Mr. Tankerness owned a tree. The tree had a tiny door at the base. The tiny door was a trap. Of course, my parents warned me against men like Mr. Tankerness. The cute hobbit tree drew children in to capture them.
I considered chopping the tree down, but that would take hours and he’d hear me and come running. Only one answer worked.
So why was everyone so upset at me for burning Mr. Tankerness’ house down? They should have given me a medal.
.
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
Neil MacDonald Author 
Shades of ‘To kill a mockingbird’
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks so much
LikeLike
Dear Neil,
Why indeed? Methinks there’s more to the story. Intriguing.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much, Rochelle
LikeLike
An attempt to protect goes wrong – well-meaning parents but …
LikeLiked by 1 person
Consequences are often unforseeable
LikeLike
That was one way to handle things… Good intentions, and all that!
LikeLiked by 1 person
The road to hell. Exactly
LikeLiked by 1 person
Indeed!
LikeLike
Once the house was burned, hope the evil person left the area…
What if he made the tree his home?
These days people have homes on trees!
What if he took revenge once he knew the person responsible for burning his home?
So many questions!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank, Anita
LikeLike
Next time, burn the tree.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good advice
LikeLike
needs must 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Indeed. There was no other good option
LikeLiked by 1 person
I couldn’t figure out what to do with the thingamajig at the bottom of the tree, so I ignored it :) You’ve put it to good use. First time I’ve ever felt sorry for someone who burned a house down 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
The pernicious power of the reader’s identification with the protagonist
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes, absolutely!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hate to think of a child being an arsonist, but if the match fits…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sometimes, the logic is overwhelming
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mr. Tankerness sounds sketchy at best. I remember reading a book long ago about a man who dug a hole in his yard and kept little kids in it. Wish I could remember the name. Anyway, Mr. Tankerness reminds me of him.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mr. Tankerness was a threat that had to be eliminated
LikeLike
A very clever child, to burn down Mr. Tankerness’s house. Sounds like a creepy bad man.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, but the problem was Mr. Tankerness was in it
LikeLike
the tree should have been burned too, for good measure. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good point
LikeLiked by 1 person
At last, they are Tankerless! Nice one, Neil.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much, Keith
LikeLike
Sounds like this child is a problem solver, but does he have the whole story? Lots of intriguing characters and setting. I see some To Kill a Mockingbird in here, too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Minor details don’t trouble him
LikeLike
Truly imaginative! And his name sounds coincidentally like ‘cantankerous’.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That was exactly the resonance I was going for. Thanks. Claire
LikeLike
I agree the comment above! I immediately thought of “cantankerous” when I saw the name, and it suits him. Also agree – the kid deserves a medal. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Patricia. The kid, it seems, may go on to achieve great things
LikeLike
He saw the problem and he fixed it. Great depiction of a child’s way of thinking in this. I wish it was really so easy to deal with the Mr Tankernesses of this world.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much, Margaret
LikeLiked by 1 person
Consider the medal awarded – any paedophile deserves such treatment.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m not sure I’d say Mr Tankerness was a paedophile
LikeLike
It was hard to press the like button, as I felt for the tree. Shades of Hadrian Wall
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sorry to put you through that, Michael
LikeLike
every one has his own way of saving the world
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is true. Even wickedness has a logic
LikeLike
Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do.
Good story, Neil.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ooooooooo
I like this
Great voice
I think they were right to burn it all down but I don’t think this kiddo will get their deserved acolades
LikeLiked by 1 person
There was just one problem. Mr Tankerness was in the house at the time
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hmmmmmm well that could be trouble. Still… did they deserve the harsh punishment ? I feel they did.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Maybe
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great story, the voice and the cadence really work here. Good riddance, what happened to the children? Why were the adults ok with Tankerness luring children to his home? An intriguing tale.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much
LikeLiked by 1 person
Almost a Grimm Fairy-tale.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Almost Strudelpeter
LikeLiked by 1 person