Think one hundred words can’t say much? Think again. Every week close to one hundred authors give lie to that idea in a variety of flash fiction stories based on the week’s photo prompt. Beginning, middle, end…they’re all there. Similar the stories aren’t; intriguing they certainly are. Stop by if you don’t believe me. The blue link creature at the end will take you to the portal where you can enter other worlds, other lives. Take a chance. Go on a journey without knowing where it will end. It will be an adventure.
photo by and copyright to John Nixon
Dead End
If I hadn’t collided with the open door, I would have missed it; right there in the window, the same dress she was wearing on our wedding day. I should know; I’d looked at the photo innumerable times since. Somewhere between the time the photo was taken in the garden and walking to the church door, she disappeared. The police remained “baffled.”
After hearing my story, the store owner relented, giving me the phone number for the account. I pushed the buttons with trembling fingers.
“We’re sorry. This number has not been assigned. Please check the number and try again.”
This, that and the other thing 
She done a runner! Like I should have done! So close…but so far…she won’t be found…
🙂 Or did she? Maybe it’s something more sinister. Who knows? Speculation can be fun. Thanks for visiting, Managua. Hope your day’s going well.
janet
She was probably kidnapped or maybe she escaped..Or could be something more dangerous. imaginative
Exactly! The open-ended ending. 🙂
janet
A mystery is afoot. I’m not sure the quotes are necessary around baffled. I assume that’s meant to be their words rather than the narrator’s, but to me it makes me feel like the narrator thinks the police are hiding something about the disappearance. That could just be me though.
It was to indicated what the police actually said. Thanks for the feedback. Thanks for stopping by, Adam. It’s good to have you back. How are the jobs going?
janet
I’m down to one job now, thankfully. That’s why I have time for writing and messing with clay now. Burning the candle at both ends was rough for awhile, but necessary. Luckily, I’m done with that now.
Good. Sculpture or pottery?
Sculpture. There is a photo of what I’m working on in one of my recent posts.
I’ll have to get over and take a look.
Cool! And it’s so “you.” 🙂
I like open ended stories where one can imagine. Loved this one.
🙂
Thanks. I originally had another ending, but it was a definite ending and then this came to mind and I went with it. Glad it worked for you.
janet
Oh very good Janet. The beginning to a great story. You should keep going with it.
Thanks, Linda. Perhaps I’ll come out with a book of FF stories that are expanded. 🙂
janet
That’s what I love about theses prompts. They take you places you would never otherwise go! I think a FF expanded would be a make a great book.
And so the mystery begins….Nice work. He is far luckier than he realizes.
It is a mystery, but I’m not sure he’d agree with you on being lucky. 🙂
janet
Awww! Cold feet or cold hearted?
Or abducted or…??? That’s for each of us to decide. But sad no matter what, at least for him.
janet
I wonder fi she ran or was taken. Either way it seems he is getting no closer with the phone number.
Its a “dead end”…or is it? Is there some other way or is she gone (dead or otherwise)?
janet
All very mysterious! I feel like this is the kind of extract we’d see on a back cover, rather than a whole story in itself, but you definitely got me thinking!
It could be the whole story–she ran off all those years ago and now she’s either gone or dead–or it could be something else entirely. This is definitely an open-ended story. But beginning-she disappeared; middle–he spent years looking or missing her; end (maybe)–he thinks he gets her number, finally, but the number isn’t even real. So what really happened?
Thanks for the input, Jen.
janet
Hi Janet!
Sorry, I didn’t mean for that to be a criticism of your story structure. I just meant I could see this being the hook of a much longer story.
Jen, no worries. I know exactly what you mean and I think it does both…or either. Maybe one day I’ll enlarge it a bit.
Enjoy your day!
janet
Alien abduction or maybe just cold feet? Strange. I like a good mystery. You’ve intrigued me and others, it looks like. 🙂
Abduction, maybe; alien, not so much. But who knows, Scully? 🙂 Thanks for reading and commenting, Lisa.
janet
Why do I see an altered Ben and Elaine (The Graduate) ending here. She ran away with her true love, hocked the wedding dress which, after forty years, ended up being consigned by the heirs of a homeless person. Good story, Janet. Your ending is the right one–sometimes, I just can’t help myself.
That’s OK, vb. I never saw the movie, so I’ll just take your word for it. 🙂
janet
Dear Janet,
Put me down for the alien abduction vote. Just ask David Vincent. He knows. We all know something but nobody’s talking.
In any case, a well-constructed story. Love the mystery.
Shalom,
Rochelle
🙂
I love a mystery! Well done.
Thanks, Sandra. Hope you’re drive went well. Sounds like your back in England for a bit, yes? Thought of you Sunday night when we were watching “Foyle’s War” and there were ads for cruising on the Rhine or other rivers. 🙂 I realize those boats are a bit larger, but still sounded like fun.
janet
Yes, back for a couple of months, then Spain I think. Love Foyle’s War, we must have watched almost all of them I think. We come across a lot of those hotel boats on the rivers, sometimes a lot closer than we’d like, where the river is shallow and they want to get the dead centre of the channel. Hope all is well with you and the move went OK.
The move went as well as could be expected. That I/we got the house ready to be moved in a week was a miracle and not a minor one! A few things were broken or last but in the main, all’s good. I’m making great progress on unpacking, especially considering we moved into a much smaller house!
Dear Janet,
You’d think (or, at least, I think) he would have walked on by and not batted an eyelid. The runaway bride scene happened to me once and, as Phil Collins sang, if she told me she were drowning, I would not lend a hand. But hey, your story leads in a different direction and to an inconclusive conclusion.
Aloha,
Doug
Sorry that you or anyone has had that experience. As for the ending, much of life in inconclusive, isn’t it? Hope all’s well with you.
janet
Your story is a spot-on example of your point at the beginning of the post, that 100 words can say a great deal. The jilted guy startled by finding the wedding dress and trying to learn more. Great way that you show just the right amount to suggest a much deeper story.
Thanks so much. I did want people to wonder. In real life, there aren’t always answers, at least we can’t always figure them out, so why not in flash fiction?
janet
What the devil?
Up in smoke? A black hole? Dimensional shift?
Just a figment of his imagination??
Thanks for sharing!
My pleasure. Thanks for reading.
janet
Ooh. So close, yet so far. This new twist will have him obsessing for a long time to come.
You’re exactly right!
janet
I dont think she ran I think foul play had its hand that day
great sense of mystery Janet
Good, as that’s what I intended. 🙂
Great mystery! My mind is already planning his next move…
Then it was a success. 🙂
janet
Fantastic premise for a story. And I really want to know why his fingers are trembling. Anger? Excitement? Or anticipation?
Anticipation (at least from the author’s POV.) He thought he was going to find her again. Glad you liked it, Claire.
janet
So many different possibilities on which to ponder – clever!
Thanks, Freya. This one was definitely open-ended. 🙂
janet
Great story! A runaway bride? Witness protection? Or turned into a mannequin by a witchy ex-lover?
Hmmm, hadn’t really thought of that last one. 🙂
janet
sounds like a total nightmare. a glimmer of hope then, nothing, dead end. great story. i like the vague ending too 🙂
I think so, too, kz. To wonder all those years, then think you’re close, only to hit a dead end, would be terrible. I originally had the story ending with the dress being from an estate sale, indicating she was dead, but though this a bit more unusual.
janet
I love a mystery where it lets your mind wander where it will. 🙂
My mind seems to do that too often as it is. 🙂
janet
It was probably one of those arranged weddings and she decided to skip town with the busboy.
Or the photographer.
janet
Well told. Sweet and sad–and a mystery–all at once.
Here’s mine: http://unexpectedpaths.com/friday-fictioneers/reminiscing/
Thanks, Maggie. I’ll be working away at reading stories again today. It’s a nice break from unpacking.
janet
Hi Janet, a sinister feel about this story. You raise questions to get thinking. Well done.
Thanks!
janet
Oooh, Janet. I love this one! We have a mystery on our hands. I love where you took this one. That’s an interesting message, “The number has not been assigned.” Is it different from “This number has been disconnected”? Or, is the same?
“Disconnected” means the number was given out but isn’t in use now. But “not assigned” would mean the number was never used. So either whoever brought the dress in gave a fake number or…??? 🙂
janet
Okay, that’s what I thought! Just checking. I like the “not assigned” version.
I don’t know if they actually have this message but if not, they should. 🙂
Wow – you gave me the shivers, Janet! Did she run away? Was she kidnapped? Has he forgotten everything about their marriage? Or did she never really exist? Excellent.
That’s for me to know (maybe) and for you to think about. :-). Glad you enjoyed it.
Have a great weekend.
janet
Excellent, Janet! So very suspenseful!
Thanks so much. Have a wonderful weekend.
janet
Oooh do I smell a good mystery right here, Janet! Felt like Rod Serling was going to jump out and explain everything. 😀
http://kentbonham.wordpress.com/
You never know, Kent. He may be making a guest appearance. 🙂
janet
This link doesn’t go somewhere I recognize. Are you not linking to the main page?
http://www.kentbonham.wordpress.com
Try that one.
Took me to the same place, but evidently not a FF story. Sorry for the confusion. 🙂
I should have told you it is a new blog. Sorry about that.
This is like the beginning of a story.. I’m immensely curious on what happened … Great story
Thanks, Bjorn. What happened is what you think happened. I’m not telling. 🙂
janet
Oh wow. You give so much then snatch it away. I was thinking the worst and that he should have given the number to the police before I read Pirate’s comment. Such a great and intriguing story. Would love a follow up.
Sarah, glad you liked it so much. It’s always music to an author’s ears. 🙂
Have a great weekend.
janet
Interesting take! Left me scratching my head but in a good way. And I will figure it out!
I’m sure your fertile imagination will come up with something, Perry. But enjoy your weekend while you’re thinking. 🙂
janet
Hi Janet,
I think she took off because he was such a klutz, running into doors, and she was obviously afraid to get into a car with him to be driven to the church. I like the way you left so much to the reader’s imagination. Ron
🙂
I think her sister has something to do with it. 😉
… after he hung up the phone, he was embarrassed to realize he’d misread the number. So he dialed again, and someone picked up after the third ring…
That’s one possibility. 🙂 Thanks for reading and for the alternate ending.
janet
Ah, cruel you, leading me up the garden path and leaving me there – at the dead end! No, seriously, this is a lovely mystery and needs pursuing. Let me know if you do? It’s remarkable that you achieved so much in so few words. I sympathise with your hero, which is to do with the plot – love won and lost and maybe found again?
Thanks a lot, Ann.
janet
Oh, a perfect title for a sad little tale of mystery and woe.
Glad you liked it, Lindaura.
janet
This could be the start of something bigger. Sure hope he finds her. Lots of possibilities here.
All the better for you to wonder, my dear. 🙂
janet
And still baffled!
And it continues!