Nebraska – Friday Fictioneers
THE DETAILS:
Friday Fictioneers: 1 picture, 100 words, scores of people from around the world sharing their creativity and vision. Feel welcome to join in; visit Rochelle Wisoff-Fields HERE to find out how.
THE PROMPT:
This week’s photo prompt courtesy of, and copyright by, Ted Strutz, who can be found HERE.
THE STORY:
Nebraska
I’m the guy you never see. I’m the guy who puts the monsters to sleep. They don’t see me either which, I suppose, is maybe a bit ironic. In the end though, it really doesn’t matter; they’re brought to me primed and ready – or maybe not-so-ready – and I take care of the rest.
I plug in the cord and pull the handle and send someone like our friend Charlie Starkweather a thousand volts of electricity.
I’m the executioner.
I handle what you and society can’t. Oh, there’s a lot to debate there but I don’t have the time right now.
Please visit the other Friday Fictioneers by clicking the little blue frog below. You’ll find just about every type of genre you could imagine and some really creative writers.
Michael B. Fishman
Michaelsfishbowl 
i had a thought like this at first, but then i drifted in a different direction. well done.
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also – fabulous song and album you added. one of my favorites.
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Yeah, same here. I never appreciated the album when it first came out because I wanted Bruce with the band, but I’ve come to the belief that it’s one of his best albums.
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i’ve always been a huge fan, but i recently read a book i never saw before. very interesting. not a fan book. both praise and criticism when necessary. http://www.live4ever.uk.com/2012/11/book-review-e-street-shuffle-the-glory-days-of-bruce-springsteen-e-street-band-by-clinton-heylin/
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For some it’s just work I guess.. a work many wants done but few want to do…
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I love this. Great pacing.
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Thank you, Louise!
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Great rhythm. Somebody else has written something similar today – I can understand how the image lead to this.
Excellent commentary on society.
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Thank, Patrick!
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You’ve captured the strong voice of this character. I do think the last sentence weakens the story. If you mean that he doesn’t have time because it’s time to get to work… that doesn’t quite come across for me in his comment.
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That’s an excellent point. Rereading it I agree that it’s not a very good end to the story. I maybe would have been better off switching the last two sentences around? or maybe just leaving out the ‘debate’ part altogether?
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That is a lonely job in many respects, I would think, to be an executioner. I like the line “puts the monsters to sleep.”
-David
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Thanks, David!
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The voice in this was excellent; a kind of detached satisfaction, a voice devoid of emotion. Well done.
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Thank you, Sandra. I didn’t want to make him sound like it was something he enjoyed doing, but rather something that he *had* to do.
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I also went the way of the electric chair but not as the executioner. Excellent take!
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Great minds think alike!
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Exactly!
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You kept the secret well hidden, great idea! Liz
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Very engaging story. I don’t mind the ‘debate’ part – it gave me the impression that the debate is so big he doesn’t have time to fully consider it – that he just gets on with the job. Maybe that’s not your intention, judging by your response to Sandra. His voice throughout is spot on – very convincing.
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Thanks, Margaret! My original intention was to have a guy who is anti death penalty but who makes his living as an executioner. That was way over 100 words and when I was trimming it down to meet the challenge I think that inner conflict (the debate part) got lost.
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Dear Michael,
The voice in this is terrific….”I handle what you and society can’t.” A thought provoking line at its finest.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thank you Rochelle!
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