PHOTO PROMPT © Karen Rawson
Rose jealously guarded her reclusive existence. For years she’d lived happily in a shack concealed deep in the woods. But today pegging stream-washed clothes on an old rope-line, something was awry. She moved cautiously towards the object of concern, tense, her hand across her mouth. Goose pimples peppered her weathered arms. She prodded the freshly dug earth, inhaled sharply before shuffling into the ramshackle shed to collect her tools.
It was two days later a body was discovered on the far side of the wood in a shallow grave bearing a cross fashioned from branches and scattered with wild flowers.
Word Count: 100
Written for Friday Fictioneers – a 100 words story based on a photo prompt. Hosted by Rochelle. Read the other entries here.
Clare Hempstead 
Sinister happening in the woods. so creepy, nice story in a few words.
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Thanks very much.
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I liked the goosepimples on weathered arms
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Thanks Neil.
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Anything to preserve her quiet life – I can understand that feeling.
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Thanks Iain. I’m glad you got the meaning.
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That was deliciously creepy. At first I wasn’t sure if it was Rose’s body that they found – because of the mention of freshly dug earth. But I’m guessing not.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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Thanks for reading and commenting. Rose discovered a body in her quiet haven and was worried if it was discovered there, her peace would be destroyed so moved it to another part of the woods.
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So was it Rose or the intruder that died? I hope it was the latter because I liked Rose. Great story.
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Thanks for reading and commenting. Rose found someone had buried a body in her area of the woods. She didn’t want it discovered there and her peace disrupted so moved it elsewhere.
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A sinister discovery, and right on her doorstep.
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Thanks Draliman.
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A great take on ‘not in my backyard’. 🙂
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Thank you Sandra.
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Leave Rose in peace or rest in peace. Nice one.
My FriFic tale is called Solace!
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Yes, Rose definitely did not want her peace disrupted.
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Dear Clare,
You leave me guessing whether or not the body is Rose’s or the intruder’s. Either way, good one.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks Rochelle. The discovery of a body in her backyard, threatened Rose’s peace so she dug it up and buried it further away.
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Perfect write for this prompt.
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Thank you very much. That’s a lovely comment to receive.
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My own take on this is that the body was found by Rose, and she had decorated the grave… Somehow I cannot think her capable of killing.
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Spot on Bjorn. She didn’t want the disturbance it would create in her area of the woods so moved it and decorated the grave.
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How dare someone bury a corpse in her backyard!
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Exactly – glad you understood it!
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That’s exactly what I saw 😉
So very glad I did get it…
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I love all the conjecture here. I hope it wasn’t Rose! Lovely writing.
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Thanks for reading and commenting. No, it wasn’t Rose. She discovered a body near her home and didn’t want the intrusion that would follow if it were found there so moved it to another part of the woods.
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I too was speculating on whether it was Rose but I think not. She seems a gentle character but her privacy is everything so I think someone came a-visiting and she didn’t like that one bit.
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Thanks Jilly. No she wanted her peaceful haven to remain just that so moved the body she discovered.
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Bad enough getting an uninvited visitor, even worse when it’s a dead one!
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Thanks Liz. At least she was able to deal with the dead intruder, I suppose!
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I almost did this over my buzzing overcrowded weekend but there would have been too many bodies to take care of…
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Whoever the intruder was, she sure knew how to deal with him. Great, spooky story.
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Thanks very much
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Lovely descriptions Clare and a great sense of atmosphere. Really enjoyed this
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Thanks Lynn
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Evocative!
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Oh very creepy. She’s one resourceful lady. Great descriptions, too.
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