Her feet were strung up with steel wire, precisely one foot apart. The wire cut into her skin, releasing fat drops of blood up her ankle towards her knees. Her arms dangled freely, occasionally caressed by white tufts of her hair as it swayed with the breeze coming in through the cracked window.
Back when I was writing this scene, sitting at my lonely desk, I didn’t think it could really be done, not in practice. Imagine my surprise when I managed it.
She gasped loudly, informing me that she was conscious. Her eyes opened and focused, falling on my army boots, then up my camo pants, up my tank top and finally on my face. They stuck there for a moment and then she started to scream at a high-pitched decibel.
‘Alright, pipe it down now!’
She did pause after a second, but only because she had run out of breath, I think.
‘Why are you doing this?’
‘Seriously? Isn’t it obvious? Look around you, woman! How you’re strung up, the tools I used, the clothes I’m wearing.’ I actually shook my head in disbelief. ‘Who’s pedantic now, huh?’
‘Is this…Is this because of my critique of your novel?’
‘Duh!’
‘But I was only doing my job!’
‘And ruining mine!’
‘But every line is a cliché!’
‘Ma’am, do you think you’re in the best position to continue criticizing my work in that manner?’
‘What do you want? I’ll do anything.’
‘Not much you can do now, is there? That blasphemous article is out there. My novel isn’t selling—‘
‘I’ll write it again. I say it’s better on the second reading, that every line is filled with meaning, that there’s a coded message hidden in your prose. A conspiracy like that would sell more copies than the Bible! What do you say?’
Ah, shit! I had to think about that; sell copies or test out my scene to its end?
Have you ever had to make a decision such as this one?
—
For Trifecta.
The word this week is PEDANTIC: unimaginative, pedestrian. A difficult word to be imaginative about!
Sandra's scribbles 
Ha!ha!What a predicament Sandra!Hope I will never need to make such a decision(and from now on I will never even think of criticizing any writer,lol!)Loved this totally wicked story!
You should be careful, Atreyee, you certainly like writing murder scenes…who knows…!
;p
ROFL!You are right Sandra-it already seems to be rubbing off on you 😉
ha! Awww the poor critic (:
😀
Woah , this is creepy , i bet many of us imagine doing this every once in awhile .:).
My imagination so far has been cramped with images of my boss strung up like that…this is the first time a critic took his place 🙂
Bad review? 🙂
You said it, sista!
Ouuuuu, now that’s wicked!
Hehe 🙂 Thanks for your comment.
Loving it! So very well done! I wonder how many times critics end up paying a price by those they dissect in their critiques? I’m not sure how it will turn out for your fictional critic but, if you go all Sun-Tzu on her behind then, killing one to terrorize ten thousand would seem a likely outcome. Great work on your part, Sandra.
That is a very sane and rational idea, I’ll take it into consideration.
Gotta be careful with those critiques, eh? For what it’s worth, I think she should test out the scene to the end. What? She’ll write other books 🙂
…and there are other critics. Yes, she might do that.
OMG, this is like Misery but so much fun! I should be more careful while reviewing. Great one, Sandra.
Hehe 🙂 Thanks for your comment, Varsha.
Someone is criticism-phobic … Very gripping write-up … Brilliant !
Someone is, not me though, I’d like to insert my disclaimer here ;). Thanks a lot for your comment.
Whoa Sandra… that was so wickedly mean of him…. a creepy one but a good read.
Heh 🙂 Thanks.
lol. Good one.
😀
Great story. Decision making can be so hard, but at least he looks like getting some good material for his next book!
Oh yes, he definitely does – The Rise and Fall of Madam Critic. 🙂
Ah, you wrote out a scene from every writer’s dreams. Nice!
Hehe 🙂 thanks
This is excelent superb fine the best I ever read — just as long as I’m not a guineapig for your creative mind 🙂
What a wonderful collection of adjectives you gave me there! And don’t worry, you are safe from my wicked imagination!
Aha! Similar to Bjorn’s which carried an important message as well. Here, the message is NEVER piss off the writer. Because the writer can imagine you into anything.
You are so right! Thanks for your comment 🙂
I shall NEVER criticize another writer. EVER.
I love the writing about writing thing. Nice job with the prompt. Remember to come back and vote at the end, ok?
What a nice, positive comment you gave me, Trifecta. Then again, all the comments this week were very positive! I wonder why…hmm
Dark as cavernous midnight, but so inspirational! I have my strategy all worked out now 😀
‘Dark as cavernous midnight’ Whao I liked that!
Thanks for commenting, Thomas 🙂