Le Sucre Brun

Chilling. *

thanks, ann. i needed to write this. for other reasons, i am deeply involved in the subject matter.

This leaves me speechless. *

Tough read, Marcus. The photo is stunning as is this work. *

This I like. Has an internal-cinematic-generating effect. It's the real thing, able to stand alone.

What we all imagine at times: justified retribution. Typo on simply--make it simple. Other than that, it absolutely fits the bill. Fave.

This series is off to a fabulous start. Stunning.

An amazing piece of writing, Marcus. Finnegan would be proud.

Stunning. Not exactly sweet. Love the "This is what I heard, okay" frame.

thanks everyone for your comment. this was not an easy piece to write or post for me, if it's any consolation.

thanks matt - i can see what you mean with that cinematic effect. i've been writing a novel about this context. to drive the plot forward, i tend to linger less and think more like a scriptwriter, i guess.

thank you james - i'm in it for the long haul this time. as are the penguins, a most patient race.

thanks sam - i'll let him know when i wander past his tombstone next...

thanks, beate - i like this technique too - it offers itself when you're talking surreal magic with eyes wide open.

The story is of course, amazing. But what I particularly admire is the way you focus the reader and ground the story on a reality so stark, this strange woman and the horror going on, then twist it with magical realism into an ending we could only wish for her.

thank you, susan, for the wonderful comment. i appreciate it.

I feel this story had to be written, such horror - Grips my heart.

Wow.

I must check out this series.

thank you estelle and kari.

Your originality leaves me shaking my head. The horror! The horror! *

Marcus, I applaud you for this piece. I was afraid to read it, as I told you earlier. The gentleness of your protagonist is what made this so particularly wrenching.
*

jack, susan, thank you for reading and commenting - fine observations.

After reading this,I sincerely look forward to reading your other stories! I'm a fan!

kim, none of us can never have too many fans. i've turned into a teeple fan, too. thank you for the read.

Neat!

Alludes to so much that I accept the impenetrable ending. Brown Sugar, yeah. This will stick with me.

A powerhouse. Savagely satisfying.

Savagely satisfying.

System error. But it did bear repeating.

thank you, darryl - glad you enjoyed this.

thanks, alex. interested in your view of the ending as "impenetrable". because of the magic?

thanks, larry. didn't hear what you said - could you come again? ;-)

Wow. Amazing. Love these flashes with photos that you are doing.

Marcus, I would like to follow The Susans and praise you for the voice you chose in the telling of this compelling piece.

thank you, jules. flawnt started it, a long time ago - http://flawnt.tumblr.com is my witness, but i returned to it because...it IS fun.

grey, thanks - the voice is so important in flash, i think. and this one was pretty tricky. cheers!

amazing!...potent, and just incredible!

heather, thank you so much. not exactly a mellow christmas read..potent, yes, unfortunately not really incredible.

Disturbing.

Not this:
"When the commandant pried her lids open with steely thumbs, she screamed."

This:
"Later, they found six scorched men, five soldiers and their commandant, on the floor, baked brown like chocolate-colored cookies."
That simile!

i was disturbed by that, too, bill. the color! thank you!

Dark stuff. The making of a saint. I was surprised she screamed when the commandant pried her lids open. Love the way you framed the story with 'this is what i heard, okay?', which makes me doubt the veracity of this narrator, and trust in his complicity. Peace *

An enormous story told in so few words. To me "she" is very much a character, though the voice here is, as always, very powerful. I comment this way because I've been thinking about Handler's comment about character and voice in the interview. I'm not buying it entirely, but I'm thinking about it.

thank you, linda. "making of a saint" - that is very interesting. my catholicism coming thru?

jane - txs - i'm also struggling with handler's comment. on the whole, character is overrated, perhaps not bunk. in this piece, plot and voice are stronger than character. mathematically, character is a result, not a cause, perhaps that's what he means, too?

Character, here, is the backbone of it all. She's my hero, this one. Handle is big on shock value. Re-read this story and still love it.

This piece has tornado force. It's suddenly in, with uncanny precision, then out, and we're devastated. What Susan Gibb says above is right on the mark - about the magic realism of what we could only wish for her. Very fave.

Grateful to Susan Tepper for her great eye, interview with you, and pointing the way to this story.

Strong story. Well told.

thank you catherine and matt, for coming here, commenting, and for favoring. happy holidays!

Marcus-

If I could fave this a million times, I would. Powerful. haunting, and this will stay with me forever. Not many people could write on this subject and have it turn out like this. I am floored by this. Just floored.
*********

Just read this via the chat with Susan, commented there, wanted to add a fav. This is so good, Marcus. Horror and hope. *

I came to this piece via the interview, and... Wow. *

gloria, many thanks. the subject is close to my heart and to the heart of my people, i suppose. still, the symbolism and the fact of the matter transcends any particular history, alas.

mark: horror and hope indeed. honestly, i wouldn't have it any other way. both transport more meaning when they propel a piece in twin motion. thanks very much!

Super good writing - this does lots, gathers so much, so many stories, stories we'll never hear, but exist.

foster, thank you, i appreciate it. they exist indeed!

Well, it appears almost everything has been said. Great story Marcus. I am glad you decided to go into the dark places that writing this must have taken you too. You came out with a wonderful piece of fiction. This has the makings of a novel.

Fave.

Rough, tough, cold, fierce, with a twist at the end as surprising as hope. All that awful escalating pressure, and then... release. Wow.

thank you both, roberto & barry, much appreciated.

I am catching up on all your work, Marcus, and of course this is a stunning piece. Years ago I read a lot of accounts of concentration camp survivor stories, and people like Elie Wiesel and Koestler and they all relate to your story, except of course for that wonderfully satisfying ending. And your mastery of form is stunning. A gem!

andrew, thank you very much. wiesel, koestler...are in my canon, too. too disturbing, a lot of it, to keep coming back to. also, i do believe in happy (magical) endings.

Marvellous story. Like she was the angel of death, or justice. I read this three times in the last five minutes. Great way to open and close.

Don't know how I missed reading this one of yours, Marcus, but I'm glad I found it now. This is raw power. Brilliant. Horrible, and yet the ending brings satisfaction.