PHOTO PROMPT © Roger Bultot
“Double espresso, please,” Anna exhaled heavily.
She’d arrived at work earlier and parked her car. As she got out, something caught her eye on the river next to the office, or more accurately, in the foliage covering the bridge. She’d gone to investigate and called to the man climbing up the shrubbery.
“What are you doing? Are you stuck?” He didn’t answer. She frowned, annoyed.
His arms hung by his side, belly exposed where his T-Shirt had ridden up.
It took a minute for her to realise he wasn’t climbing. He wasn’t going to be doing anything anymore… ever.
Word Count: 99
Written for Friday Fictioneers hosted by Rochelle. Read the other entries here.
Clare Hempstead 
Oh, what a find. kinda scary, too. Good write.
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Thanks Jellico. It’s based on when I turned up to work this Monday, although I wasn’t the one to discover him. The Asda delivery driver found him later in the morning and probably knew what he was looking at as soon as he saw it! If I had looked left when I got out the car, I might have seen him.
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oh, such a tragedy. So very sad.
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oh, such a tragedy. So sad.
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Not a great start to the week, for either of them! Nice take.
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Thanks Iain. Sadly, a man was discovered hanging from the bridge next to our office this Monday, which gave me the idea.
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A gruesome discovery. I’d have a muffin too if I were her, get some sugar on the go.
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It was gruesome! Poor chap had been there all weekend apparently.
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What a way to begin the day!
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Thanks, it was a bit of a shocker!
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Oh dear… what’s his story I wonder… what an awful find on a morning before coffee!
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Apparently, he had been there all weekend. His family weren’t surprised and he had left a note, but that’s all I know! Fortunately, I didn’t see him when I arrived for work as there was so much greenery, but I felt for the delivery driver who discovered him!
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Gosh… how awful
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Yoiks! What a nasty way to start the day. She needs a double espresso or maybe some chamomile tea.
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Thanks Alicia. Yes, maybe chamomile tea would have been more calming! I’m not a coffee drinker so just used the first one that came to mind!
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That exposed belly made my breath catch in my throat. Well done.
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Thanks Liz. The story was based on a body discovered hanging over the bridge next to our car park this Monday. The exposed belly made it all the more sad.
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I hope it didn’t put her off her coffee! Excellent.
Click to read my Friday Fiction
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Thanks for reading and commenting. Glad you liked it.
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Oh! Definitely not a good start to the day.
You do a great job with the details here. I can imagine her feeling annoyed and then shocked. I think I’d need tea as I’m sure I would be too jittery after that for espresso. 🙂
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Thanks Sascha. Not being a coffee drinker, I didn’t really think the choice through, but you’re right, tea would have been more calming!
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Great twist there at the end. Not a good way to start your day, for either one of them 🙂
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Thanks very much. 🙂
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Yikes! That was surprising. Good job with the unexpected.
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Thanks Emily.
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Writing is often all the more powerful when it is based on true events. I felt sad for the man and his family, plus for those who have to deal with the aftermath.
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Thanks Michael. Initially, I was quite detached, but as the day wore on, the sadness of it grew.
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Dear Clare
Quite a discovery to make before coffee. I think a triple espresso is in order. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks Rochelle
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Monday’s are bad enough without that. What a gruesome find and because it’s the last thing you expect to find, I can understand her talking to him without realising he’s dead.
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Thanks Mick.
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I have this fear of finding a body… maybe that’s one reason why I never had a dog.
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Good move! Early morning dog walkers are often alerted to a body by their dog!
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Well, that’s a very nasty surprise. Would love to know what he was up to when he died – he could have been climbing to escape something awful (beastie, alien, killer?) or under some narcotic spell, believe himself climbing to catch the moon … Could go lots of different ways with this one. Great stuff Clare
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Thanks Lynn. Unfortunately it was a straightforward suicide in my office car park, but you’re right, I could take it many different ways.
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That’s so awful. And what a bizarrely public place to commit suicide in, as these acts are usually so private. Very sad, but you wrote it very well Clare.
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I’m surprised she even made it to the coffee shop! What a horrid start to a day!
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Thanks Dale
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I think it would take more than a double espresso to bring me out of shock if I’d seen something like that. I did stop at an intersection once and saw a man who’d just been struck by a car. The car’s driver looked terrible and was kneeling and bent over the body. I figured the man had walked in front of him and he couldn’t stop in time. Good writing, Clare. —- Suzanne
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Thanks Suzanne. Not a pleasant start to the day.
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