Many thanks again to Madison Woods for her organization, vision, creativity and hard work to put this together.
Visit her at http://madisonwoods.wordpress.com/flash-fiction/barbed-wire-and-bulls/ to read her 100 word flash.
Now, it’s story time. Please enjoy!
Liar’s Hamlet
Tethered again, iron gate sealed, foot-drags marked barren earth. Inside they’d be protected, those who lied, within circuitous fencing, towering, ornamented by rusted barbs.
Done for them, for protection.
When it began, we identified those who lied. Asked simple questions, revealing, before the court of many, another liar’s lie. Motivated to truth. A finger, a tongue, an eye, necessary sacrifices all. Marked them, for liars always lie. Marched them to Liar’s Hamlet, locked within heavy gate. For their personal protection, the others would not suffer fools.
Indeed, done for the good of us all.
Until none remained beyond the gate.
jKb
The Bradley Chronicles 
Oh i loved it..what a horror you have woven here…
Thank you so much, Soma!
Evocative! Makes me want to know more.
Thank you, Rochelle.
Really liked the “tap tap tap tap” pacing.
Glad you enjoyed, Craig. Thanks for stopping by.
Your repetition of the word lie really drove the story, normally such repetition would be a sign of weak writing but the way you used it made the story much more powerful. Way to go breaking the rules!
Here’s mine: http://postcardfiction.com/2012/04/27/scraped/
I’m happy you appreciated this. I agree, using repetition is a risk, but as I reread this a few times I felt it should work. I’m glad you thought it did. Thanks!
Truly a vivid mental image to this story. It draws one in nicely.
Thanks, Jeff!
Interesting tale here. That last line ‘until none remained behind the gate’ – did that mean no-one at all in the sense that we are all liars, or none of the liars? A piece that bears reading several times. Nice one.
Thank you Sandra.
My intent was to imply we are all liars.
I was torn (another barbed wire reference?) between writing about how barbed wire is used to fence land or fence in people, as in concentration camps or internment camps. Your use is vivid and leaves a lot to our imagination about who is inside and why.
Thanks for stopping by mine.
Erin
Thanks for reading, Erin. Come again.
Interesting story. I think ‘lie’ is used for emphasis, that we are all liars, one way or the other. I see this as also philosophical. Mine is here: http://readinpleasure.wordpress.com/2012/04/27/fridayfictioneers-sobibor/
I’m glad you enjoyed. Thanks!
Dystopia at its finest, chilling tale about tempering judgments. Loved it.
You’ve already seen mine but its here for other visitors: http://bit.ly/I78fA3
Thank you, Stacy.
We are all liars. It wouldn’t have taken long before there was no one left outside. Great story. I kept thinking about the line related to it being for their protection. Great.
A link to mine: http://unduecreativity.wordpress.com/2012/04/26/sharp/
So glad you enjoyed. Thanks.
I think you have it right “until none remained”, for in life we are all liars in some fashion.
Indeed. Thanks for reading.
Dang. That’s crazy! I like it. The mood is heavy, and the point is solid.
Much appreciated, William.
oooer … that is frightening indeed 🙂
I’m glad you felt the impact. Thanks, Linda.
You are welcome, to be honest I never had myself down as someone to get ‘hooked’ by this type of writing, but it’s kind of addictive ……! I find myself looking forward to other people’s comments 🙂
A tangled weaving of wire. Love it.
Happy you appreciated. Thanks for reading.
I like how “rusted barbs” become an ornament. Suggestion for your Indie 500 project — as it builds you’ll probably want to keep a cheat sheet of the characters/settings/what happens. Some contributers my not be reading the whole story, just the last 500 words when they come up with their piece. You may also want to start/compile/provide a style sheet to help cut down on editing (consistency is tough for a single author, let alone the number of contributors you’ll have!). If you need an example, there’s a basic one here — http://www.ecoscribe.com/freestuff/stylesheet.htm. Good luck!
Thank you so much, Stacey. I’m sure I will find unanticipated hurdles. My thinking was to provide a dedicated ‘page’ on my site detailing the characters and photos and prompts, as well as providing a ‘stitched’ working version as this grows. I will look at your link. Thanks again!
What a great resource Stacey.
I want to know more. Give me more!
http://jonathanmwright.wordpress.com/2012/04/25/only-100/
Thanks, Jonathan. This kernel could turn into more, such is the value of prompting eachother.
I guess nobody is perfect! Great flash and I loved the poetic nature of it.
Thank you, Susie.
An interesting story very dark and bleak.
Here’s mine
http://tollykitsjourney.wordpress.com/2012/04/27/flash-fiction-story-3-for-fridayfictioneers-flashfiction/
Thank you for stopping by and reading.
Wow. Isn’t that the truth. We all lie to one degree or another…but, now that they are all inside…what’s next?
That is an excellent question. Someone must have locked that gate, no?
Thanks for stopping by.
I wasn’t sure if I liked this at first. The halting style threw me a bit, but what a wicked ending! Very well done.
I’m glad you enjoyed.
I also respect your thoughts on my writing style. I’ve found for me, writing that way is the only way that works, otherwise my voice gets too bland.
Thanks for reading!
Thats really cool and evocative and i especially liked “A finger, a tongue, an eye, necessary sacrifices all”
Thank you so much, Sean.
Where have all the liars gone, long time passing. Now, I’m going to have that song stuck in my head all day long 🙂 Thanks for the comment on mine. Can’t promise I’ll try the Indie 500 this week, but will sure come around to check out the stories.
http://russellgayer.blogspot.com/
Come out and play, Russell! Most of us don’t bite, that often.
Whatever your intent was, what you actually wrote was the torture will make all of us do anything – including lie, to save the rest of our fingers! meaning, we are not all necessarily liars, but this method will produce the wrong results – resulting in all of us losing an eye!
A gruesome and gritty little tale.
It was fun to write. I’m glad you enjoyed. Thanks for visiting.
It brings to mind exclusivity and being careful who to exclude lest you find yourself within that group someday. Nicely done.
Here’s mine:
http://siobhanmuir.blogspot.com/2012/04/another-200-words-for-fridayfictioneers.html
Siobhan
Thank you for coming over and visiting!
Your writing has left me addicted – wanting and coming back for more. Thank you for that.
Tina, please, come and visit. Stay as long as you wish. Thank you.
A very dark place to live, it seems!
Indeed. Thank you, Gary.
Without exception ~fantastic ! I can’t recall the author of Blood Meridian [sorry my gray mass is exhausted] nevertheless, that’s the type of style you have captured. Thanks again ! Sincerely Deborah
Thank you so much, Deborah. I really appreciate that.
Nobody’s a liar. I’ve certainly never lied.
/sarcasm off
This was a great, philosophic take on the prompt, and a relatively original one. I bet this one was tough to pull off in so few words. I can usually spot those a mile away 🙂
Here’s mine: http://the-drabbler.com/trespass/
It was a challenge. I wrote, had way too many words, had to condense and concentrate. Thanks!
This read more as a metaphor to me than a fiction and I liked that. I also liked having something meaty to think about after reading this. Good job on both entertaining me and tickling my brain into motion!
Thank you, Michael!
Loved the sense of “this is for your own good” sort of feeling I got from this. Great story.
Thank you, Madison.
so many liars!! coolio 🙂
Truth be told. Thank you.
Wonderfully dark tone, cautionary stuff written in a very distinctive style. It feels very layered to me, open to interpretation. Rather draconian treatment of liars but i suspect it would certainly act as a deterrent 😉 Well done.
Thanks, Andy.
Loved this story! Well done.
Thank you, Sonia.
Nicely done. I agree with oldentimes–“til none remained” –an eventual reality.
Thanks for commenting on mine.
Thank you!
Very heavy and like many others have already said the repetition of the word ‘lie’ worked so well. I didn’t even notice how much it was repeated in honesty until I reread it. Really great story.
Thank you, Emma.
This had a very ominous feel to it. And the punch with the last line. Awesome. 🙂
I’m so happy you enjoyed this one, Nellie. Thanks.
Brutal, a terrifying regime suggested here. More than enough horror suggested, really effective writing. I liked this a lot!
My own gruesome entry for the prompt is over here: http://joannakneilson.wordpress.com/2012/04/27/flash-fiction-friday-wire-pilgrimage/
I’m just now getting to some of these older ones as i am a newcomer. Thanks for reading my last one, and comment left. You have used powerful words here and used them well. Very dramatic and suspenseful. My interpretation here is one of the Holocaust and the barbed wire fences to keep the Jews in, and the lies told to them upon the round-ups, etc. Was that your intended projection here? The Holocaust is a subject and area of interest to me as I do a lot of research and writing on my German Jewish family history.
Thank you, Joyce, for taking the time to read back through some of the older postings. The element which drove the narrative here was based on the famous statement made by Martin Niemoller entitled “First they came.” I’m certain you are familiar.
Yes, I do remember that famous quote. It is an unforgettable one. One can always find enough ideas to write about just looking back into history and reading the news headlines of today.
Reblogged this on Rosy Jimenez Blogs.