Fiction of the Wolf: Shaper

Themes

Shaper

by Red Wolf

Brent dragged the body into the dilapidated shed and dumped it against the wall, the corpse's head hitting a laundry tub with a hollow thump. He'd butcher it later, he had more important things to see to first.

Large kettles bubbled away on a resurrected Aga. With a practiced motion, Brent lifted the lid and waited for the steam to abate, he'd long since gotten used to the smell. A brief stir brought bones to the surface of the liquid, satisfied that the boiling process was coming along nicely, he checked the peroxide baths. Draining them and carefully rinsing the contents to reveal enough bright bones to make up two adult males.

Lugging the bones across to his workroom, Brent sorted them into piles according to size. Skulls and pelvises would be ground into a meal, to become part of the cement he used to bind his work together and create the finished surface texture. The other bones would be woven and manipulated into free-form sculptures.

Brent had built up quite a reputation as an artist and had created several table lamps for exclusive design houses. He had also made a tidy dent in the crime statistics of his neighbourhood.

Warren Ellis' Fast Fiction Friday

Published Babble Horde — 16.07.2004
Published FictionPress — 19.07.2004
Published Wrasp.Net — 01.01.2005

Comments

Eep.

*looks warily*

Psychopathic much? Definitely a guy I wouldn't want in my neighbourhood.

But good. Definitely gave me the chills — via LiveJournal — posted by Calex at 19.07.2004 10:38 AEST |

Well, he would keep the riff-raff down to a manageable level. The only problem being that he may have a different definition of riff-raff — via LiveJournal — posted by Red Wolf at 19.07.2004 10:38 AEST |

And that is never a good thing. *looks warily at Brent*

Nope, never a good thing — via LiveJournal — posted by Calex at 19.07.2004 10:39 AEST |

Maybe it's just me that finds the idea of noxious little graffiti vandals being turned into designer table lamps amusing — via LiveJournal — posted by Red Wolf at 19.07.2004 10:39 AEST |

It might be, slightly. Although in an entirely clinical way, it could be amusing. Now, entirely clinical, that is.

*moves away carefully* — via LiveJournal — posted by Calex at 19.07.2004 10:40 AEST |

He had also made a tidy dent in the crime statistics of his neighbourhood.

By picking off the criminals, yes? So he's a public servant! Good boy! :P — via LiveJournal — posted by Moonbeam at 19.07.2004 10:41 AEST |

I would expect door-knocking god-botherers and phone company salesmen would also end up as object d'art.

This was done for mistersleepless' Fast Fiction Friday. Will know if I made the cut by tonight. He expected 50 responses and got 500, so there's some steep competition — via LiveJournal — posted by Red Wolf at 19.07.2004 10:42 AEST |

Good luck — via LiveJournal — posted by Calex at 19.07.2004 10:43 AEST |

Yes, quite! 50 out of 500? Whoa! That's impressive...

And, Wolf, even if you don't make the cut — I still liked it. (Not that'll mean much, in comparison, but... ;P) — via LiveJournal — posted by Moonbeam at 19.07.2004 10:44 AEST |

Huh. Table lamps. Hope you make the cut. (I wish someone'd turn my local vaccuum cleaner salesman into a table lamp.) Excellent, as usual. XD — via LiveJournal — posted by Luci at 19.07.2004 10:48 AEST |

Thanks. Maybe you need to invite Brent around. Probably safer to just send the vacuum cleaner salesmen his way instead — via LiveJournal — posted by Red Wolf at 19.07.2004 10:49 AEST |

Just a question — is this in the same universe as where Wolf kept the phalanges?

Draining them and carefully rinsing the contents to reveal enough bright bones to make up two adult males. — incomplete sentence?

What's funny is that whenever I see the name Brent I think of Brent from PVP Comics. And that one's an artist too. ;)

One other thought: I don't know what the shed's surroundings are like, but wouldn't some neighbor or other complain about the smell?

Other than that, an interesting piece. I can see the headlines now from whenever someone discovers his 'artistic secret'. ;) — via LiveJournal — posted by Laridian at 19.07.2004 10:50 AEST |

The shed can't be urban, neighbours would only tolerate the stench for so long. While Brent lives an area with enough of a criminal element to provide plenty of raw materials for his art, his shed and workshop is in a semi-rural setting.

I've seen some pretty weird headlines related to British artists, this guy wouldn't be anything out of the ordinary — via LiveJournal — posted by Red Wolf at 19.07.2004 10:50 AEST |

Ew nasty! Pleasantly practical though. ;0) — via LiveJournal — posted by Grandmum at 19.07.2004 10:51 AEST |

I do like the practical side of Brent, indulging his passion for art and ridding the world of long distance phone company salesmen — via LiveJournal — posted by Red Wolf at 19.07.2004 10:51 AEST |

Eeew. Wonderful, though.

(I think your serial killer is creepier than my serial killer. Bone artwork... deliciously creepy) — via LiveJournal — posted by Elizabeth Culmer at 19.07.2004 10:52 AEST |

Thanks. The bone artwork isn't artwork, it's a photo of the aftermath of the genocide in Rwanda, those are human bones, a warehouse full of human bones — via LiveJournal — posted by Red Wolf at 19.07.2004 10:53 AEST |

Creepy. Definitely, creepy. But also, beautifully precise and beautiful. And that is what's really scary.

Good job! (shiver) — via LiveJournal — posted by Murielle at 19.07.2004 10:54 AEST |

Many thanks. I'm pleased I managed to convey the creep factor — via LiveJournal — posted by Red Wolf at 19.07.2004 10:55 AEST |

Oy vay how macabre. This reminds me of a series of murders that took place in England a long time ago. Ugh.

Really nice start though. I like your writing style. Are you going to continue this?

Please R&R some of my writings — via FictionPress — posted by raven-birdie at 20.07.2004 17:30 AEST |

Okay. Yipe. Very creepy — but good! If the writing makes one's stomach turn a bit, the writing must be good.

Sorta reminds me of the Parisian catacombs, and how some of the ossuaries have...somewhat macabre artwork made from the bones they contain.

How weird that we both have Brent characters, lol. I think I like mine better, though; other than having tried to kill me once, he's harmless. :-D Yours, however...I'd hate to run into him. Haha! — LiveJournal — posted by IrishVampire13 at 27.11.2004 14:49 AEST |

This is one of the Warren Ellis made me do it fics.

The idea came from a challenge on Word of the Day 100 that reminded me of the bone cathedrals — LiveJournal — posted by Red Wolf at 27.11.2004 14:51 AEST |

Originality/Concept: 7
Grammar/Style: 8
Overall Rating: 8

This reminds me of Ed Gein, and whatnot, but instead of the skin art, he's using the skeletons, which yeah, it works.

I'll grind your bones to make my bread!!!

I didn't see any typos that I remember, and the pacing was just right seeing how short it was and what information I got out of it — via Wrasp.Net — posted by Michæl Carey at 14.01.2005 14:50 AEST |

Originality/Concept: 10
Grammar/Style: 9
Overall Rating: 9

Great job! Your originality was astounding and I loved Brent's interesting work. You chose your words well and your sentences were constructed with care. Also you didn't go overboard on detail; you had just enough to develop the scenery and such.

I would love to see this expanded, maybe in a different version or something — via Wrasp.net — posted by Infamous Writer at 17.01.2005 10:07 AEST |

Originality/Concept: 8
Grammar/Style: 7
Overall Rating: 7

oh, can i say short? indeed! i think you could really add more describtion and length, details to this. yes i liked it, but it went straight into the disposal of the body and not how or why! the ending, however, was nice and you had some great words like dilapidated. my opinion: give it length, give it more detail, and turn it from good to great — via Wrasp.net — posted by Calico (Cal) at 17.01.2005 11:12 AEST |

Post a Comment