Welcome to the Wakefield Doctrine (the theory of clarks, scotts and rogers)
Previously (at) the One-K theatre, we left Detective-Captain Anton Rilke and Inspector-Jefe Carlos Delgado watch as blood-stained pieces of a puzzle came together, the image forming very different than the one they’d pictured, [Click Here]
Hey! You’re still here, write? You thinkin’: what’s this Doctrine guy going on about… a story that has already started, a bloghop challenge… using photos?!!
Yep. Welcome to the Unicorn Challenge. Each week, jenne and ceayr offer a photo and issue a dare. Using the photo as a prompt/starting point/TAT image write a story. The challenge? Do it in 250 words or less.
“Wait, what is that?”
Anton Rilke, an almost-noticeable slant favoring his left leg stared down at the expanse of granite tiles. Worn smooth by millions of feet crossing it to enter the cathedral, the plaza was currently littered with red-plastic markers, each numbered with iridescent-white numerals. The slightest elevation of his left eyebrow was the only outward sign of reaction. Whether it was the fact that the marker was number 87 or his increasing respect for the local constabulary’s attention to detail, remained private.
Inspector Delgado, hooking the yell0w-crime-scene tape up with his right arm, stepped closer to his Interpol liaison, looked down and hesitated. A shadow of doubt hid in slightly-furrowed brows, cleared as he said, “I believe it’s a severed hand. By size and proportion, that of a man.” Looking over the field of markers and tape that almost blocked the plaza before it narrowed and crenelated upwards into a staircase, continued “The rest of him is, collectively, covering the area in front of us.”
“Nein, Señor Delgado, I’m referring to that red mark next to the hand,” the German detective crouched with a grace very much in contrast to his physical size and pointed towards a mark,
“Mein Gott im Himmel.”
Not requiring translation, the Spanish police officer, deciding to alter the balance of his relationship with Interpol, “The blood it is written in is not from the not-mourned, currently disassembled Señor Alphonso. But you knew that already, did you not?”
About clarkscottroger
Very interesting turn, and a nicely constructed continuation of the story.
I enjoyed it. probably should find a way to work it into a Six Sentence Serial
Hi Clark,
While this story appears to be as well-written and intriguing as always, I have no idea what is happening.
Which is disappointing, because I’ve been enjoying your 250 word contributions until now.
yeah, kinda what I was thinking (in my ‘intro comment’) not the end of the world. the challenge was to myself, to see if’n I could do a serial story in a photo-prompt format.
Well, Clark, I was almost tempted to what might be construed as ‘bad’ language in commenting on your story, so full of blood is it, but I refrained! Had to look up the symbol – the plot thickens! A good story, but – and I seem to have been elected primary voice in this challenge – I agree with m’learned colleague that stand-alone stories are really the objective in this challenge. I hope this doesn’t deter you, because I too have been enjoying your stories and look forward to that continuing.
No, as I indicated in my lead-in Comment this week the consensus is not surprising. While I liked the challenge, it (a serial story) is not a good fit for the photo-prompt format*.
Given the predominant worldview (from the Wakefield Doctrine’s three personality types) you most likely exhibit, you were no doubt aware of the ‘true’ story of Adam’s first wife, Lilith. What a great source of backstory for almost any character. lol
* my first impression of last week’s prompt put the setting in Spain. But then the photo this week, at least according to google’s image search took us to Paris… too much stretching in locale description (with only 250 words)
Well spotted. Last week’s handbag was indeed lying on Spanish Steps!
And Lilith, mm, yes…
ikr?
such a cool artifact totally purloined, that the efforts to deny it are surprisingly clumsy
(phew!)
…though I think I mislocated the most recent photo