I set down the saucer of milk in the corner of the barn and scuffed around in the straw, calling and blowing little kisses. Every day I’d visited the kittens, pressing each soft face against mine and sighing.
Cara had sighed too. ‘They’re not your babies, Frances. They’re feral cats and in a month they’ll be yowling, and scratching and copulating.’
Now she stood in the doorway, the sleeves of her shirt sodden.
‘Have you been to the lake?’ I said.
She held out a sack, the dead-weight at the bottom dripping water on the concrete floor.
‘You’re too old for playing mother,’ she said.
***
This is a Friday Fictioneers story of 100-words or so, hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, and this week the picture is provided by Piya Singh. Click here to join in or here to read other people’s.
***
I had some great news yesterday. One of my short stories, A Quiet Tidy Man, has been shortlisted for the Royal Academy / Pin Drop short story prize. The winner will be announced at a ceremony later in June at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, where the story will be read by the actress Juliet Stevenson. More information.
The kittens were, of course, just a device to show us the relationship between the two women. Frances. soft-hearted and sentimental, Cara tough and practical. Will their relationship survive Cara’s brutality? Congratulations on the short-listing
Exactly! Perhaps a little too obvious, but then what can you do in 100 words…
No, not obvious at all – very clever
Congratulations on the short listing. It;s amazing how you manage to get such depth in 100 words.
Thanks so much Graham.
A great story, Claire. Fantastic how you summed up their relationship in so few words.That Cara’s the toughest of cookies. Beautifully succinct. And very well done on the shortlisting – that’s a fantastic achievement. And what a great actress to have involved, too – she has a glorious voice, perfect for readings.
Thanks Lynn. You’re right she’s a tough one, that Cara. And thanks for the congratulations. I’m so excited to meet JS.
I don’t blame you. She’s a great actress. Fingers crossed for you, Claire 🙂
So Cara drowned the cats? If so why did she bring them back i.e. not just chuck them in the lake with a brick? Oh, and congrats on the shortlisting – we have a genuine star in our FF firmament.
She did. I did think about her bringing them back – most people would chuck them in the lake (well, perhaps most people wouldn’t kill the cats in the first place) – but her bringing them back makes her even more of a different sort of person I think. And thanks for the congratulations. I am very excited.
This is so much told in your voice… the same undertone of disaster I loved in your book. This is pure brilliance in its melancholy. And congrats on the shortlist.
Thanks Bjorn. When you like something I write it makes me very happy.
so much read, in so little said… great job Claire 🙂
Thanks Helen.
Wow! That settled the hash, all right. So much depth in the story. I felt I was there.
Super, Claire!
Thank you!
I guess Cara is really putting Frances down, but it sounds a bit risky to me.
Yes, I think there maybe some backlash…
Such a beautifully written, sad story, and such a swiftly evoked contrast between the two characters!
Congratulations on the short-listed story! I hope you win it!
Thank you! On both counts.
My pleasure! 🙂
Oh, that was a savage and graphic illustration of their relationship. I could almost see Olivia de Havilland and Bette Davis there. And congrats!
Hah! Thanks, Sandra.
Such a great description of a relationship between two women. Cara certainly is a cold woman, though. Poor kitties. 🙁 Congrats, though, on the shortlisting. That’s spectacular!
I think she has a lot of history, Cara. Thanks for reading and glad you liked it.
Love the way you’ve handled the time changes. Are Cara and Frances still friends?
Yes, but dangerous friends.Thanks, Patrick.
Dear Claire,
Sandra took the words from under my fingertips. Joan Crawford and Bette Davis. What a cruel thing for Cara to do. And so well written. Congratulations on the short story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thanks Rochelle, glad you liked it.
Great piece of writing, Claire, flawlessly created and executed.
I add my congratulations to the others, well done and well deserved.
Thank you!
Great way to show the gap between the two girls, Claire. It sounds as though they may be going separate ways in future. Congratulations on the shortlisting. All the best. 🙂 — Suzanne
Thanks so much Suzanne. Glad you liked it.
If I were Frances I’d hate Cara with a vengeance now. I know kitten were drowned frequently in the past, before vet visits and ‘fixing’ became the rule, but that was usually done to newborns. These were older and Frances loved them. Cara killed them. I don’t know how that can be forgiven. Another great snippet about these characters. And congrats on the shortlisting.
Yes, I don’t know what the outcome of this episode will be. But thanks for reading.
Shortlisted? OMG! But by the quality of this story I’m not surprised.What a pity Cara didn’t dispatch the kittens before Frances had time to love them.
Oh no!
That Cara’s a harsh one! Congratulations on the short-listing! 🙂
She is! Thanks Clare
Cara certainly has a way of making her point. Nicely told and a big congrats on the shortlisting!
She does! And thanks.
Well told. Cara’s nasty and cruel and I don’t like her. Hopefully, she’ll get her comeuppance.
Hah! Glad you had such a strong reaction. I’m not sure what’s going to happen to Cara.
The picture immediately made me think of Our Endless Numbered Days – which I absolutely loved by the way – I even saw a copy in a charity shop the other day, which in my opinion means you’ve made it! So good, they want to pass it on! I was good and bought mine at full price though 🙂
Loved the characters in this story, brilliantly written as always. So pleased for all your successes – you deserve them. Keep it up 🙂
Thanks so much El, and so pleased you enjoyed OEND. I’m very happy to that it’s made it to a charity shop – it’ll haven another reader hopefully. I just wish charity shops would encourage people who buy their books to leave reviews, and then everyone wins. And glad you liked this story.
These people are scary!
Congrats on your recognition.
Thanks Dawn
You’ve conveyed so much in so few words – excellent stuff. (And congrats again on the short-listing.)
Susan at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
Thanks!
What a powerful picture of these two. Cara’s actions point to something dark in her character. Congratulations on the shortlisting of your story.
Thanks Margaret
You painted a great picture of their personalities in such few words, I really liked the story. Congrats on being shortlisted, would love to meet Juliet Stephenson I’ve long been a fan of hers.
Thanks Dee. I can’t wait to meet her. I watched Truly Madly Deeply again on Sunday, and cried (again)
Cara is a cruel woman. Drowning kittens is wrong in so many ways. And completely the wrong way to treat another human. But great story. Definitely gives a punch in the stomach in the end.
Thanks – the baddies are always the most interesting.
Not The kittens :”(. Congrats on the shortlisting 😀
Sorry! (And thanks)
🙂
Congrats on the shortlisting!
It’s funny… With this picture I kept thinking of your book (even though the house was made of wood)
Then you go and write this! You packed so much into 100 words. Fabulous!
Yes, it does remind me a little of die Hutte too. Thanks Dale!
What an amazing piece. It evokes such emotion, well done!
Thank you!