Flash Friday #105 'Interview'
Original flash fiction: Whose story do you believe?
Welcome to ‘Flash Friday’ where every week I share some of my original flash fiction.
This week’s piece is inspired by dual narrative or dual perspective storytelling. This is a technique where a story is told through the eyes of two different characters and/or across two distinct timelines.
I’m particularly interested in how the same event, or series of events, might be remembered and recounted very differently by two people. After all, one person’s view of what is happening could be quite unlike that of someone else’s.
There can be many reasons for this, but certainly a character’s motivations, interests, age, and life experiences will all affect how they perceive and interact with the world around them. And of course the risks and stakes of certain actions will be different for them depending on how much they have to lose or gain.
I’ve been playing around with various ideas and scenarios in this style of storytelling this week, and it’s been fun imagining myself into those different pairs of shoes.
I hope you enjoy reading this one, and please leave a ‘like’ or a comment below if you’d like to share your thoughts - I’d love to hear what you think.
Interview 1: We started getting closer in November 2024. That’s when I fell in love with him.
Interview 2: Yeah, late 2024, that’s when things definitely changed.
Interview 1: We spent more and more time together and built a really special relationship.
Interview 2: She started shadowing me, finding excuses to see me and spend more time with me. I thought it was cute at first. I was flattered.
Interview 1: The attraction between us was intense. We both felt it. When he looked at me I really felt he saw me.
Interview 2: She clearly needed attention and sought it from me. I tried to be kind, but she got serious quick.
Interview 1: He was the perfect boyfriend. Never pressured me for intimacy, he was happy to wait until I was ready.
Interview 2: I think she thought we were an item, but we weren’t. I kept it platonic. She seemed a little unstable at times so I just tried to be a good mate.
Interview 1: I longed for the days when I could see him and talk to him. No one understood me like he did.
Interview 2: She’d had a tough past. Something nasty with an ex-boyfriend. I don’t know the details. I felt sorry for her, tried to encourage her to get counselling.
Interview 1: I was so happy with him. He made me laugh and he always listened to me. He was gentle and patient.
Interview 2: I tried to cheer her up. Make her believe she had something worth living for.
Interview 1: But when I tried to move our relationship forward, he distanced himself and ignored my calls.
Interview 2: I shouldn’t have given her my number. At first it didn’t seem intrusive - just the odd text. Then it was phone calls “just to check in”. It got more and more frequent. I tried to set boundaries, but in the end I had to block her.
Interview 1: I couldn’t reach him, I was getting frantic. I thought something might have happened to him. I was desperate to see him. What else could I do?
Interview 2: I thought I’d made my position clear. I couldn’t help her. She needed professional help. I’d tried to be kind and understanding but she read more into it than there was. I had no choice, I had to back away.
Interview 1: I didn’t mean to upset him by coming to his house.
Interview 2: Then she turned up on my doorstep. I don’t know how she found out my address, I certainly never told her. Freaked me out. Asked her what the fuck she was doing, told her to leave, slammed the door.
Interview 1: I thought he’d be pleased to see me. Maybe invite me in for a drink and a catch up. But he just yelled at me and told me to fuck off. He wouldn’t listen.
Interview 2: The next thing I know a bloody great rock is chucked through my window and she’s shrieking like a madwoman outside. That’s when I phoned you guys.
Interview 1: I didn’t mean to break his window. It just got too much. I needed to reach him. I need to talk to him. Can I talk to him? I need to explain. I love him…
Interview 2: I don’t want to press charges. I just want her out of my life and getting the help she obviously needs. She’s sick, not a criminal. Look after her, yeah?
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