[Write The Story] Ten People in a Blackout

Prompt: Ten People in a Blackout

Words: ballet, thunder, grind, handwriting, partner, yardstick, adopt, swarm, bundle, prodigious

Story

I stared out the window at the wild ballet Nature performed outside. I could hear the voices in the other room as an underlying buzz to the wind and thunder whipping against the windows.

“Are you coming back, Felix? It’s time.”

I pushed back from the window and tried not to grind my teeth by trying to smile at my partner, Kim. Time to adopt my professional persona. “You have the handwriting sample?”

“Here.” Kim handed me the prodigious bundle of papers.

I nearly tripped over the furniture as we made our way back to the library. Lightning had knocked out the power an hour before. The other eight milled about the fireplace in a slow swarm. They all turned to stare at me as I joined them. Kim closed the massive double doors behind us.

I studied them in turn, measuring them by my own personal yardstick. This was my game now. I made the rules.

“Why are we here?”

Rookie move. “We’re here to reveal a killer,” I said. “On this dark and storm night, one of us committed murder.”

There was the usual denial, shock and surprise. But none more than when Kim shot them all. They were all miserable people and sometimes being a detective? It just gave you ideas.

Word Count: 214

Written: 5/28/2020

Tags: detective, fiction, flash fiction, murder, mystery, Piccadilly, Write the Story