Picture courtesy of David Stewart
Bucolic, peaceful, and oh so domestic. Of course, I had to take a twist.
Word count: 100
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Swimming upward from darkness, eyelids scraped like sandpaper as he struggled to see clearly. Head throbbing, he evaluated his situation. Tied to a chair in his classroom, a towel stuffed in his mouth, it was late afternoon by the look of the light through the window. Fragments returned, the argument, the accusations, the blow to the head with the fire extinguisher.
If he could shimmy the chair to the window, he could reach the bell and call for help. Slowly, he inched toward it. Fear prickled along the back of his neck, he recognized the smell of smoke. No time now.
© Erin Leary
To see other Friday Fictioneers, please visit here.
erinlearywrites 
Great imagery, I could almost hear the crackle of fire 🙂
Thanks, Helen. Not sure why I felt I had to be so mean this week, but there you go!
I really hope he’s able to make it. 🙂
I hope so, too. I’m not usually this mean…
More! please……
I’ll see if I can figure out where this goes next. Let’s see what next week’s prompt is…
An adrenaline rush. Hope he gets free.
Thanks for reading – I hope so, too.
I too hope he makes it but it sounds like times run out. Well executed and scary.
I think I’ll have to write more to see what happens next. His nemesis can’t get off scott free.
Exactly! This story will make a great few-parters!
Excellent use of language to build tension!
Thank you, Jan. 🙂
Well written story…
Thanks! I appreciate you reading!
I guess he must have rubbed his students the wrong way. They must have been discussing politics.
He was a science teacher. That lab is going to blow.
A well-written story with a real cliff-hanger ending.
Thanks, Patricia! I hope he makes it.
Excellently terrible story, Erin.
janet
Thank you, Janet. Sometimes I have to emulate Sandra and put someone’s life in peril.
Erin, This poor guy was in a heap of trouble before he smelled smoke. Looks as if help won’t make it in time. Too bad.
MG
I’m still hopeful for him. Not exactly sure how it turns out yet. Maybe I’ll write more!
OMG…that’s terrible! (Obviously a story that evokes emotion).
Thanks, Dawn! That’s a goal for every week, so when it works, I feel good.
Well Erin, talk about taking us for twisty ride! So dark and scary… and real. Really well done!
Thanks – I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Dear Erin,
If the kids didn’t want to study Math they should’ve just said so. Dark and frighteningly well done. I mean well-written. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
I think he was a Chemistry teacher. My youngest is struggling in his AP Chem class this year so maybe I’m dealing with this in an alternate way…
In that case, it’s okay. 😉
Tense and crisply written Erin:-)Loved this take
Thank you for reading! :-0
🙂