Copyright Mary Shipman
The ruined attic triggers painful memories; recollections of hunger, deprivation … humiliation. My pulse quickens at the sight of the now rusty chains.
Powerless, with no alternative but to endure all that a twisted mind could dream of, yet still that tiny flame of hope had flickered, defiant, inextinguishable.
Months passed, and ultimately a shackle of diabolical interdependence had been forged, as we fed off each others’ needs, desires and fears.
Liberation spawned many dark days; we’d become so close…I found I missed him.
I’ll handle things differently this time, I think, slipping silently from the shadows, chloroform in hand.
If you think this picture prompt is familiar, you’re right. Rochelle is having a well deserved break from Friday Fictioneers, so this is one from quite some time back. My story this week is one that I started for that prompt when it originally appeared, but I couldn’t get it right and finally submitted Dysfunctional. I’m not sure I’ve quite got it right this time either, but I think I’ve just about exhausted my critical faculties on this one. Enjoy your break Rochelle, get your feet up, commune with your muse and most of all… enjoy!
castelsarrasin 
Is it wrong that my first thought was, “ooh kinky!”
I… I think, I’ve said too much. Well written (as usual) 🙂
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It’s never wrong to take an optimistic view. 😉 Thank you.
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Sandra, That was quite a twist at the end. I was expecting the victim and I got the attacker. Well written as always. That photo does seem to call for some kind of horror story. 🙂 —Susan
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Thanks Susan, glad it took you by surprise. I’m not sure of my capacity to do that any more. 🙂
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Dear Sandra,
Thank you for the well wishes. I’ll be lurking but not as active this week or next. (rerun next week, too.) My first guest will be here tomorrow and the other the day after.
Your story puts me in mind of a psychopath who kidnapped three young girls and held them captive for nearly a decade. One of them had his baby. The story is horrifying.
Well done. Glad you were able to share it this week. And thanks for being such a faithful fictioneer.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Yes I remember reading about that one. Truly horrifying. Enjoy your rest, and your company. Thanks for reading.
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Really creepy – loved it.
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I seem to be doing ‘creepy’ a lot. Must shake myself out of it…
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I seem to be doing depressing a lot!
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Dear Sandra,
This was reminiscent of The Collector by John Fowles. Only you said it better in 100 words than he did in a whole novel.
Aloha,
Doug
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Thanks Doug; you’re always a source of encouragement. Enjoy your trip.
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Great POV, chilling story.
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Thank you! 🙂
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I like it! Interesting perspective! I got goosepimplies 🙂
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🙂 Thanks for reading.
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Oh I get a sense of a Stockholm Syndrome here… but finally breaking through…
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I was trying to remember the name of that syndrome this morning… thanks.
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I even remember the bank-robbery from which the term is named… I was 12 years old, and for once the TC broadcasted even daytime which was unique… 🙂
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Diabolical interdependence and feeding off each others needs, desires and fears makes me very afraid. There’s truth in those words.
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Yes, sometimes we’re not aware of what we’re capable of until we come under the influence of someone else.
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You sick, sick woman…
I mean that in the best possible way. I had my hand over my mouth by the end of this horrifying tale. Excellent writing!
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🙂 I must try something a bit lighter next week. ~Thanks for reading and sticking with it.
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This reminds me of Stockholm syndrome only the captive becomes the aggressor. Nice twist at the end.
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Thanks. I’m not sure it’s clear that the piece is written from the POV of the captor. I carefully worded it so it would look the other way round, maybe too carefully. 🙂
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Ok, so the captor’s POV…..hmmm. That means the regret in “Liberation spawned many dark days; we’d become so close…I found I missed him.” doesn’t house the meaning my twisted mind imagined. I thought the captive had been released and was now planning to be the aggressor. Perhaps I’ve watched too many psychological dramas. Excellently terse and spine tingling.
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Thank you Melody. And thanks for thinking about it. 🙂
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Some nice prose to describe a not so nice scenario. Good one.
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Thanks Paul.
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I love a good twist at the end!! I enjoyed this quite a bit!
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Thank you!
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I have to admit I didn’t get that ending until I read the comments, but then re-reading on that basis, it really does work. You let us think we’re in the head of the victim, and then you spin us round. Very clever, and I probably just read it too fast.
Claire
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Thanks for persevering with it Claire. 🙂
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Beautifully twisted! I love it.
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Thank you!
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Like the others, I was viewing this as the victim until that chilling twist with the chloroform! Your writing is always so captivating.
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Like my main character? 🙂 Thanks for reading and commenting Adelie.
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You sucked me in as well, I was going one way and snapped swiftly back the other way. Now that’s how to do a twist. 🙂
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Thanks Helen, I appreciate your dropping by.
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Excellent twist at the end. You really keep me on toes. I don’t know how you’re going to do it in just one hundred words, but you always deliver a punch!
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Thanks Barbara, glad you liked it.
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I knew it wasn’t going to end well just from the title (and from knowing it was you and a FF story, but…) Deftly done as always.
janet
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Yes, I sometimes wonder if I’m not getting predictably unpredictable… 😉
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Sandra, another well done, creepy story. This reminds me so much of some of the horrific abduction stories that have come out in recent years… the co-dependence, terror, the tortured thoughts that must linger… As soon as I saw the photo, I had a feeling the stories would be dark. I also knew that you’d nail it.
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Thank you Dawn. 🙂
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Really well-written look at the dark side of human nature, Sandra
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Thanks Siobhan. 🙂
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Stockholm Syndrome came to mind, but I did also swerve towards the thought process of MrBinks as well. Very well done, as always.
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Thanks JK. 🙂
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That’s a bit unnerving. There’s too much of that in the real world. Interesting interpretation of what those victims must have felt.
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Yes, it must be terrible to lose your independence of mind, as well as body. Thanks for reading Patrick.
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I was hoping for revenge on the part of the victim, but instead we have the captor getting even more villainous. You have a very dark, dark, dark imagination!
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I’m seeing someone about it… 😦 Thanks for reading Jan.
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That is super creepy but fascinating. Remind me never to be alone late in the park with you, Sandra!
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Awwww scaredycat! 😦 I’ll have to stalk someone else now…
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A mixture of love and hate. Depending on the circumstances…one or the other surfaces…oftentimes both. Nicely told…
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I guess that’s the way it goes. Thanks for reading.
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Ooh, well done, Sandra! I was completely taken in by the narrator.
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Thanks Karen. I really liked yours this week.
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Creepy story with an awesome twist. Brilliant work!
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Hi Sandra
The twist at the end of this dark tale means that a second reading feels like reading something completely new – everything is turned on its head. Great stuff!
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i think you’ve got it just right.
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I was leaning one way, then got slapped back the other. Very twisted, sister.
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Dear Sandra, I must be twisted too, because I knew you were talking from the perspective of the villain. Maybe I should see a shrink. Excellent writing and like you, I knew this week’s story would be creepy. You did good! Nan 🙂
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Dark and creepy! My take is that the protagonist started as the victim, suffered from Stockholm Syndrome and now free has decided to take a victim of their own.
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Wow .. that was one great write, the interdependence of victum and attacker was interesting, the first thought that came to mind was Stockholm syndrome .. and then the twisty ending and yes, I imagine the syndrome would work in both directions … wow!
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Initially I had a similar story in mind when I saw that photo, Ariel Castro sprang to mind. You’ve handled it brilliantly as usual. The end is chilling as it seems that he seeks new victims.
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Chilling story, great twist at the end. Beautifully told.
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Very clever to write from the hunter’s POV but set it up as the poor victim. Love the ‘shackle of diabolical interdependence’ – so apt and chilling.
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Was a victim as a child, rescued and then grew up to be the perp? Creepy and evil. You are a very clever writer!
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