MftS: Belladonna

Posted on by Louise Bunting

Here’s this week’s entry into Monday’s Finish the Story flash fiction challenge, run by Barbara W. Beacham. This challenge gives you a picture prompt and the first line and asks that you finish the story in 100-150 words. The given line is in italics.

Photo Prompt - © 2015, Barbara W. Beacham
Photo Prompt – © 2015, Barbara W. Beacham

Belladonna

The team employed the use of Nightshade to get the information they wanted from their captive. 

Leaning back in his chair, Leon watched events on the screen unfolding. The fool of an official paced, back and forth in the bare, windowless room, freezing at the sound of approaching footsteps.

He always enjoyed this: watching the unsuspecting victim fall under the influence, revealing all his secrets. It was his favourite form of entertainment. “We should’ve brought popcorn,” he announced to the room.

Ben snorted and shook his head.

Gina cast him a look of disdain. “Nightshade is active.”

Grinning, Leon returned his attention to the screens and the deceptively fragile figure shoved unceremoniously into the room: helpless, weeping.

The operative codenamed Nightshade, their own Belladonna, was the most effective weapon in their arsenal. With her innocent eyes and tremulous smile their captive would be wrapped around her fingers in no time, he’d tell her anything she wanted to know.

Then she’d silence him – with nightshade, of course.

Word Count: 150

mondays-finish-the-story

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42 thoughts on “MftS: Belladonna”

      1. I did! I may be wrong about the ending. I was thinking she was talking about nightshade the poison but maybe she was talking about herself! LOL! Great story Louise, either way.

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      4. If it had been the character, Nightshade, it would have been capitalised. That’s what gave me the idea for the story – the name of the poison shouldn’t have a capital letter!

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      8. You’re welcome. Thanks for choosing it. 🙂 I’ve spotted a fair few posts already in the reader but I don’t really like to read them until I’ve written my own story.

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  3. Another terrific story Louise! I enjoyed this and loved the ending! Thanks for writing again for the MFtS challenge. Be well… ^..^

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    1. Thanks, Emily. The capitalisation of Nightshade in the opening sentence gave me the idea! If it was the plant, nightshade, it should be lowercase. I’m a bit pedantic at times. 🙂

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    1. She does indeed! One of the main questions I kept asking myself as I wrote was ‘heroes or antiheroes?’ The last line kind of wrote itself and decided it for me! Thanks for visiting. 🙂

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    1. I’m glad you liked it. I wasn’t sure myself as I wrote it whether the team were the ‘good guys’ or not. The final line insisted on being written – the piece just didn’t work without it!

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  13. This story seemed to do more than twist. It was more like a U turn. You had me second guessing myself right up till the ending. I really liked this one.

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  14. Wow Lou – I loved your clever use of multiple plot layers coming together – a fantastic story. I really love the ‘nightshade rhythm’, oozing with venom, yet softly falling into place in the structure. The contrasting scenes are amazing!

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  15. Nice! I like the espionage angle you took with this one. I liked the environment and the feel of this one. If I’d have thought of creating an operative named “Nightshade” I’d have definitely gone this route as well. Nicely done! 🙂

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    1. Thank you, Scott. 🙂 I love writing flash fiction – though I tend to spend far too much time on it that should be spent working on my novel!

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