This post is for Priceless Joy’s Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers, a challenge that asks you to write a story of 75-175 words based on the photo prompt below. This week’s prompt was provided by TJ Paris. Thank you, TJ!
Perfect Position
Viordan clambered up the scaffolding with the ease of long practice, the familiar weight of his satchel on his back. His presence would pass unquestioned – no one cared about the artist’s assistant, especially when the artist himself was below being congratulated on his work.
Today the Grand Master had officially completed the final panel on the ceiling of the Imperial Palace’s great hall, bringing their long project to an end. They’d spent years perched above the bustle of the court, palace life continuing on regardless of the divinely inspired art being created overhead.
The position couldn’t have been more perfect.
He’d never expected his youthful love of painting to be of use in his adult life – though he should have realised that anything was possible when working for Intelligence. Still, the assignment had surprised him from the start. Being able to indulge his art while collecting the information his masters required was an unexpected pleasure.
Today his assignment changed.
Viordan withdrew the crossbow from his bag and lined up his perfect shot at the throne.
Word count: 175
To read the other entries click the little blue frog.
An Enchanted Place 
Absolutely brilliant short story – the set-up, the description, the characterization, and the timing are all flawless. Beautifully executed (pardon the pun)!
So happy I saw this in my reader, Louise!
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Thank you for your wonderful comment. 🙂 I’m a bit of a perfectionist so knowing that all the polishing I’ve done to a story has paid off is always great to know. I’m very glad you enjoyed it.
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You are most welcome! I read it aloud to my daughter (aged 11), and she said, “Wow! I love it!”
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Very cool! Totally unexpected ending – like the artist’s assistant new assignment!!!
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Thank you, Sabina. 🙂 I like to add a nice twist every once in a while!
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Wow! Excellent! His assignment has changed to kill the king. Great twist at the end. Your story is flawless!
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Thank you, PJ. 🙂 I’m very glad you like it. Sorry it’s so late – I don’t think I’ve ever put up a story for your prompt so late! I actually wrote this last week but it was over 200 words long and still needed a lot of work on it. Unfortunately, I was too busy sorting through the mountain of photographs for the Changing Seasons post to do it!
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LOL! I’m glad you were still able to get it in in time! It is a great story!
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Thank you. 🙂
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Brilliant writing on this prompt! No one expected the unexpected….(in the story and the reader) 👏
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Thanks, Jessie. 🙂 I like to throw in a twist every once in a while.
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like the suspense build up!
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Thank you. 🙂
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The ending was brilliant! A perfect short story… 🙂
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Thank you! I’m glad you liked it. 🙂
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It’s always a bonus when your cover allows you to follow your dreams in between the spying and the occasional assassination 🙂
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He’s been very lucky with this assignment. I doubt he’ll ever be quite so lucky again! Thanks for visiting, Ali. 🙂
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Great twist at the end! Love it. 🙂
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Wonderful suspenseful take. Looks like ‘intelligence’ wants to take out the king. I don’t know if this is a good thing or a bad thing. Some kings of old were very bad men. But I don that the Kings replacement would be much better. Interesting the assistant had painting skills. Well written Louise 🙂
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