First off, it’s a bit surreal having your own photo pop up in front of you when looking at other blogs, but in a good way. Thanks for using it, Rochelle.
Second, for those of you who wanted more from Invasion – Step One and Alone, I’ve posted a longer piece: The Diary of Walter Jakobsen. Click through to read if you’re interested.
The way to his heart
I’ve heard tell that the stomach is the way to a man’s heart.
His name was Byron, my first. I’d pined for his heart for near on a year before I asked him over.
He kicked his boots off and unbuttoned his pants the moment he stepped through the door. I’d never gone after a man’s heart before. I didn’t know the ins and outs.
I had to snake my arm around his organs clean up to my elbow to get at his succulent heart. The stomach was a way to the heart, it seemed, but not the best way.
December 11th, 2013 at 10:42 AM
Ew…
Well done!
December 11th, 2013 at 6:31 PM
Thanks!
December 11th, 2013 at 10:45 AM
Grief, I didnt get it the first time I read it so went back and read it again. Wish I hadn’t… Nicely done Adam and great photo too.
December 11th, 2013 at 6:32 PM
Gory without much gore. Strange how that worked out.
December 11th, 2013 at 10:50 AM
[…] © Copyright – Adam Ickes […]
December 11th, 2013 at 11:00 AM
I read this on two levels, paranormal and well at face value. Well done!
December 11th, 2013 at 6:33 PM
I envision her as some sort of which. Whether that been human or nonhuman I’m not sure.
December 11th, 2013 at 11:07 AM
[…] are hosted, as ever, by the incomparable Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, and this weeks picture comes from Adam Ickes. In other news, the compilation of FF-type stories I’m in is now available in Paperback […]
December 11th, 2013 at 11:19 AM
Gory! I love it! 😀
December 11th, 2013 at 6:35 PM
Glad you enjoyed my twisted young lady as much as I enjoyed writing her.
December 11th, 2013 at 11:22 AM
Byron sounds like a prime candidate for this character’s ministrations. Great twist, Adam, and thanks for the brilliant photo. I hope you enjoy seeing what everyone’s done with it!
December 11th, 2013 at 6:38 PM
He certainly was a good choice, but I’m not sure that’s why he was chosen. I’m loving seeing where everyone goes with the photo. Trying to make it a point to get to them all this week.
December 11th, 2013 at 11:33 AM
So gross!! Loved the photo and we’re getting some wonderful stories from it, although this one… 🙂 Just kidding.
janet
December 11th, 2013 at 6:41 PM
Haha. Well we can all be wonderful,but we can’t all be wonderful all the time.
December 11th, 2013 at 12:19 PM
Ah! Gross and gruesome take on an old love saying. Awesome! 😀 And how awesome that Rochelle used your photo!
December 11th, 2013 at 6:42 PM
Some people take old sayings a bit too literally.
December 13th, 2013 at 12:39 PM
Apparently, yes.
December 11th, 2013 at 12:21 PM
Well, yuck! Maybe I’m weird, but I love a good, gory story. Well done! And I love the photo. It brought many ideas to mind.
December 11th, 2013 at 6:45 PM
Not weird at all. Not in my book anyway, but I may be weird right along with you. I was at the opposite end. Even though it was my photo I had zero ideas for quit awhile.
December 11th, 2013 at 12:51 PM
Yeeks! I had to read it again to make sure I hadn’t misunderstood. I hadn’t. Yeeks!
Great story, I love a bit of darkness, me 🙂
December 11th, 2013 at 6:46 PM
Darkness comes naturally. Its harder for me to write something that isn’t dark. Glad you enjoyed it.
December 11th, 2013 at 1:13 PM
gruesome and just fantastic! 🙂
December 11th, 2013 at 6:46 PM
Thanks, KZ. 🙂
December 11th, 2013 at 2:21 PM
Urghhhhh, but fab, lol 🙂
December 11th, 2013 at 6:49 PM
🙂
December 11th, 2013 at 2:46 PM
I’d say I prefer the taste of heart to the taste of stomach.. but of course that’s talking cows… hmmm
December 11th, 2013 at 6:51 PM
Sure, Bjorn… talking cows. Is that what we’re calling humans now? 🙂
December 11th, 2013 at 5:37 PM
Wonderful photo, Adam. How on earth did such a sweet image take you there! Wow.
December 11th, 2013 at 6:53 PM
I have no idea where the story came from to be honest. I had no idea what I was going to write, then bam there was a story on the page before I even gave it a second thought.
December 12th, 2013 at 2:04 AM
I love when that happens! I appreciate it when the story just writes itself. Some photos just make it easier. This one gave me a lot of different ideas. Nice work!
December 11th, 2013 at 5:49 PM
ha Brilliant and wonderful and gruesome…who can’t love that?
December 11th, 2013 at 6:54 PM
I’m sure there a many who would disagree, but I am not one of them.
December 11th, 2013 at 5:51 PM
Down the esophogas might have been faster, but that nasty rib cage gets in the way. Whatever happened to dying with your boots on?
December 11th, 2013 at 6:55 PM
Stinking rib cage always protecting the yummy innards. The nerve of those bones!
December 11th, 2013 at 6:47 PM
OMG. Amazing job of writing. Caught me completely by surprise!
December 11th, 2013 at 6:58 PM
Thanks. I was going for a bit of shock factor here.
December 11th, 2013 at 10:17 PM
Love it! Cracking the sternum and splitting the ribs is a slightly more direct route.;)
December 12th, 2013 at 2:48 PM
Indeed. I’m betting she may have used that approach at some point in the future, after she gained a bit more experience.
December 11th, 2013 at 11:16 PM
Set me up for a romance and slap me with a horror story, all in 100 words. Bravo and great story!
December 12th, 2013 at 2:51 PM
That was the plan. I’m glad it turned out as well as it did. Not an easy thing to totally switch genres when you’ve already used 3/4 of the available words.
December 12th, 2013 at 1:08 AM
Very funny! Very well-done and surprising! Also very disgusting but it comes with the territory. More similarly disgusting stories please…
December 12th, 2013 at 2:52 PM
It would be my honor to make sure you are thoroughly digusted in the future. I shall do my best.
December 12th, 2013 at 7:05 AM
Oh no! But – what a story!
December 12th, 2013 at 2:54 PM
I’m not quite certain she’s human. Either that or she comes from a long line of practitioners of the dark arts. This was my introducion to the lass so I don’t know much about her yet.
December 12th, 2013 at 10:57 AM
Hi Adam,
Well, I think the liver is better eating, but the heart is very tasty as well. The shift from romance to gore was jarring and startling. Thanks for providing a photo that has generated many excellent stories. Ron
December 12th, 2013 at 2:56 PM
I don’t care much for liver myself. Never have, never will. I think her kind, whatever they may be, are like me in that regard.
December 12th, 2013 at 11:55 AM
[…] for Friday Fictioneers ably handled by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields with a photo prompt by Adam Ickes. 100 words exactly based on a true enough […]
December 12th, 2013 at 7:41 PM
Dear Adam,
If Hannibal Lecter had had a daughter, she would be it. .Sick, twisted, sadistic, creepy, and ever so well written. Great photo. Thanks.
Shalom,
Rochelle
December 16th, 2013 at 11:50 AM
Thanks, Rochelle. And thanks for using my photo.
December 12th, 2013 at 10:33 PM
Hi Adam! I didn’t realize I had taken a route similar to yours. Love, hearts, boots, lust. I’m pleasantly surprised someone’s more messed up than I. I *heart* your story and I think it’s my favorite this week 🙂
December 16th, 2013 at 11:51 AM
It is an honor to be more messed up than you. 🙂 Glad you enjoyed my take.
December 13th, 2013 at 6:45 AM
Clever wordplay, Mr Ickes! Very clever. 😉
Yes, it must be weird seeing your photo in so many places. It’s a good one, though. 😉
December 16th, 2013 at 11:52 AM
It was tricky for sure. I had to be very careful with my word choices for this one.
December 13th, 2013 at 9:12 AM
Ha, ha, loved it. Great photo–though empty shoes give me the creeps. 😉
Here’s mine: http://unexpectedpaths.com/friday-fictioneers/big-shoes-to-fill/
December 16th, 2013 at 11:55 AM
Perhaps the creeps will go away when you learn the shoes were sitting on top of a picnic table just outside a playground. And the creeps will return when I tell you no one else was around that day.
December 13th, 2013 at 10:42 AM
And I was halfway to a happily ever after between 2 gay guys. Tricky…very tricky.
December 16th, 2013 at 11:56 AM
Halfway leaves a lot of time for a drastic change. 🙂
December 13th, 2013 at 2:38 PM
What a tasty treat,eh?I could not control my laughter at this fun and wickedly gory tale Adams-just what the Doc ordered-LOVED it 😀
December 16th, 2013 at 11:57 AM
Nothing like a good heart. I have a feeling she prefers them raw.
December 17th, 2013 at 3:31 AM
Eeps!Ha!ha!Good for her-no cooking 😉
December 17th, 2013 at 7:15 AM
No pots and pans to scrub afterward either!
December 17th, 2013 at 10:22 AM
I know-what bliss!
December 13th, 2013 at 2:39 PM
Oops-sorry for the slippery mouse-added an S to your name-so sorry Adam
December 16th, 2013 at 11:57 AM
No worries! 🙂
December 17th, 2013 at 3:31 AM
:-)Thks Adam
December 13th, 2013 at 10:49 PM
So lovingly gross and fascinating! Very unexpected for the prompt. Great story.
December 16th, 2013 at 11:59 AM
I really didn’t think it was all that gross. There is really only one or two sentences of gross in the entire thing. I guess that kind of overpowers the rest of the story though. haha
December 14th, 2013 at 5:09 PM
Too graphic for me! 😉
December 16th, 2013 at 12:00 PM
I figured it would be for some, but there is the knowledge that it’s entirely fictional to make you feel a bit better about it. 🙂
December 16th, 2013 at 12:23 PM
Yes but I have a vivid imagination! lol
December 16th, 2013 at 12:33 PM
That’s the best kind 🙂
December 14th, 2013 at 7:20 PM
What a twist! There was me expecting a romance 😛
December 16th, 2013 at 12:30 PM
A romance from me is a very rare thing. I usually tend toward darker subject matter.
December 16th, 2013 at 1:08 PM
The darker subject matter is more entertaining me thinks 😛
December 15th, 2013 at 7:46 AM
You certainly had me going here.
December 16th, 2013 at 1:52 AM
Just wanted to say, again… great prompt! Funny how a pair of boots can take so many writers in so many directions. I took some heat for my darker one, but those boots carried 2 stories for me… a first. Nice job, Adam!
December 16th, 2013 at 12:33 PM
Glad I could inspire you. I’ve had a couple that have inspired multiple stories from me along the way. I’m glad my photo could do that for you.
December 16th, 2013 at 1:17 PM
My first time, but it’s funny what various photos bring out.