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Picture Writing Prompt: The Ascension of Roth

Picture Writing Prompt: The Ascension of Roth

The regular posts in April (thanks to A-Z challenge) brought my blog closer to its name: Daily (w)rite.

I’m by no means a disciplined blogger. I have created a schedule on Amlokiblogs, my writing blog, and let it go to the four winds.

And for this month, life will be a little busier than usual, which means I have to be a clever thief, steal a little time here and there, to get down to what I love doing best, writing.

I used to do picture prompts before, so I’ll attempt one now, to see if I can make my escape in ten minutes before I go to bed, visit unknown people and regions inside my own head:

—————————

Roth felt Dagar pressing down on him, the relentless hand pushing into his head, bidding him to kill and get it over with. He would be King, and Dagar would remain the Kingmaker.

Roth knew he could spill a little blood, and win this whole thing. People respect you if you can kill, or fear you. Most people confuse the two, but he knew the difference.

As a child, his grandma had never raised her voice, but he jumped to her requests. He got the crap beaten out of him by his father, often literally, who took Slash to him at the least excuse. Slash left welts all over his back, but strengthened his resolve to punish his father one day, and free grandma from her son’s clutches.

But punishment did not extend to snuffing out a life. Especially if the death led to his ascension, just as it had for all his ancestors. Dagar made sure the son killed the father and enslaved the mother, generation after generation.

But today, in the corner of Roth’s head where no one had even stepped in, not even Roth himself, the first seed of thought had burst open: I will forgive. I will not be King.  No King, no Kingmaker, no Dagar.

Amid his blinding anger and hate, the fumes of incense, the chanting of a thousand voices, and the tolling of a million bells, Roth resisted Dagar’s hand.

The knife meant for his father crept towards his own throat: I will not spill any blood save mine.

——

Damyanti Biswas

Damyanti Biswas is the author of You Beneath Your Skin and numerous short stories that have been published in magazines and anthologies in the US, the UK, and Asia. She has been shortlisted for Best Small Fictions and Bath Novel Awards and is co-editor of the Forge Literary Magazine. Her literary crime thriller series, the Blue Mumbai, is represented by Lucienne Diver from The Knight Agency. Both The Blue Bar and The Blue Monsoon were published in 2023.

I appreciate comments, and I always visit back. If you're having trouble commenting, let me know via the contact form, or tweet me up @damyantig !

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9 Comments

  • I agree with Joy. I almost want you to stay his hand and see where he goes, the Non Slayer of Kings. There are so many levels there to approach.

  • Damyanti says:

    Thanks, Joy…you’re always very kind. I don’t think this would go into the e-book of A-Z, I’ll have to do a better job on the stories there. I don’t know if that is a sand sculpture in the picture, but it made me write, so I did 🙂

  • Joy says:

    You have a strong and admirable character in Roth. How you paint these pictures with so few words will ever amaze me and that sand sculpture (if that’s what it is) is absolutely awesome. The detail is impressive.

  • Arlee Bird says:

    Hmmm— I need to think on that one.

    Lee
    Tossing It Out

  • I want to read the entire book now. So when can I get my copy 😉

    • Damyanti says:

      So many books to write, and so little time (and discipline) sigh.
      Am working on the A-Z stories e-book though, and replacing quite a few stories…one book at a time, I guess. 🙂 Thanks for the vote of confidence!

  • anna says:

    Owh. Nice one. Looks like the start of a good story :_

    • Damyanti says:

      Thanks, Ana, I dunno if it is the start of a good story or the random exorcism of the people who populate my head 🙂

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