Another Friday Fictioneers submission. This one’s 100 words exactly (though not my favourite 100 words; the original version was lost when the word counter on my iPhone autorefreshed) and it was a nice chance to explore a different genre. Photo copyright David Stewart.
Incidentally, several readers have commented on the similarities with Psycho. This is probably a result of my having been watching Bates Motel. This seems to be an attempt to do for the Psycho franchise what Smallville did for Superman, though it actually does for the Psycho franchise what Psycho III did for the Psycho franchise.
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He stopped going out, after mother died. No point: it was all hatred. She’d been right to make him turn down that place at art school.
First, he bricked-up the windows so he couldn’t see the outsiders with their mundane happinesses. Later, tired of staring at nothing, he asked the grocer to bring some paints. He covered each window with a trompe l’oeil. He’s happy now he’s got something to look at.
He just hopes noone notices the smell from mother; they still have the electric chair here. At least, he supposed, they might let him paint his own backdrop.
The Inevitable Asterisk 
Dear Etienne,
Had to look up “trompe l’oeill”. I learned something. I like that. But the stench might give him away. Barbecue anyone? Good one.
Shalom,
Rochelle
A barbecue? I daren’t ask where that came from. Thanks for reading.
What a tortured individual. It’s got kind of a Psycho vibe. I don’t know if anyone would notice her, if he is as shut-in as he seems. I like the ending.
-David
Thanks. Pleased the ‘Psycho vibe’ came off.
I wonder if living with the stench you get used to it?
I suppose the smell of wet paint must have masked it. Thanks for reading
Well-done and interesting take on the prompt. Disturbed is too mild a term to use for that poor man. I think he’s more likely to end up in a mental hospital than a prison.
Thank you.
dark and disturbing. i also liked the last sentence. 🙂
Thanks for reading.
He definitely needs a full-time therapist. How sad he couldn’t have gone to art school and used his talents in a good way. Definitely a “Psyco” feel…just the way I feel when a device loses my story or email. 🙂
janet
Thanks for reading.
Very dark. Too bad he didn’t take that place at art school, might have turned out normal.
Probably. Or he might have gone into advertising.
Yikes!But then I feel that mother had not been such a good influence after all ;-)This was great 😀
Thank yoy
🙂
Ouch.. he seem to be skilled in painting…
Thanks for reading.
So mum’s the one for whom the bell tolls . . . creepy in a classic “A Rose for Emily” sort of way. I’m with Rochelle as to the barbecue. That’s a great way to avoid alerting folks to the stench, although the body might be too far gone at this point to make good eating.
Happy painting!
Marie Gail
Oh EWWW Marie!!! Thanks for the visual………LOL!
Anytime. 😉
Thanks for reading.
Graham Swift, one of my favourite writers, was lambasted for ‘borrowing’ from Faulkner, so I’m delighted with the Rose For Emily comparison. Thanks for reading.
Hola etienne….it was a great entry! BUt NOW! I’m gonna have nightmares! LOL! 😉
Ohh, disturbing story, Etienne. Great twist at the end.
Thanks for reading.
Norman? Is that you, Norman?
You got me. Thanks for reading.
Yes, very Bates Motel-ish. But, as they say, at least he has a skill to fall back on. If the psycho killer thing doesn’t work out, he could try selling his paintings 🙂
Splendid re-framing there. Thanks for reading.
Creepy, twisted, delightful! Thanks for the nightmare for tonight! Good writing, Nan
Thanks, Nan.
This is a dark one. Smelling mother yuck.
Thanks for stopping by.
Psycho still scares me. I don’t think I could even write a “look-a-like.” Well done.
Wow! Poor guy; he’s in a fix. Well told.
Yes, the similarity to Psycho is sharp, but this story stands on its own… sending chills up my spine.
Oh wowzers! Well at least he had some motivation left…
Oh my God! Scary 😀 good job!
Thanks for reading.