Copyright Karen Rawson
It’s a long haul up there.
Once there was a bridge at the top, spanning the next valley, but the nanny state dismantled it. Said it was attracting ‘jumpers’. They’d no sooner clean up after one loser before another spread himself on the rocks below.
Now people have started hanging themselves from the trees. Damned woods are full of people lurking around, ropes in hand… waiting turn.
Lot better these days though.
Social Services have installed benches, so you can take the load off while you wait.
Hey, move up, pal; how much room can a guy need anyway?
Short on time again today, so a modified submission from six years ago – have I really been around here that long? Good to see our genial hostess is safely back home with Friday Fictioneers after her travels. Welcome back, Rochelle.
castelsarrasin 
Darkly humorous. I loved “Damned woods are full of people lurking around, ropes in hand”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for reading, Neil.
LikeLike
This was morbid and funny at the same time. Nicely done, Sandra.
LikeLike
Thanks Varad.
LikeLike
Sheer determination and now they have a place for a little sit down. Can’t jump any more? We’ll get a rope instead. Witty and entertaining story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for reading, Jilly.
LikeLike
Is nothing sacred!
LikeLiked by 2 people
More scary than witty. I hear of a lot of farmer suicides when rainfall fails.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sit here and wait your turn!
Yikes!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Sandra,
This one has me laughing and cringing at the same time. Six years has gone by quickly, hasn’t it? Last month was my six year anniversary for joining FF, October will mark six years since Madison passed the mantle.
Back from vacation, but still haven’t gotten back into my regular sleep schedule. Late to my own party this morning.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Incredible how time passes. And when I looked at some of the responders to the last story, I was struck how many of them have moved on. So many names I’d not noticed slipping away from Friday Fictioneers. Glad you’re back, Rochelle.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Always nice to come home after a long trip, but kind of challenging to re acclimate. I, too, have noticed how many names have slipped away. Some I miss and, others, not so much. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dark humor is still humor, right? That’s quite a picture you’ve painted, people waiting in line to off themselves.
LikeLike
Funny, Linda, but last time I posted this I did so without questioning the content. A lot has changed in six years.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Darkly funny stuff Sandra! It made me think of some secret chapter of The Handmaid’s Tale.
LikeLike
How I loved that story! I read the book recently, and found to my dismay that it ended where the first television series did. So the second series (out soon I believe) will be written by someone else, I guess. Still, on a recent television series, one of Agatha Christie’s stories was not only re-written but the murderer and the motive was changed. 😦
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s scandalous, Sandra. Is nothing sacred?!!
LikeLike
I saw that. I wonder if Margaret Atwood has any input…
LikeLike
As she is still around, I so hope so…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Something sinister about those woods.
LikeLike
Indeed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Too sadly funny.
Lovers leap coupled with give them enough rope and they’ll hang themselves.
The bench concept was a nice rest-pit (pun attempted).
😉
Randy
LikeLike
Social Services think of everything.
LikeLike
Wow, this one is dark. I imagine what sort of world would make mass suicides a trendy thing, but then I look around and where we seem to be heading now. Well done.
LikeLike
Thanks for reading.
LikeLike
Shivering and giggling at the same time! They are going to need a branch of McD’s there the way it’s going!
My FriFic tale is called Solace!
LikeLike
🙂 thanks for reading, Keith.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Grisly, amusing, dark. I have read of somewhere similar in Japan, a wood where people go to commit suicide. I assume there are no benches there.
LikeLike
Yes, I remember reading about that place in Japan. Thanks for visiting Iain.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sandra, think I need to get my bus driver’s license and go and pick up all these people and see if I can help turn the tide.
Best wishes,
Rowena
LikeLike
Good for you, Rowena.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This grim piece gave me a wry smile, despite everything – it’s the tone you use I think, that impatient, no nonsense air. Vivid stuff – all those people hanging from the trees and clearing the jumpers away. Just great writing Sandra
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for reading, Lynn.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My pleasure
LikeLike
Goodness, that was chilling! Very well done, though.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
LikeLike
Thanks, Susan.
LikeLike
Makes me think of the song “Strange Fruit” except everyone is volunteering to hang themselves after a wee rest on the bench. Creepily done, my dear! in a very good way.
LikeLike
I remember that song. I must go and search for it. Thanks, Alicia.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sounds like a place to move away from. Clearly, this is not Finland. The notion of the ‘nanny state’ failing to address the real problem sounds familiar. Loved the dark humor of this.
LikeLike
Yes, a tidier solution, rather than a more effective one. 🙂
LikeLike
Seriously dark humour….
LikeLike
Thanks for reading, Sue.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This was dark… and even darker when you think about the suicide forest in Japan… that it could actually be true…. made it double chilling for me.
LikeLike
Thanks, Bjorn.
LikeLike
The last line was brilliant.
LikeLike
Thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Better mass suicides than mass killings ending in suicides.
Still, couldn’t help but laugh at your “Damed woods are full of people lurking about…”
LikeLike
Thanks for reading, Dale.
LikeLiked by 1 person
An entertaining story that also speaks of an important issue. Great job.
LikeLike
Thank you Lisa.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dystopia, here we come.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Sandra
I’m sorry – I can’t bring myself to like this, even though it’s skilfully written. As someone who has been to the edge of that abyss, I can’t treat the subject of suicide lightly.
Shalom
Penny
LikeLike
We all deal with our past history in different ways, Penny, and of course that’s your prerogative. Sorry if it offended you.
LikeLike
It can annoying going for a quiet walk in the woods and constantly tripping over dead bodies. Some funny imagery of a serious topic.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Charmingly cynical tale.
Looks like you bumped off enough to compensate for my shortcomings this week.
LikeLike
Well you know how it is – when some aren’t pulling their weight it falls to others to take up the slack…
LikeLiked by 1 person
How fantastically macabre! I loved the story so much, but I don’t know if I could sit on a bench and wait my turn!
LikeLike
Not an enticing prospect, is it? 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well done for injecting humour into a dark tale of despair.
LikeLike
Thanks for reading, Liz.
LikeLike
Well done! Great visual with the ropes. I can only imagine the ghosts walking around that valley!
LikeLike
🙂 Thanks for reading.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My goodness, it seems all so calm, yet heartbreaking.
LikeLike
Thanks for reading, James.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gosh those woods are deadly! Enjoyed the black humour. Well written!
LikeLike
Thanks, Laurie.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is such a great story. I can just hear it being used by comedians, lovely
LikeLike
Thanks Mike.
LikeLike
This is truly horribly funny.
LikeLike
It’s a thin line between both, I think. Thanks for reading.
LikeLiked by 1 person
LOL. It is not funny yet it is very funny. I enjoyed your story Sandra.
LikeLike
Thanks, Irene.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dark comedy, I love it! Wonder what goes on in that town that causes such a high suicide rate?
LikeLike
Life, I think. 😉 Thanks for reading, Fatima.
LikeLike
I am chuckling but I feel I shouldn’t be.
LikeLike
Then my work here is done. Thanks for reading, Kelvin.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I watched a TV show last night in which a man went to the woods to kill himself. He got interrupted by a dog who led him to some men who were camping out and hunting. This man, when asked, claimed to be hunting too. Later he was confronted by one of the hunters and told that lots of people came here thinking it was a good place to die but that this was a place to live.
LikeLike
Sounds interesting, Dawn.
LikeLike
I’m enjoying it.
LikeLike
Very amusing, dark tale. My favorite part is “Social Services have installed benches, so you can take the load off while you wait.” It’s true that this tale would have been seen as funnier six years ago. People, in general, are much more serious nowadays I think. =)
LikeLike
I suggest they implement a “take a number” system. I hate people who cut in line. It makes me want to kill them. Or, invite C.E. over. He could manage the system.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I really like your thinking – perhaps a little concession stand serving beverages with umbrellas! Funny!
LikeLike
What a story, dear. Your writing style is great.
LikeLike
Very witty take on the prompt and the subject.
LikeLike
Well that’s a cheerful tale. Is this a particularly dismal nanny state that pushes all the suicidal to this spot. I imagine the rope carriers utilising those benches as jumping off points. Disturbing in its clarity of language.
LikeLike
Very dark humor. I like it. I heard that Japan has a forest where people routinely commit suicide.
LikeLike