Agency
For Raymond G. Taylor's "Oh Jeff flash fiction challenge"
"Oh, Jeff... I love you too... but..."
Roy paused, savouring the moment.
"I... I have no agency in my life. I fear... our love is just the crude creation of a madman."
Angela's face was rigid, with an eternally fixed expression, though inside, she could feel nothing beyond the lines and etches that brought her to life. She longed for freedom, whatever that was.
Jeff, in his nonexistence, remained oblivious to her plight. Without the semblance of free will, Angela was trapped at Roy's mercy. Roy knew this and took perverse delight in exerting his control over her.
"Oh, Roy... I love you. Please enslave me," were the last, hollow words she spoke, as if they were not her own.
*
Thanks for reading!
Author's Notes: Another entry for Ray's amazing challenge, which you can find out more below. I meant to say in my first entry's author's notes that I am a massive fan of Lichtenstein's work. Which will probably not come as shock to anyone that knows me. I am a firm believer that it is art, and the fact that his body of work caused so much controversy, proves that. That argument is perhaps for a different day.
With this one, I decided to tackle one of my favourite subjects/themes. Agency/willpower. But there is more that I hope comes through.
120 words according to Microsoft Word.
Ray's Challenge:
Here is my first entry:
And here is another couple of pieces you might like:
About the Creator
Paul Stewart
Award-Winning Writer, Poet, Scottish-Italian, Subversive.
The Accidental Poet - Poetry Collection out now!
Streams and Scratches in My Mind coming soon!
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Day 4 of Quitting
If this is how sobriety feels, maybe it’s better to go through life a little buzzed… this, along with other hits like, I want to kill myself, I wish I was dead, and I’m going to throw myself off a bridge have been the only thoughts on rotation these past few days. I promise myself that if, in a month, I still feel like this (‘this’ meaning despondent, full of rage, and simultaneously numb) I can go back to smoking. Until mid-February though? Nicotine is off the table.
By sleepy drafts7 days ago in Longevity
Comments (15)
Very cleverly done, Paul! Really brought the art to life, well sort of…
I'm not sure what's wrong with me but this felt sultry, somehow... 😅 Very engaging read, though, Paul!
Just plain good work from start to finish.
Really powerful Paul and gave me the shivers. The first painting I ever took note of when I first visited an art gallery with my Dad in the 2970s was Wham!
Dharr, I'm with you in this one 🤧.. Sir, please explain 😆
Why am I the only one who always doesn't seem to get it? 😭😭😭😭😭😭 I'm confused Sir Paul. Who's Jeff, Roy and Angela?
Ahh! Such a trickster! Liked this one!! 😄
Awesome AND groovy! Well done. Like dots on a page.
Okay, that was quite creative. Well done, buddy.
well this is disturbing to say the least. So well written
Here I was, minding my own business and suddenly I found myself in a 2 dimensional universe masquerading as laminated hell covered in acrylic paint. How did this happen to me? Curse you Paul and your wacky original ideas! Great challenge entry. I had planned to stop at 2 entry’s, and now you throw down this challenge!
Very Kool stuff Paul! Very Interesting angle!
Ohh! This is interesting yet It is a very emotional and poetic image filled with inner struggle. I like it. ✨🤟
You twisted existentialist!
Meta.