go through with her promise to destroy, but i know the “friendship” is over now – if it ever existed.
Thanks very much. I think she’s capable of very bad things…