(I think this is the most alliterative post title I’ve ever had. )
copyright Douglas M. MacIlroy
Fish Feeder
“And this is the koi pond,” Lady Phram said. “You will be responsible for feeding the fish.”
“They look well-fed,” Ali said. He was still surprised a street urchin like him had been suddenly given a job in a mansion.
Lady Phram’s eyebrows arched. “Oh, quite.”
Ali put his hand in the water and the fish swarmed. “Ouch!” He yanked back his hand, bleeding.
“These aren’t normal koi.” She walked through a wooden door, shutting him in.
“What do I do now?” he called.
“You feed the fish,” she called through the door.
Water began to pour into the courtyard.
The Green-Walled Tower 
October 30th, 2013 at 9:58 pm
Flesh-eating Koi? Nicely done!
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:57 pm
🙂
October 30th, 2013 at 10:09 pm
Wouldn’t it have been easier to just push him in to the pond than to flood the entire courtyard? Oh well, to each there own. I guess if you can afford a courtyard that can flood, why not have one? Especially if you’re a psychopath.
October 30th, 2013 at 10:23 pm
It would have, but it didn’t seem very subtle. Plus, she probably didn’t want to get her hands dirty touching him. And yes, when you’re rich and insane, you can do things in an insane way.
October 30th, 2013 at 10:15 pm
I’ve been drawing koi carp today – what a spooky matching photo
October 30th, 2013 at 10:22 pm
hahahahaha This was wonderful! New breed of koi….I like.
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:57 pm
In the future, we’ll have to specify “flesh-eating” or “non flesh-eating” when we buy them in the pet store. 🙂
October 30th, 2013 at 10:52 pm
Ooooh niiiiiice. I like a good horror 🙂
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:56 pm
🙂 Thanks, Alastair.
November 2nd, 2013 at 11:07 pm
😀
October 30th, 2013 at 11:05 pm
“NO Meesstaar Bond, I expect you to DIE!”
I like how this played out 🙂
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:56 pm
It does have that feel. If only Ali had a laser watch…
October 30th, 2013 at 11:16 pm
All too much fodder for her fish there I’m afraid…well done
October 30th, 2013 at 11:23 pm
sheer brilliance. “You feed the fish” hahaha….Who else but you could come up with that.
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:55 pm
You gotta love the ambiguity in English of the word “feed”. You couldn’t do it in a lot of languages; Korean at least.
October 30th, 2013 at 11:53 pm
A perfect Halloween story! 🙂
October 31st, 2013 at 12:26 am
Funny & dark, love it 🙂
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:54 pm
🙂 Thanks.
October 31st, 2013 at 12:45 am
There’s quite a funny Chekhov story about a carp that falls in love with a woman’s foot. You should check it out
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:54 pm
I will. It sounds great.
October 31st, 2013 at 1:16 am
sinister. 🙂 i secretly wished that everyone would write horror stories this week, lol. loved the idea of water pouring into the courtyard, she did it with style 🙂
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:53 pm
I’m sure there is going to be a lot of horror stories this week, although the picture should make people stretch a bit. I’m behind on my reading at the moment, but I just went over and read yours. Great job~
October 31st, 2013 at 2:22 am
These aren’t those gently pruning type of fish used to nibble away the dead skin on people’s feet. Well, maybe they are. Just all grown up.
Thanks!
October 31st, 2013 at 2:29 am
Oh excellent! A horror story after my own heart.
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:50 pm
I’m glad to hear.
October 31st, 2013 at 2:47 am
Nice ending. Poor old Ali!
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:50 pm
He never had a chance, I’m afraid.
October 31st, 2013 at 3:33 am
Perfect. Always choose the street urchin – no one will know…
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:50 pm
Exactly… 🙂
October 31st, 2013 at 4:47 am
I think he just became fish bait. 🙂
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:49 pm
Hmm, maybe I should have called this “Bait and Switch” 🙂
October 31st, 2013 at 5:31 am
Oh boy. Poor street urchin Ali. This put me in mind of the “mutant sea bass” in Austin Powers!
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:49 pm
Yeah. “man-eating koi” is something you’d have to intentionally try to breed, I think.
October 31st, 2013 at 5:57 am
The poor street urchin never imagined he would be fish food. A perfect week for a little horror.
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:48 pm
Sooner or later, the mansion is going to get a bad reputation, I think.
October 31st, 2013 at 7:37 am
Was this kid’s name Hansel, cause I think I know his sister. 😉
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:46 pm
Yeah, it does seem that way. Gotta love cartoonish evil. 🙂
October 31st, 2013 at 10:03 am
Well fed koi – now Ali knows.
This is classic David Stewart.
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:46 pm
🙂 Thank you muchly, sir.
October 31st, 2013 at 10:45 am
Oh my. You and I went in similar directions this week, but yours is startlingly dark… that twist! This is really fantastic, David.
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:45 pm
Thank you for you great comment. I’m behind on my reading, but I’m going to run over and read yours now.
October 31st, 2013 at 12:15 pm
Oooh, wicked!
October 31st, 2013 at 5:56 pm
Just right for Halloween, like and episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents. I’m scared!
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:45 pm
I could see that. Maybe a darker episode of the Twilight Zone.
October 31st, 2013 at 8:49 pm
Fantastic gruesome take on the prompt. Totally out there. One of the best!
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:44 pm
Wow, thank you~
October 31st, 2013 at 9:18 pm
Nice and creepy! Flesh-eating koi, an excellent choice for Halloween.
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:44 pm
Thanks! I hate to admit that I forgot about Halloween when I was writing it. I asked a friend to give me a theme and she said horror, luckily. 🙂
November 1st, 2013 at 2:20 am
Wonderful — like dark, rich chocolate!
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:43 pm
🙂
November 1st, 2013 at 4:45 am
Very B-Movie, darling. Attack of the 50 Ft Killer Koi From Mars or something. Brilliant.
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:42 pm
Now I want to see this as a B-movie, with terrible special effects and all. 🙂
November 1st, 2013 at 8:42 pm
Great fun! I like the over-elaborate method of flooding the room. What’s the point in going the easy way? Good for Lady Phram, the Uber-baddies of today are just too lazy.
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:42 pm
If you’re going to go evil, go all the way, I say.
November 1st, 2013 at 11:53 pm
Clever story. I love your imagination 🙂
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:41 pm
Thank you~
November 2nd, 2013 at 1:28 am
She sounds like a villain from a James Bond, and her name would be a good fit for that role as well. Great writing, David.
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:41 pm
It does seem the kind of overly elaborate fiendishness that would fit well into James Bond. Of course, he’d have some gadget to get out of it.
November 2nd, 2013 at 2:18 am
So enjoy where this story went. Good one!
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:40 pm
Thank you so much! 🙂
November 2nd, 2013 at 6:19 am
Oh, I will not be visiting these fish, David. An eerie tale today. You did not disappoint for the spooky holiday.
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:40 pm
Hopefully, they warn guests not to put their hands in the pool (unless, of course, they haven’t been able to find a street urchin in a while) 😉
November 2nd, 2013 at 8:21 am
Great ending.
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:39 pm
🙂 Thanks.
November 2nd, 2013 at 3:36 pm
Also kind of a “coy” reminder of the old joke about the guy getting arrested for feeding the monkeys at the zoo … to the lions!
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:39 pm
🙂 Nice~
November 2nd, 2013 at 7:28 pm
Dear David,
Oh, so perfect a story for the prompt, for Halloween, for the unsuspecting Ali and for you. I love it and I love your work.
Aloha,
Doug
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:39 pm
Wow, thank you so much, Doug. Your comment has made my evening.
-David
November 2nd, 2013 at 7:30 pm
Dear David,
Guess who’s coming to dinner? Poor Ali…the main course. Horrifically well done. I enjoyed with a shudder.
shalom,
Rochelle
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:36 pm
Thank you, Rochelle. I do like a dark piece, as you know, but it seemed appropriate for the season. 🙂
November 3rd, 2013 at 12:26 am
what a story David! what a ghoul!
November 3rd, 2013 at 8:18 pm
That is dark. Lady Phram? Great name. Arching eyebrows: run, Ali, run.
November 4th, 2013 at 4:30 am
Oh my that sounds sinister! 🙂
November 4th, 2013 at 4:59 am
OHHH! Noooooononononoooo
*sigh*
Jonathan Swift wins again.
November 5th, 2013 at 12:02 am
Dark and delightful. It reminds me of the classic Twilight Zone episode: To Serve Man.
November 5th, 2013 at 12:09 am
Yeah, that was a good one. I like words that can be taken two ways. Thank you for reading~
November 6th, 2013 at 8:23 am
A delicious twist. Very good.