avatarEva MacInnes

Summary

Frank attempts to return a deal he made with The Devil, only to find out that such deals are non-refundable.

Abstract

In the flash fiction piece titled "Let's Make a Deal," Frank is portrayed as a man seeking anonymity and attempting to reverse a deal he made with supernatural implications. He is met with bureaucratic resistance from a clerk who informs him that transactions with The Devil are final and cannot be undone. The story is a part of the "100 Story Challenge" and was inspired by the prompt "A Drabble a Day 3: 3-D" with the word "SYSTEM" as a focus. The author, Eva MacInnes, invites readers to engage with her work and offers a glimpse into her writing style, which encompasses various genres and topics.

Opinions

  • The author implies that deals with malevolent forces, such as The Devil, are irreversible and come with consequences that cannot be easily escaped.
  • The clerk's character may symbolize the gatekeepers of such deals, emphasizing the finality and seriousness of entering into a pact with dark entities.
  • The story suggests a critique of bureaucratic processes, with the clerk's paper shuffling representing inefficient systems that are difficult to navigate.
  • The use of the word "SYSTEM" in the prompt could be interpreted as a commentary on the systems that govern our lives, whether they be literal or metaphorical, and how they can be both confounding and unyielding.
  • The author's invitation for reader responses indicates a desire for community engagement and dialogue around her work.
  • Eva MacInnes' self-description as a writer, artist, and freelance editor who writes about whatever is on her mind reflects a versatile and spontaneous approach to writing.

FICTION | FLASH FICTION | 100 STORY CHALLENGE | DRABBLE | THE FICTION WRITER’S DEN

Let’s Make a Deal

Frank didn’t exactly get what he was expecting…

Photo by Almos Bechtold on Unsplash

Frank shifted nervously in his seat. He just wanted to get this part over so he could live out his life in complete anonymity.

The clerk in front of him had been shuffling papers around for what felt like days. He must have had some sort of system in place, but whatever it was eluded Frank.

“Ah-hah, here it is. Mr. Harper I presume?” The clerk looked down his nose and waited.

“Yeah, I just want to return it, you know? It’s not exactly what I expected…”

“I’m sorry Mr. Harper, but deals with The Devil are non-refundable.”

This prompt A Drabble a Day 3: 3-D is by Grim Flandango in The Fiction Writer’s Den. The word today is SYSTEM.

This 70th drabble is written as part of the “100 Story Challenge” by Zane Dickens the Instigator.

Thank you for reading my drabble. I’d love to hear your responses.

You can check out some more of my writing and follow me here. (She, Her) I am a writer, an artist and a freelance editor. I write a little bit of everything, whatever is on my mind at the moment. Get an email when I publish a new story. And you could buy me an iced latte if the mood strikes.

Fiction
Flash Fiction
100 Story Challenge
Drabble
The Fiction Writers Den
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