Joe was a simple man.
He liked them young, naked and scared.
Joe had a simple method.
He used duct tape, fear and a walk in freezer with ten inch walls and an industrial strength door.
Joe followed a simple regime.
Never more than one. Never anyone that would be missed. Never girls.
Joe believed in a simple truth.
The voice in his head was the Lord and the Lord guided his hand.
Joe lived a simple existence.
Not too much. Not too little. Invisible.
It took me seven years to make Joe’s acquaintance.
His death was anything but simple.
Nik Eveleigh 
Brilliantly twisted, and a great ending I never imaged happening.
The code of ethics serial killer, calculating and cool enough to get away with murder gets a brand new paint job 🙂
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Thanks muchly kind Sir! This one just appeared in my head earlier and needed to be written down. I liked the word “simple” and I liked the idea of some sort of justice – after that it was just a case of scribbling and counting words until it reached 100 🙂
Thanks for sharing your thoughts – always appreciated!
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I like the change in viewpoint at the end and the unexpected hope that he gets his comeuppance 🙂
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So glad you liked the way it changed and ended! The key to this for me in terms of it working as a short story was to give some sort of twist – and it’s nice for once that the twist was positive rather than negative!
Great to hear from you always – appreciate you taking the time to comment 🙂
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this was so dark I had to go and get my torch to read it. There is so much gruesomeness unsaid and that’s the worst sort because you make it up and then you disgust yourself
Wonderful stuff.
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Thanks Diane – no choice but to make the reader do all the work in such a small word count. I have no idea where this came from but I’m glad it worked…albeit in a torch wielding, feeling slightly icky kind of a way…
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Woah! Dark and twisted, for an impactful piece with clever use of limited words. It’s great word-magic.
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This one shocked me a bit as well – no idea where it came from but it latched into my brain and forced me to write it down.
“Word-magic” – I hereby appoint you as ego-stroker-in-chief 🙂
Seriously though – thanks Mel. You’re always so supportive and it means a lot.
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This one was really cool! The repetition of the word ‘simple’ was incredibly effective, especially in the way you twisted it at the end. I also like the darkness of it: it’s ugly, but the raw horror it engenders is almost appealing. Great job 🙂
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Thanks Ana 🙂 I never quite know where these tiny tales come from but I’m always thrilled when such a short piece can provoke strong reactions in a reader and a sense of a complete story in a short word count. Really appreciate you taking the time to read and comment – great to know you enjoyed it!
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Another triumph, if i had a hat I’d be doffing it over and over, whatever that means. I always look forward to reading your latest.
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Cheers Lee – be careful when doffing as it could lead to some kind of Victorian era RSI 🙂 Truly appreciate the kind words and support – thank you.
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Nik,
For me this is a piece of brilliant writing that captures the reader in their own imagination, it also leads them towards making preconceived assumptions that enhance their feeling of horror.
Joe was a simple man – on first reading he is far from it. We learn he is a calculating psychopath with psychosexual psychosis, preying on young boys.
We cheer the narrator for his vigilante retribution. We return to our safe world.
Joe was a simple man- far from it. He is complex person who is influenced by his homophobic views perhaps driven by his deep religious beliefs and trust in doing the Lord’s work. Do we blame Joe or perverted ideas in Religion? Was he abused by the clergy?
Joe was a simple man. Perhaps he was and here comes a deeper horror – the world is still not safe. The narrator was manipulating Joe for seven years, since he was easily influenced because of his psychosis. The narrator had to get rid of Joe or else be implicated in the crimes…
The merit of this story is the depth of horror derived in the readers mind – well it would never really happen, would it?
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Great comment James – thank you. The deeper horror you hint at in your second to last paragraph was not a possibility I had even considered and yet…and yet…
So pleased you got so much out of this – I hoped it would provoke a lot of thought in each reader’s mind but it’s always such a bonus as a writer to get such detailed and considered feedback and opinion. Very much appreciated.
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Awe man! Surely you jest! I shall not sleep a wink with Joe lingering about! Find a happy thought! I have to before going to sleep! 😦
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Hope you managed to find a happy thought! You’re very safe from Joe I can assure you – he did not end well…!
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