Friday Fiction: In Which Tarquin Toffsworth Comes To A Sticky End

For those who don’t know, Friday Fictioneers is a challenge to write a 100 word story from a picture prompt. It’s hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, and anyone can play. Thanks for hosting, Rochelle! Check out the link at the end of my story to see what other fictioneers did with this week’s prompt.

The hardest thing about this week’s challenge was deciding whether to write “wasp nest”, “wasp’s nest” (as in The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest) or “wasps’ nest” – it was an apostrophe catastrophe!

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Copyright Janet Webb

In Which Tarquin Toffsworth Comes To A Sticky End

Tarquin Toffsworth evicted his first tenants aged twelve. He found a wasps’ nest, enticed the residents outside with jam, then terminated their tenancy with his shoe.

A single wasp survived. Her name was Jemima.

Years passed. Jemima was long gone but her legend lived on. Tarquin, now an unscrupulous property tycoon, leant nonchalantly over the balcony of his thirty-fifth floor penthouse. Jolene, Jemima’s great-great-great-great granddaughter, took vengeful aim. Tarquin yelped, clutched his buttock, over-balanced and fell to his death.

A passing treacle truck broke Tarquin’s fall. Jolene swooped, landed and licked.

‘So it’s true,’ she buzzed. ‘Revenge is indeed sweet.’

(100 words)

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Never heard of treacle? It’s a sweet sticky syrup!

Need more Friday Fiction? Click the blue frog to read more stories from other fictioneers!