**** Warning — this story is shocking — unfortunately these things have happened, and is a variant of Stockholm Syndrome ****
Discarded from the lull of lullabies, from lollipops and cotton-candy afternoons, Samantha spent her truant days in haze of glue and bike-shed degradations. Those drops of blood and budding breasts had moved attention and her father’s tender touch, moved it to her little sister. Killed that special trust and secrets from her mother’s prying eyes.
Now preparing — stirring carefully — the chicken broth with caustic soda for her sister’s “flu”. She couldn’t understand her sister’s tears, but had gained her confidence; she would soon be back within that special place of trust she used to share alone with Pa.
This week it’s a picture that looks like dirty lollipop by Kent Bonham, and I go very dark. Please visit Rochelle‘s page for more info.
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September 30, 2014
Björn Rudbergs writings 
Ugh…that creeped me out!
Me too. I need to read something funny..and fast 🙂
It creeped me out writing it…
Oh , Big sister scorned..never ever cross her.
It was a great write, scary and dark and well written .
Big sister’s misled and abused…
Powerful write where every word hits home. I love it when you go dark.
Such darkness is never seen…
Wow, that is dark! Please, a musical comedy next week?
I will go less dark.. that’s a promise…
ugh. stomach turning…sad….almost glad she is getting back at dad….
I wonder if she properly understand…
My word, you’re sick. Great writing, but yikes!
I have added a warning.. but alas the world is dark .. I know where dad belongs…
Don’t worry, I will come back. I don’t think I could sustain an entire novel of such darkness, but this piece was exquisite in it’s creepiness.
Actually I was inspired by a Peter Robinson novel
totally shocking, indeed.
too shocking almost
Very dark. Well written!
charcoal is grey in comparison.
This is really good writing no matter how disturbing.
Thank you John, I try to mix poetry into prose…
Wow! Difficult to find who is the worst character in this story.
at least it’s not the the little sister.. but my bet is on pa…
you say these things have happened, must have; did someone say, the other is hell
I think this must be hell in some ways.
Powerful stuff. She should have given the broth to her father.
Yup.. her father should have gotten it.. but Stockholm syndrome is a powerful thing.
Creepy but well written *shivers*
*shivers* yes that’s what I felt as well
Dear Bjorn,
One of the most true to life and powerful stories I have ever read in Friday Fictioneers. You blew my doors off with this one.
Aloha,
Doug
Thank you.. the psychology of abuse has many dark ways…
Dear Björn,
This is definitely one of your best. Incredibly dark and believable. A novel in a hundred words. I concur with Sandra. She should’ve given the broth to her diseased father.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Her father deserved all and more… especially shame and contempt
It’s one of those stories, or articles rather, one can’t press the ‘like’ button to show one has read the story. I’ve just eaten a sandwich and am working hard to not go throw up from the reality of it all. It needs to be told, written, sung, carved into stone, shouted until people realise. I can see from the comments some people just don’t, just can’t get this kind of thing. Don’t blame them. Brave writing. I hope you went and did something good for yourself and yours to perk yourself up after having written. It’s necessary.
Thank you.. yes the stories about abuse are just horrific.. and so often normal people (mostly men) are the destructive force behind it….
Wouldn’t call them ‘normal’. They just appear to be. Could be a person sitting nxt to one on the bus at the movies, at the football game and so on …
Exactly.. it’s all appearances.. I should have said “normal”..
Hoo boy.
If we don’t talk about it, write about it, scream about it, we are leaving them to stand alone in the darkness and fight their own battles. And sometimes it gets too dark and they get lost. I am glad someone dares to venture into the darkness and you did an excellent job with this story.
Thank you.. yes this is something I feel strongly about..
That was indeed shocking and very dark. A great read, though.
Yes I cannot think of a darker story actually.
Hej Björn, very Noren, loving it! You should have the mum hanging from the rafters to really hit them over the head with the Scandi Noir !
Compared to this I think Norén writes comedy…
I believe you are right ! Just read it again . . .def. right! Well done ! v
Bjorn, I’m sorry, but I am an idiot. I read this story over and over again and I just didn’t get what is going on. Not that I’m naive or anything, I just didn’t get it. Maybe my mind doesn’t get so dark as to delve into more shocking stuff.
Samantha has been abused by her father, but after she got into puberty her father shifts attention to her little sister.. Samantha feels abandoned and takes revenge on little sis.. It’s a kind of Stockholm syndrome
Following this long list of well-deserved comments, I’ll just add “Bravo” … an impelling read.
Thank you.. this one was hard to write actually…
I can only imagine the emotion involved in writing a piece like this.You chose a very difficult subject to write on … and did it with credibility. I repeat, bravo.
That was grisly. She’s really brainwashed, isn’t she? I think someone needs to offer Papa a shot of anti-freeze in his drink.
I think this type of brainwashing is more common than we understand…
A powerful piece of writing Björn. Disturbing but brilliantly written.
Thank you. .sometimes exposing darkness is the only way to move on..
A very ugly story beautifully told. No more, please.
I’ll try a more cheerful mode next week ..
Very dark indeed. That is so scary on so many levels.
So scary.. And alas the human psyche tends to surprise us on so many ways..
sick, disturbing, and powerful piece Björn. i applaud the boldness and the fact that it’s very well-written.
Thank you.. For once I think my story was darker than yours…
yes and more likely to be real. mine was supposed to be funny. alas… 🙂
You weren’t kidding with the warning – that was a shocking story. Completely sick and downright creepy. You wrote the story well, though, without lurid details but enough to know that what was going on was bad…
I think it’s scarier because it could really happen..
Oh no! I read your disclaimer and the comments. I’ll have to come back to read the story 😦 it sounds gross, though.
Thanks for the disclaimer, Bjorn…I’m easily scared.
Ellespeth
This is shocking and frightening. I wasn’t familiar with Stockholm Syndrome. That is pretty sick that someone would reach that level of mental instability and then to harm her own sister. Well done, Bjorn.
You connect so much to your captors and tormentor so you switch sides.. I still remember the case from the original bank-robbery… back in 1973.. I guess the most famous case would be Patti Hearst though.
I am back, after supper.
Oh Bjorn! Over the past few years, I’ve read articles about this particular syndrome. You’ve written a gripping scene and insight into this sort of emotional control. As you’ve imagined, I suppose a person will do almost anything to survive.
Ellespeth
They will .. and yes it’s a terrible condition
Dear Bjorn, I appreciated the warning, which is very gentlemanly of you! You wrote a scary story that takes place everyday in so many homes. I cannot imagine living through this – God have mercy on the children. However, your writing is superb and every book I’ve ever read or story I’ve listened to on TV is right on with your story. Good job. Nan 🙂
Thank you.. yes I realized a warning was in place.
A friend years ago confided a similar story, but she stepped in to save her sister, not to remove her.
Yes so much better to live with afterwards.
Sickness begets sickness.
Alas it does
Powerful, dark and disturbing words, but so well written.
It is disturbing indeed.
Believable and should be voiced. We were watching a gruesome movie one night and had to stop only to find the news was much worse.- a story of a woman now in her 60s recalling her father sexually abusing her at 9 yrs old and watching him killed a teenage boy who tried to come to her aid. When the boy’s 2 friends came looking for him, the father killed them also and she witnessed that and the burial. Life is dark and unbelievable.
Lily
Yes life is filled with darkness.. and just maybe by shining light on it we can make it a little brighter.
Björn, this is dark beyond dark, but yes… it happens all the time. I’ve worked with these kids; I know them. I like that you took this dark picture and went where it took you, regardless of the dark nature. You really nailed this one, despite the ick factor.
I will try to be less dark, but sometimes you cannot help where your writing takes you.
I think, as writers, we owe it to ourselves to go where the words take us… dark or not. Personally, I found it to be a very powerful piece, dark or not. 😉
Exactly what “petrujviljoen” said above. I’m glad you’re forcing the darkness (that already exists, not of your doing) out into the light of day, Björn. Well done.
So glad you think so.. this story is painful to write and painful to read.. but still we have to deal with this kind of things.
Yes, very unfortunately so.
Björn, I was stunned by this story. I applaud you for not avoiding the arc where your imagination took you. It is a dark story, darker than the abyss of a space where no stars can reach. Powerful and moving and horrible.
Thank you.. this took me to places were I didn’t want to go.. but still..
Such a powerful story – all the more so for its poetical rhythm. I agree with Sandra that dad should have the soup, but your words make it clear why Samantha sees her little sister as the one who needs to go.
Ah.. yes alas I think this might go to even darker places.
That’s a very dark piece of writing Bjorn. Good effort, yikes!
Thank you.. yikes indeed.