Flash Fiction Friday 5-6-11: "Once Upon a Time...."

(Source image: "Bedtime Reading" by Valery Bareta)

“The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty”. Hmm. Well, I sure as hell haven't got anything better to do tonight, so I might as well give this a shot.

A bit slow to start, but I'll give it the benefit of the doubt. Always wanted to read a hot fairy tale.

Hmm. Intriguing. Interesting concept, at least.

They did what? How awful. This cannot be turning me on. Et tu, nipples? Et tu, cunt? Traitors.

Oh. Oh my. I think I'm glad I wore a nightie to bed and not anything more substantial. Makes for easier access. Mmmmm. Ohhh, that feels good. Mmm, delicious.....fingers.....wetness.....oh yes. Nice slow strokes.

Hell of a situation. Why isn't she running away? I mean, granted, she's a bad girl, but....wait, what? Did I really just SAY that? Am I getting off on her pain?

Ouch. Ohh, yes. Like that. Punish her. Make her beg like the nasty slut she is. Ohhh. Ohhh yesssss. Oh gods, yes. More. Harder.  Ohhh, ohhh, ohhh, OHHHH, OHHHHH.........

The book crashed, unheard and unheeded, to the floor.

(Click for details on FFF!)

Your challenge for today was to use the picture above and write a flash fiction of 160-185 words. Additionally, I provided a key phrase I wanted to see used somewhere in the submission:

"...unheard and unheeded..."

Nobody's checking word counts, or for the key phrase, but you're only cheating yourself if you break the rules. Unless you're doing it to earn a spanking (in which case, see me after class).

Special Bonus Director's Commentary Track:

When I was with Melissa, years ago, one of the things we experimented with was reading erotic stories together. It was a fantastic idea and we read a lot of stuff that turned both of us on. One of those, however, was Anne Rice's "Sleeping Beauty" series (The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty; Beauty's Punishment; Beauty's Release), a decidedly adult fairy-tale series with extreme sadomasochism and bondage in it. And some of the stuff in it turned my stomach, mostly because of the humiliation and degradation involved for the characters. I don't mind the idea of S&M, or mixing pain with pleasure -- though it's really not high on my list of fun stuff -- but when the people in the story are being treated like filth, humiliated and tortured and broken, I just don't get how someone can find that erotic. We read only part of the first book before deciding it wasn't doing anything for either of us and changing to something else. I did read the rest of the series eventually, mostly to find out if it got any better, but didn't enjoy the rest of book one or books two and three any more than I had previously.

When I saw this picture, out of nowhere came my memories of those stories, and I knew I wanted to write about her experiences with same. Maybe she liked the pain, the humiliation; maybe she felt a kinship with the Beauty of the tales. Maybe she wanted in her secret heart to be tormented and hurt like the ones in there. It isn't my cup of tea, but the books sold fairly well, so who's to say that someone else might not really get off on those tales? Your mileage may vary. That's part of the fun in relationships, discovering what turns someone else on. How boring it would be if we all liked the same things, eh? 

Please note that I am no longer collecting the participants list. If you are playing along this week, please leave your link below using the widget. It will appear in the text of the post itself, not in the comments, so everyone that's playing will be listed here. This frees me from having to chase people down to find out if they're playing or update the Friday post several times for late entries. Your cooperation is appreciated.

In any case, the participants list is below. Go check them out, and thanks to all who played along.



Check back here on Monday for the next challenge! And if you have any photos or artwork you'd like to see in a future challenge, please send them my way. 

-- PB

Flash Fiction Friday 10-22-10: "....That Launched a Thousand Ships"

(Photo provided by Soren Ambrose, title and source unknown. Photographer: Petrova Julian).

“Fuck me sideways,” he growled, tossing down his brush, spraying crimson. “This isn't working.”

She stretched, rolling her head from side to side with little crackles. “You're the boss,” she said. “What do you want, then?”

“No, goddammit,” he said angrily. “Have you been listening at all? I'm not the boss. You are. I want hauteur and disdain here. You're Helen of Troy, and someone's surprised you while you're getting dressed – invaded your private bedroom and dared to lay eyes on you. A ten-year war was started for less. Now, think: how would you react?”

She tilted her head, really considering for the first time. “I suppose I'd be pretty pissed, at first.”

At first? Odd. He nodded. “That's a start.” He reached for the brush and began mixing furiously as he saw her getting it, really getting it.

Her arms, clutching the satin sheets so convulsively till now, slid down. The satin slipped away, revealing more of her exquisite form. Her back arched. Her breasts came up. She tossed her head angrily and a sneer curled her lip.

“Who...dares?” she hissed slowly. Venom dripped from the words and ate smoking holes in the floor.

“Yes, that's it, baby,” he muttered, paintbrush working frantically, trying now to capture the icy arrogance that shone forth in waves.

“Baby?” The scorn in her voice was palpable. “I am not your...baby, or anyone else's.” Her chin tilted imperiously. “But....then again, you are not uncomely.”

She paused, seemingly calculating, and then the sheets slid to the floor. His paintbrush fell from nerveless fingers as she stalked towards him, gaze hungry, breasts swaying, lips parted.

I may have created a monster here, he thought, and then she was on him.

(Click for details on FFF!)

Your challenge for today was to use the picture above and write a flash fiction of 100-300 words. Additionally, I provided a key phrase I wanted to see used somewhere in the submission:

"...a sneer curled her lip..."

Nobody's checking word counts, or for the key phrase, but you're only cheating yourself if you break the rules. Unless you're doing it to earn a spanking (in which case, see me after class).

Special Bonus Director's Commentary Track:

I looked at this picture for a long time before I found any inspiration at all, but once it did come, I was positively deluged with ideas.

First was the icy expression on her face. My guess is the photographer wanted her to have a sultry look on her face, but to me those lips are curling in scorn. Thus, the key phrase. I wanted to see how other people would deal with that themselves.

Next was her classical beauty. High cheekbones, large dark eyes, long hair artfully tousled. Something about the lighting, the clothing or fabric that she was holding in front of her, the coloring of the background -- all of it suggested something from a bygone age.

Then I got thinking about classically beautiful women, and suddenly decided to go with Helen of Troy. I remember Helen as kind of a cipher in Homer's original, getting only a few lines to speak of her remarkable beauty, but no development or real interest there. Likewise in the recent film; Diane Kruger was pretty enough, but she was only that -- a pretty face (okay, and body, too). But the woman shown here is more beautiful by far, and she knows it.

I decided to emphasize that arrogant look, and thought I'd see what Helen would do if she was really full of herself. Who wouldn't be, after having a war started over her body? Now, if her bedroom were invaded...yes. She'd be pissed off. But what else? If the intruder was attractive....well. Her kidnapper Paris had come to gradually disgust her. She'd left her husband behind. All the Trojans hated her. Wouldn't she be more than a little hungry for male companionship? I thought she would.

The following people are participating this week. Go check out their take on this FFF, won't you, and thank 'em for playing along.

Soren:  http://amorousdays.blogspot.com
Drenchxoxo:  http://thedrenchedone.blogspot.com
Rozewolf:  http://wordwytch.wordpress.com
Lexi:  http://lex-ploits.blogspot.com
Just a Taste:  http://sexandchocolatecake.blogspot.com
Big Geek:  http://getting-a-grip.blogspot.com
Cara:  http://bigakboy.wordpress.com
Spring Flower:  http://agirlsgottahaveoptions.blogspot.com
Advizor:  http://advizortoall.blogspot.com
Max:  http://mystic-satyr.blogspot.com 

Check back here on Monday for the next challenge! And if you have any photos or artwork you'd like to see in a future challenge, please send them my way. Thanks to Soren for providing this week's photo.

-- PB