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The Artist's Monologue

A VSS Challenge Microfiction

By Rachel DeemingPublished 2 years ago 2 min read
The Artist's Monologue
Photo by Tapio Haaja on Unsplash

I'm afraid I am going to have to remove your head now but don't worry. I'm going to make a clean cut. Because your body is going to be used again and we want the new head that we put on your body to be a seamless fit, don't we? Now, I'll need the sharpest tool...

It might take some time to remove because it really is very well attached. Mmm, let me see. I'm going to take my time, little by little, bit by bit, making sure that visage of yours is preserved - just not attached. Sorry about that.

Look at your body! Soooo good. So powerful and authoritative. Hard. Look at those ridges! I can see the work that's been put into it; it would be such a shame to not have it on display, lauding over the rest of us. No, we just need to make sure the features are just right. Move with the times, you know. Otherwise, you know what the mob is like. There'll be riots!

Don't look at me like that! You won't win me over with those empty eyes! I can't help it! I know you want to stay but it's how it's got to be. And don't think you'll be the last. Oh no! I give it, oo, let's say, a couple of years maximum and I'll be changing it. What if his name was Maximum! Ha! I crack myself up. But not as much as I do you! Ha!

If you read this, please leave a comment about what you think it is about. I've been deliberately disingenuous about who the speaker is and I have dropped some (very subtle) hints through it. It is not as macabre as the dolls' heads suggest. I have written this as a response to a Micro Fiction Picture Prompt from Mike Singleton - Mikeydred on the Vocal Social Society Facebook page inspired by a picture called Heids in Kelvin Grove, sort of, but I have put my own spin on it and I have changed the picture.

Here is a link to see for yourself"

And here is a link to Mike's original piece:

MicrofictionMysteryShort Story

About the Creator

Rachel Deeming

Storyteller. Poet. Reviewer. Traveller.

I love to write. Check me out in the many places where I pop up:

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Comments (8)

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  • Test2 years ago

    writing skills are truly impressive

  • L.C. Schäfer2 years ago

    That's a killer of a first line that is 😁

  • I enjoyed how politely you took my head lol

  • So that is the narrative of the head creator, creepily excellent, that's how I saw it Max !!!

  • I'm so sorry because I have no idea what this is about although I read it so many times 😅

  • Wonderfully dark! I love it! 😀 great story!

  • Test2 years ago

    This is brilliant! So well written :) I loved it on the surface level-Macabre and wonderful. Been thinking about it for far to long so I'm going with Constantine which is probably way too obscure, but its all I have in my head 🤍

  • Sian N. Clutton2 years ago

    Great story, Rachel! As for for subtle hints - Going out on a whim here, but there's a Maximum in Frankenstein...?

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