It looked odd, using the big gutting knife to clean his nails. I guess he did it to put a scare into the man, scare him without threatening outright.
Speers is smart like that, doing just enough that you get your imagination working against you. He told me that a man is always his own worst enemy, that if you can say or do the right thing you can break him easy as a twig.
Maybe it was the knife, or the fact Speers and me had him tied up in the jonboat. Or maybe it was the swamp itself.
I think I’d be scared.
Good piece.
Dear J Hardy,
yep, I’d be backing away from the swamp…and not all that slowly.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Scary stuff indeed.
I can see how the victim might have a problem getting in touch with the optimistic side of his nature. Good one.
It was definitely the knife!! for me at least. nice piece of writing here
Speers sounds like a smart guy!
My GOD! That was a very scary piece! The tone was perfect. There’s a surreal and hyper-real quality about the whole scene you narrated.
And so the mystery of Jimmy Hoffa’s last day was resolved…
Love it. I’d also be broke, say what’s necessary. I bet he didn’t get back to shore, anyhow.
I saw the movie scene as I read this. Well done!
This moves from discomfort to very scary in an instant. Great take.
I think it’s the whole scene that broke him.
Ominous. Good suspense.
Just tip him over backwards in the swamp :glug: quick and easy water torture, and fits the image nicely :P
All those things would scare me plenty!
Lily
Maybe it was all three or maybe just that he was human! Who wouldn’t be scared?
I tried to back away slowly, even though I was in a chair…! Nicely done, and well written for a first-person perspective.