
It took the rescuers a month to dig their way to the mountain cabins through snowdrifts a metre high. Dagmar’s was the last they reached.
“Don’t reckon it’ll be pretty,” Sergeant Rasmussen warned the volunteers. That morning they’d found Sven and Inga’s frozen bodies wrapped together in a final embrace, each of the children neat and cold in their beds. All the children bar two. The dog had eaten them.
They forced their way into Dagmar’s house, crunching over the litter of small bones. The cleaver caught Rasmussen in the neck.
“Food,” the old lady croaked in relief.
Friday fictioneers is a weekly challenge set by Rochelle Wisoff Fields to write a 100-word story in response to a photo prompt. You can find other stories here
The menu may be limited, but home delivery is always a very appealing option. Truly horrifying, curiously more so because the ‘diner’ is an old lady.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thanks, Sandra. A seasonal tale
LikeLike
Brilliant descriptions. I never trusted old ladies since I saw Arsenic and Old Lace. But needs must!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Jilly. I almost called this Needs Must
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Neil,
Now that was a grisly tale. Nothing like carryout, is there?
You made me grin with Sven and Inga. We had a cat who had a litter of kittens. Two of them were orange and white, a male and a female. Guess what the lady who adopted them named them?
Good one.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 2 people
I knew I should have looked up more unusual Swedish names
LikeLiked by 1 person
Having a party…a Donner party! Nice pacing on this one.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks, Josua
LikeLike
Yikes! Nothing like freshly caught rescuer.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You can understand her confusion after a month snowed in. It’s a mistake anyone could make
LikeLiked by 1 person
Remind me not to dig you out after a big snowstorm 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great twist, the detail with the dog was grisly and effective.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Iain
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a gruesome little tale.
Just love it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are a very sick man
LikeLike
It’s my best fault, Neil!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ouch. What a twist.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Sarah
LikeLike
Note to self – never dig through snowdrifts for a month . . . Brilliantly horrific!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Edith
LikeLiked by 2 people
A good turnaround, Neil. It certainly wasn’t pretty, but not at all in the way Sergeant Rasmussen had meant!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Penny. I haven’t done a “twist” story for a while so I thought it was about time
LikeLiked by 1 person
Poor Sgt. Rasmussen, just doing his job and WHACK! he becomes the entree. Wonder what the volunteers did?
LikeLiked by 1 person
They gently explained to Dagmar she’d made a mistake
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yikes. I’ve heard of “meals on wheels” but this is something else.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Snacks on tracks?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh no!
Brilliant twist, Neil.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks,Moon
LikeLike
Lovely, grisly build up – loved those details and descriptions throughout. And then that ending – wow! Poor Rasmussen! Poor Dagmar! Makes me wonder what (or who) she’s been eating in the meantime … Well turned horror Neil
LikeLiked by 1 person
Her cats sustained her
LikeLiked by 1 person
Eight out of ten cats prefer Dagmar 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, talk about grim!!! Yes, being snowed in and hungry would make one a bit confused. Right? Very well done.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Alicia. It’s a seasonal story since we have snow storms here. Luckily we stocked up on canned goods, so the rescuers are safe. Probably
LikeLike
Takeout of another sort!
Never go rescue alone… Noted.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for reading
LikeLiked by 1 person
So much for humanitarian efforts.
LikeLike
Rasmussen died doing a job he loved
LikeLike
Well that was unexpected. Did the dog live? 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
She didn’t have a dog. She ate her 10 cats
LikeLiked by 1 person
And she was fe-line fine. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Woah, that was such a cool story 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks so much. Was the pun intended?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Definitely 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hell in them mountains, a hungry Gran Dagmar, well she’s a survivor.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That she is
LikeLiked by 1 person
Eek! A terrible story very well told. Did not see that ending coming.
LikeLiked by 1 person
If you didn’t see it coming, it works. Thanks, Anne
LikeLike
He was right! It wasn’t pretty.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Much less than he thought
LikeLiked by 1 person
Don’t mess with Dagmar!
LikeLike
she made an honest mistake
LikeLike
Note to self, don’t eat the cats, enjoyed the story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Mike
LikeLike
That was a nice read. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you
LikeLike
That’s taking home delivery to the next level. Something to chew over in this story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Groan
LikeLike
Oh my! I love a good surprise ending–especially a chilling one! Well-done!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Jan. I’m glad it was a surprise (always a risk with twist-in-the-tail stories)
LikeLike
Yuck! I’m glad I wasn’t reading that over my dinner!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You never can tell when a story will sneak up on you and do that
LikeLike
I have to say I love that you have used Swedish names… Minnesota?
LikeLike
Sorry for the Sven and Inga. Not very inventive
LikeLike
It worked very well…
LikeLike
Thanks, Bjorn
LikeLike
That’ll teach ’em not to leave the old lady ’til last! A grim tale, but entertaining – just how I like ’em! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks. I’m glad it pleased
LikeLike
Great ending. I’ve grown tired of movies where the villain gets up after seemingly being killed, only for one more failed attempt at the hero. I like the word “Cleaver.” That was clever.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Dan. I’m glad you liked it
LikeLike
YIKES … that was a bit gruesome. I guess when you’re starving you become delusional and will eat anything. : ( Grandma must have been a strong woman to have survived. I think I’ll skip lunch today.
And, avoid meat too. Very creepy good writing …
Isadora 😎
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very creepy is what I was aiming for, thanks
LikeLiked by 1 person
😳 😄
LikeLike
Oooh, a wonderfuly grisly tale emerges from a picturesque winter landscape opening. The dog’s meal was a nice touch but, as it turns out, only an amuse bouche ahead of the old lady! I didn’t see that coming (and neither did Raussman 🙂 )
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s always tickling when a surprise ending works
LikeLike
🙂
LikeLike
Wonderfully done. The description of the family setting us up for one thing, before giving us something completely different. Rasmussen was right – it wasn’t pretty.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Sarah Ann. I’m glad it worked for you
LikeLike
Wonderful build up and then pow!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Dawn
LikeLiked by 1 person