PHOTO PROMPT – © Ted Strutz
Rebecca could see good in all the wrong places. That’s why I loved her. That’s why I couldn’t kill her like the others. Even after life went to shit, she had this belief that everything would turn out alright.
When she turned I couldn’t bring myself to put a bullet in her skull. I just couldn’t. I told myself she’d find something good about being a walking corpse. I wasn’t going to take away her happiness. Jed, though, had no problem putting her down right in front of me, so I shot him dead before she even hit the ground.
—
Written for Friday Fictioneers.
Click here to read stories from the other Fictioneers.
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March 23rd, 2016 at 6:17 AM
Dear Adam,
I think I’m going to get a lot of ‘shit’ stories this week. I chose the photo…what can I say? Well constructed story although the end was chilling and sad.
Shalom,
Rochelle
March 23rd, 2016 at 8:21 PM
Yes, that photo certainly will likely lead to a good number of ‘shit’ stories, but friends are supposed to give each other ‘shit’ sometimes, right?
March 23rd, 2016 at 8:23 PM
Absolutely.
March 30th, 2016 at 11:21 AM
You’re right, both Rebecca and Jed sure got their shit blown away.
March 23rd, 2016 at 9:00 AM
Oh, COLD! If you are going to kill someone, do it with aplomb, and you did!
March 23rd, 2016 at 8:23 PM
Thanks.
March 23rd, 2016 at 9:38 AM
Brilliant. Chilling. Disturbing. Well-Written. Shocked and awed. Great job!
Ashley Danielle
March 23rd, 2016 at 8:23 PM
Many thanks for the kind words.
March 23rd, 2016 at 10:28 AM
Great story, excellent characterization.
March 23rd, 2016 at 8:23 PM
Thank you.
March 23rd, 2016 at 10:45 AM
Great story, beautifully constructed.
I find myself wondering if Rebecca was a person, a Labrador, or …
March 23rd, 2016 at 8:27 PM
She was a person, then a zombie, then a corpse. The man who turned her into a corpse skipped the middle stage.
March 23rd, 2016 at 10:54 AM
A satisfyingy complete story
March 23rd, 2016 at 8:27 PM
Thanks.
March 23rd, 2016 at 1:02 PM
Very grim Adam. Nicely portrayed.
March 23rd, 2016 at 8:28 PM
Thank you.
March 23rd, 2016 at 1:02 PM
Chilling tale. Brrr. Well developed progression in the construction of the victim’s and the narrator’s personalities.
March 23rd, 2016 at 8:29 PM
Thanks, Emmy.
March 23rd, 2016 at 2:11 PM
Poor Rebecca… she didn’t stand a chance, did she?
March 23rd, 2016 at 8:30 PM
No, she really didn’t, but in that world very few do.
March 23rd, 2016 at 8:38 PM
Sadly true…
March 23rd, 2016 at 2:31 PM
Adam, you are back on the top of your game! That might just be the beet juice talking, but I swear it’s fresh–not fermented yet.
All my best,
Marie Gail
March 23rd, 2016 at 8:32 PM
Thanks, Marie. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
I’ll go ahead and take your word on the beet juice. I don’t plan on ever drinking enough to find out one way or the other.
March 23rd, 2016 at 7:02 PM
Revenge is sweet.
March 23rd, 2016 at 8:33 PM
Swift revenge is even sweeter–or so I’m told. I certainly wouldn’t know anything about that…
March 23rd, 2016 at 7:20 PM
That’s a tough world to “live” in.
March 23rd, 2016 at 8:33 PM
Indeed it is. Sometimes I wonder if they think they’d be better off dead. I’m sure some of them probably do.
March 23rd, 2016 at 11:01 PM
Strange show of affection but maybe in their world that’s as good as it gets.
Tracey
March 24th, 2016 at 8:26 PM
Affection comes in many forms. Weird for one could be perfectly normal for another. All comes down to the individual.
March 25th, 2016 at 1:15 PM
Absolutely true.
March 24th, 2016 at 2:37 AM
That’s very chilling the way someone can talk about killing people in such a forthright manner, with seemingly little concern and only remorse for the one he didn’t want killed
March 24th, 2016 at 8:29 PM
I would expect a world gone to shit and full of zombies brings with it indifference toward death except for those you care deeply about, at least for some people.
March 24th, 2016 at 8:39 AM
Gruesome stuff! I can’t help thinking Jed’s the realist here, I think he got a rather bum deal 🙂
March 24th, 2016 at 8:30 PM
Jed may be the realist, but he’s also the dead one. Moral of the story: don’t be a realist around lunatics and their zombie friends.
March 24th, 2016 at 12:18 PM
Wow. There has to be some zombie-killing etiquette observed. Jed overstepped the line!
March 24th, 2016 at 8:32 PM
Seems they were both a bit heartless doesn’t it. Jed may have overstepped the line, but he probably didn’t deserve to die for it. Could have just shot him in the leg or something.
March 24th, 2016 at 4:49 PM
Man, that guy is working out some ISSUES. Good elements from the prompt, too.
March 24th, 2016 at 8:34 PM
People working out issues usually make for the best characters. This guy is one one my favorites that I’ve come up with lately.
March 24th, 2016 at 10:36 PM
I can tell that right off the bat.
March 25th, 2016 at 4:52 PM
Excellent concept – that a person’s genuine humanity could overcome zombisim.
March 28th, 2016 at 4:34 PM
I’ve always wondered if some part of a person’s humanity could survive something like that.
March 26th, 2016 at 2:26 PM
And this is why I hate the zombie apocalypse! It ruins friendships!
March 28th, 2016 at 4:36 PM
It ruins much more than that.
March 29th, 2016 at 8:22 AM
True story. 😉
March 26th, 2016 at 6:23 PM
Eee, zombies! I’m afraid the narrator will turn soon enough himself with that attitude. Great take.
March 28th, 2016 at 4:40 PM
He very well may turn, but I’m not sure he cares anymore since he lost Rebecca.
March 27th, 2016 at 8:46 AM
Very chilling indeed. The implied zombie state is great.
March 28th, 2016 at 4:41 PM
Thanks. Glad you liked it.
March 27th, 2016 at 10:03 PM
Tough way for Jed to go, but such is the zombie life. Not a very promising future even if you can make the ugly seem good in some way. I feel bad for Rebecca and her new ugly life. Well told, Adam. Have you seen the new zombie show based in L.A. by any chance? Fear the Walking Dead? Just curious.
March 28th, 2016 at 4:46 PM
I haven’t seen that. Is it any good? What channel is it on? Might have to check it out.
March 29th, 2016 at 10:41 PM
I haven’t seen it yet, Adam. But I want to! It’s on AMC just like The Walking Dead, but now this one (Fear The Walking Dead) has made it onto Netflix if you get the DVD. I think it should be pretty good.
March 29th, 2016 at 4:28 PM
Ooh, zombies. I think she was probably going to change now. He was being unrealistic. I think be’s gone over the edge more than a little. You don’t mess with the living dead. At least, that’s what I’ve heard. Well done, Adam. —- Suzanne
March 30th, 2016 at 11:22 AM
I guess a good thing about being a walking corpse would be that the scent of decaying flesh no longer smells offensive to you.