Flash Fiction

Before the Bloodbath

By

9 Comments 31 May 2011

The bonnet of the man on the chair in front of the white wall. The smell of beer on the table. The laughter of the toddler standing up on the synthetic leather stool. The girl crawling across the lino covered floor. The musician’s smile behind his accordion. The dog lifting its leg next to the photographer. The careful retraction of the camera eye and the sucking noise of the lens tunnel. The lustful hostess on the other side of the room. The smoking excavator driver outside in the dugout. The walk of the village beauty on the street. So many abandoned compact cars. A coil of coins in the hand of Timothy the cash transport driver. The scent of diesel and sweat all the way to the house of worship. The priest behind the church door with the tight dirty collar. The widow Flannagan kneeling on the stone-cold tiles below the image of the Lord. The open fly of the sacristan dozing in the pews. The organ sounds quietly dripping down from the gallery.

Your Comments

9 Comments so far

  1. susan tepper says:

    Pure Speh. So much to think about and no clear answers. Like life.

  2. Tom Allman says:

    Wizzo! Each image is an untold story waiting for an inspired flasher!

  3. I enjoy your work very much, Marcus.


Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. When the Air Feels Impatient - May 31, 2011

    [...] Speh’s “Before the Bloodbath” echoes the religious notes of “Madame Ordoñez,” as well as the characters’ village and the [...]

  2. A Scene Of Constant Chaos | Nothing To Flawnt - May 31, 2011

    [...] ulysses all by mi-self. ja-ah. (5) atti­cus review i love and i love it & i see myself there before the blood­bath a piece that began with a pic­ture. oh-my gray. (6) a moon­dog i’d like to be. blue i am, blue [...]

  3. A Scene Of Constant Chaos « - August 11, 2012

    [...] of ulysses all by mi-self. ja-ah. (5) atticus review i love and i love it & i see myself there before the bloodbath a piece that began with a picture. oh-my gray. (6) a moondog i’d like to be. blue i am, blue [...]

Author Info

This post was written by who has written 2 posts on Atticus Review.

Marcus Speh lives in Berlin, Germany. He blogs at Nothing To Flawnt, curates One Thousand Shipwrecked Penguins and serves as maitre d’ at the Kaffe in Katmandu.

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