Fiction In A Flash Challenge Week # 19 – Vengeance
This is Weekly “Fiction in a Flash Challenge” Week #19. Each week Suzanne Burke will be featuring an image and inviting you to write a Flash Fiction or Non-Fiction piece inspired by that image in any format and genre of your choosing. Maximum word count: 750 words.
Here is the week #19 Image Prompt.
Vengeance
“Who are you?” Eric moaned.
“I’m your shadow.”
“Was I dead? Why am I talking to you?”
“Get up! You have a job to do and I’m here to help you.”
“What job?”
“What do you remember of your last sight?” The shadow swayed side to side.
“After my concert, my fiancée and I were going to a nightclub to celebrate.”
“Did you have fun at the nightclub?”
“No, our car was hit, and the driver got away. We were stranded on the street at 2:00 a.m. and there were hardly any cars coming by to help us.”
“Go on. What else do you remember?”
“Finally, a car stopped behind ours. Three guys dressed up in black baggy clothes came out and approached us.”
“Were they there to help you?”
“No, they were rough buys with bandanas on their heads and heavy chains on their necks.”
“What did you think they were?”
“I wasn’t sure. They crouched their shoulders and jerked the steps toward us. One of them grabbed Shelly, and two of them grabbed my shoulders, one on each side.”
“Go on, then what?”
“The thug forced on her. She screamed. The guy on my left nodded and the one on the right choked me on my neck. The first guy darted over, seized her hair, and cupped over her mouth. She jolted violently, but the thug lifted her legs and pressed them toward her face. I turned my face away from her and tried to yank free from the guy, but he put a knife under my chin.” Eric’s voice trembled.
“I wished someone drove by to rescue you.”
“The next thing was that the thug yelled from being bitten by Shelly and he fired a shot. The guy who choked me startled, and I shook free and ran toward her.”
“Was she okay?”
“The blood was gushing out of her chest and she was motionless. I snatched the thug and pounded his chest. He fired a shot at my face, and…”
“You were dead.” The shadow softened the voice.
“But why am I talking to you?”
“I’m the Crow, your dark angel. I’m here to take you to avenge the rape and murder of your fiancée, and your own death. He is in the nightclub where you were going for your celebration. Here’s the gun for you.”
*
“You might not have an unobstructed view of his face the night he committed the crime against you and Shelly. He is at the bar sitting next to the woman in red. Try to get him to move to the hallway behind the bar. We need not claim innocent lives.” The Crow added.
“Okay, stay with me and tell me what to do.”
“Point the gun at his side.”
“Move! Don’t look back.” Eric gunned against Funboy and pressed him toward the hallway away from the crowd.
“Hey, easy. Who are you?” Funboy cooperated and moved the feet with hesitation.
“I’m here to offer you a deal. One life to trade for two.”
“I’m not greedy. I always indulge one at a time, except… It’s impossible. I only had the luxury to take two when…”
“You’re correct. You murdered my fiancée and me. Too bad you only have one life to repay me.”
Funboy made a sudden turn and ran down the hallway. Eric fired a shot at his head and missed. Funboy drew the gun and shot back. Eric fell backward.
*
“Cut.” The director called timeout.
“Brandon and Michael, let me have a word with you,” Alex Proyas said to the actors.
“Alex, Brandon is bleeding. Call the ambulance.”
~ ~ ~
In “The Crow,” the lead actor, Brandon Lee was accidentally wounded on set during filming by defective blank ammunition and later died in the hospital during surgery on March 31, 1993 at age 28. With only eight days left of production, unfinished scenes used a rewritten script, a stunt double, and digital special effects.
On July 20, 1973, Brandon’s father, Bruce Lee died in Hong Kong at age 32 from a brain edema possibly caused by a reaction to a prescription painkiller.
They were buried next to each other in Lake View Cemetery, Seattle, Washington.
~
~
The Showers of Blessings 
I didn’t know that about the movie! Intense story.
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I think The Crow was based on the comic strip with the same same. The author’s fiancé was raped and killed and got him to do that creation. I didn’t know too much about it until I wrote this piece and did some research.
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I didn’t know this about Brandon Lee, Miriam. How very tragic.
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I know, Robbie. It was tragic. I understand that there wasn’t a bullet but had powder to simulate the effect, and I didn’t understand how it injured him.
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Brilliantly written. I don’t know much of Bruce Lee’s life , but this certainly interesting and sad
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Yes, what a tragedy to both father and son! Thank you for your comment!
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Great story and information after, Miriam. I was completely surprised at the end. I remember both deaths, such tragedies and a great loss.
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Thank you, Denise. I didn’t see the movie The Crow, just read about what it was. The deaths were tragic. Brandon’s death was unnecessary.
I hope Suzanne is okay. She hasn’t responded to the posts on her blog or my post for several days.
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I didn’t see the movie either, Miriam.
I noticed she was quiet too. I’ll check on her. xo
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I hope she’s okay. Her daughter should be there with her!
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I’ll check her Facebook.
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I haven’t heard anything back, you?
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No, her last post was in August. If she comes back again, I would like to have a contact with her daughter.
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Good idea.
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She had long history of health problems.
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Denise, thanks so much for your concern and your email, my friend, I’m about to respond to it. 😊
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Good to hear from you Soooz. I’ll like to know what happened too. 😊
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🙂 xo
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Hi, Miriam! Thanks for your kind concern, my friend. I’ve been in hospital (unexpectedly) I’m home now and was pleased to find this post waiting for for me. I’ll share it a little later. The new image prompt will go up next Thursday October 8th.
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Sorry to hear you were in the hospital, Soooz. Hope it wasn’t anything major. Good to see you again.
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❤
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A great story Miriam. I remember the Lee’s. Both of my sons did martial arts as children and teenagers, to black belt level. My younger son still has a Bruce Lee poster hanging on his bedroom wall.
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Wow, Miriam. This was both chilling and fascinating. When they say truth is stranger than fiction – well, that is true! Well-done!
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Thank you, Jan. I was shocked with disbelief on both Bruce’s and Brandon’s deaths, especially Brandon’s. Why would a non-bullet gun kill? I know the document explained it, but sill it sounds terrible.
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So sad, so needless. Thank you, Miriam, for this remembrance and story. ❤
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I was fond of Bruce Lee and shocked of what happened to him. What happened to Brandon was needless as you said. ❤
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Such a sad story.
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It was, Jill. There were good people.
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So much tragedy in one family. It’s so very sad.💜
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I know, Willow. What a waste of talents and precious lives. ❤
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So very sad and strsnge 💜
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Yes, it was!!
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💜
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A very chilling and sad story, Miriam. So tragic to think father and son died so young. Toni x
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I know, Toni! It was tragic and unreal!
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I remember when Brandon Lee died. It just seemed so senseless.
At some point, I watched a documentary about Bruce Lee’s life that included the conspiracy theories about how he died.
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I was in Hong Kong. My first reaction was, it was a scandal using sex to murder him. I read the subsequent studies and analysis. The conclusion was that he had brain edema. Bruce Lee came from a wealthy family but he had a sense of justice. The gangs didn’t like him so I thought he was murdered. I think the family pursued the investigation.
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If I remember correctly, your first reaction was one of the theories posited in the documentary. A very sad death, regardless of how it happened.
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Yeah, that was sad. At that age, who would have thought it was a natural physical condition? One of the reasons he learned Kungfu was self defense as well as fighting the crime. He must have offended some gangs.
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It was very sad that Brandon died so needlessly and so young. Of course, also sad that Bruce died so young.
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I’ve always been a huge Bruce Lee fan, and I was thrilled to see his son Brandon in The Crow. So sad what happened to him at such a young age.
A sad story Miriam, but it shines a like on an actor (actors) who passed from this world way too soon.
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So was I, Mae. I was in Hong Kong when the news broke out about Bruce Lee. Initially, people thought it was a scandal. Apparently the investigation went on for years, and I hope the conclusion was not a cover-up. What happened to Brandon was just unfortunate.
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