PHOTO PROMPT © Roger Bultot
They say nothing ever happens in Epic, at least nothing good, and maybe that’s why she left. People ask, “Do you remember her?” People are idiots. I was only six weeks old, how would I remember her? Except that—there’s this statue I saw on the news—a ‘reconstruction’. ‘Jane Doe’ they called her, and they found her bones in River Park—with a dent in the skull the size of a dead blow hammer.
“Do you think she’ll come back?” I used to ask my daddy. And he would smile this smile I used to think was sad and study the grease under his nails.
“You just never know,” he’d say.
You just never know.
—
This has been an edition of the fabulous Friday Fictioneers hosted by Rochelle Wiscoff Fields. This week’s photo courtesy Roger Bultot.
To read, more or to submit your own, click the blue froggy button:
PS This week I am on the naughty list–at 16 words over the 100-word limit. My apologies. Thanks for reading.
k. Rawson 
Dear Karen,
Call it a hunch, but I don’t think she’s coming back. 😉 Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not except maybe to haunt her killer 😉 Thanks Rochelle!
LikeLike
What a wonderful title. It hooked me right away. The writing is great, though word “statue” threw me, because I imagined a sculpture in the park.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re right. My original thought was that the narrator wouldn’t say sculpture. So model maybe? Thanks for reading!
LikeLike
Was this an homage to the King story of the same name? It had that kind of feel to it. Nicely done.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was! Thanks for reading.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great stuff. I caught the SK reference too. Beautifully written as always.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂 Love me the Stephen king.
LikeLike
Well, you just never know right? Well written story…gripping description about the statue.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ooh, I like the ominous feel of the story. Perhaps she’ll come back to haunt her killer 😉 sounds like a twisty murder mystery.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very spooky and gripping story! Loved it, but I don’t have the same associations that sons of the others had. Haven’t read much Stephen King (I appreciate his imagination, but I missed the horror- reading boat).
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a very evocative, atmospheric story. Love the tiny details – the description of the reconstruction, dad’s greasy fingernails. The details make it. What a lot you say in a tiny word count. Really very good writing 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Quite a sad story. I like the name of the town, which seems contrary to its nature.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You make a great point! Thanks for reading 🙂
LikeLike
You just never know in Epic, like. Mike
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great bit of storytelling, I got the feeling the father knew more, subtly done 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh no, she will not return .. Great storytelling
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nice setting. But a creepy story. Makes me think the father might have been responsible.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good and haunting, Karen. I’m inclined to forgive the extra 16 words this week as I’ve been known to slip just over that 100 mark myself at times. However, be careful. Rochelle has been known to employ the services of a certain Fat Freddy who isn’t quite as understanding. Might want to keep the overages on the qt in the future. 😉
Great story! Thanks for sharing.
All my best,
MG
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great story! I’m a King fan too, but haven’t read Sometimes They Come Back.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve not read that one, but the story did have SK undertones for me. Loved the name of the town. Very SK.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A little bit of a chill for me there. Nice job, Karen! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well worth the extra words Karen!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah there is definitely a haunting tone to the end of that. I wouldn’t be surprised if the girl/woman sees the ghost years later.
LikeLiked by 1 person
And I love the name of the town!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Excellent story, was I wrong to connect the hammer and dad’s greasy fingers?
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is exactly right! Thanks for reading and commenting 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very creepy and great atmosphere. The child’s description of the reconstruction as a statue made me chuckle. There’s a lot there you’re not telling. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Creepy tale with a foreboding atmosphere. Well done.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Seems like Dad knows more than he is letting on. A subtle undercurrent of the lurking horror in the story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This fits the prompt perfectly. I spotted the nod to SK in the title but to me there were echoes of Joyce Carol Oates.
LikeLiked by 1 person