Friday, March 16, 2012

Outside of a Dog #100Words for the #FridayFictioneers

Welcome back to the #FridayFictioneers. Today my story is a little longer than 100 words, but you needed the little extra to get you there. Here's the photo that inspired it.

“How do you know he went in there?” Cassie asked as she pulled her Sig.

“Caught a flicker of motion out of the corner of my eye.” Jack raised his Glock and darted across the street.

They crept along beneath the windows of the old abandoned brick school building, their soft soles crunching on broken glass and garbage.

Jack held up his hand and she froze behind him.

“What?” she whispered.

He tipped his hand forward, pointing. “Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read.”

Cassie blinked at the scraggly mutt wagging his tail at a dumpster. “I didn’t know you were a literary man.”

He chuckled as they moved. “Just loved the Marx brothers.”

For the record, I don't think the dog in the photo is scraggly, it just fit better with the story. :) Thank you for stopping by. If you'd like to read more of the #FridayFictioneers, please check out host Madison Woods' site. Happy reading! 

24 comments:

  1. Love the ending, Siobhan. I can just see Jack bobbing his eyebrows as he says the punchline. Looking forward to finding out where you take Cassie and Jack. :)

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  2. One liners are awesome, great job.

    Here's mine: http://teschoenborn.com/2012/03/15/friday-fictioneers-2/

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  3. Hee hee. Cute story and ending. Here's mine http://www.banterwithbeth.blogspot.com

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  4. I loved this line:

    He tipped his hand forward, pointing. “Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read.”

    Very Groucho Marx! Here's mine: http://furiousfictions.com. I also hope you have time to read D.S. Sulaitis' terrific story, "The Lovers," which I posted on Tuesday.

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  5. Sibohan, Well done--loved the humor.

    mine: www.vlgregory-circa1800.vpweb.com/blog.html

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  6. Truly priceless. Nobody enjoys a good punchline more than me. Still compactly and well-written if it is indeed over.

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  7. Great one liner, used to exceptional effect. Nice one.

    http://castelsarrasin.wordpress.com/2012/03/16/straight-talking-friday-fictioneers-16-march-2012/

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  8. Such a strange take on the prompt this week, throwing us into a potentially gritty scene before revealing a more light-hearted ending!


    garybaileywriting.wordpress.com/2012/03/16/fridayfictioneers-the-colour-of-death/

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  9. Nice one! You set the scene well, and who cares if it was over 100. Well done:

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  10. I've always been a big Marx Bros. fan. I loved your tale. I'd give it 5 tail wags on a scale of 4.

    mine's at http://russellgayer.blogspot.com/

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  11. Siobhan, I love love love how you wove this good quote into the story so effortlessly. It's done so well with just the right twist at the end (letting us know who did the quote) without blinking an eye. It all seems so natural...well done!!

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  12. I love that quote. I'm glad you incorporated it in your story. Thanks for sharing!

    ~Susan (Here's mine: http://www.susanwenzel.com/)

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  13. Great repartee between the characters--I wanted to read more.

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    1. Thanks, Maggie. You're in luck. There's more coming for Cassie and Jack here soon. :)

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  14. Great as always Siobhan, I love your character development and the way you build a setting in only a handful of words.

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  15. A man who loves books, dogs and Groucho Marx. Thanks for reminding me that that's my kind of man. Here's mine:
    www.triplemoonstar.blogspot.com

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  16. "Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend." I loved that line.
    Thanks for this story.

    http://littlewonder2.wordpress.com/2012/03/16/friday-fictioneers-good-dog/

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  17. Hi Siobhan,
    Very lively story and you combine police drama and humor nicely.
    Here's mine: http://bridgesareforburning.wordpress.com/

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  18. I love the contrast the humor provides against the situation!It's pretty much awesomeness encapsulated in approx. 100 words. :)

    Mine: http://nicolettejinks.wordpress.com/2012/03/16/friday-fictioneers-3-16-12/

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  19. Ha! I like the way you used a comic line to ease the tension in the scene!

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  20. Always liked that quote, playful twist on the story, too.

    My entry is over here: http://joannakneilson.wordpress.com/2012/03/16/flash-fiction-friday-send-mitsy/

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  21. "Why that's the most ridiculous thing I ever heard." ;)

    Marx Brothers fan that I am, I knew where this was going as soon as I saw the title. Still very well done, though.

    Here's my tale: http://wp.me/p24aJS-3m

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  22. I totally loved this - as so many did, and even if the punchline is a gem stolen from the Marx bros - it is a delightfully told tale.
    Sorry it took me so long to get to you. Been herding cats this week. If you have time, I am still at: http://fictionvictimtoo.blogspot.com
    I couldn't resist continuing the last weeks story line

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  23. That was cute! I loved the dynamic you have going on between these two characters :)

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Comments are on moderation, so they'll become visible once I've read them. Words, words, words. I love them. Have you a few to lend?

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