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The next photo is the PROMPT. Remember, all photos are property of the photographer, donated for use in Friday Fictioneers only. They shouldn’t be used for any other purpose without express permission. It is proper etiquette to give the contributor credit.
PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields
Click on the frog picture to add your link.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Word Count: 100
INHERITANCE
“Your mother committed suicide, and her sister before her.” Grandfather sneered. “Now your grandmother. You’re all cursed.”
The night before, he’d forced Charlotte to share his bed “to ease his sorrow.”
She whipped and poured eggs into a skillet. “Influenza killed Mama.”
“Your papa lied. Mark my words, you’re next.”
She plopped an omelet onto his plate. “Bon apetit.”
“Aren’t you going to eat.”
“I’m not hungry.” She propped her drawing board on her lap.
“What are you drawing now?”
“You, Grandfather. I want to remember this moment.”
“What did you put in this?”
“Not much. Salt, pepper and Veronal.”
*Did she murder her grandfather? Historians are divided.
Charlotte Salomon with her grandparents
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple 
What a vile man.
Well done, m’lady, I trust his death was painful.
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Dear CE,
We can hope so. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Justified.
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Dear Danny,
Agreed. Hard to shed too many tears for the old buzzard.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A dark character piece, Rochelle
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Thank you, Neil. Some things can’t be sugar-coated.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I think there’s a big sleep coming. And more deservedly, a permanent one. Capturing it as it happened may have been cathartic, I suppose. Nicely done.
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Dear Sandra,
I was intrigued by the report that she sketched him as he died. Cathartic, yet grisly. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Sad about what Charlotte had to go through.
Hope we don’t have men like her grandfather…
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Dear Anita,
Charlotte’s life was filled with turmoil. Her grandfather sounds like an evil man. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Nasty old bugger. Bon appitit, grandfather. Enjoy that last meal.
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Dear Trent,
Hard to feel sorry for him, isn’t it? Can’t say I shed any tears when I read the account the first time. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I had to look up veronal. Barbital I knew, but didn’t remember it’s generic name. Anyway, what a deeply sad and ugly story. Anita’s comment spoke to me, wishing to believe there are no more men like this one, but there are. Many, many more. Human nature doesn’t change with time.
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Dear Linda,
I had to look up Veronal as well. 😉 The family kept a supply of these drugs on hand in the event the Nazis came for them, so they could take their own lives. Sadly, human nature doesn’t change, does it? So much hatred in the world. Frightening times we live in. Thank you for reading and commenting.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Well, it sounds like she had good reason to if she did!
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Dear Iain,
Justifiable homicide is the term that comes to mind. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Forcing her to share his bed is a strong motive… Creepy story. Well done. I might have to shower with bleach now. 😀
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Dear Tanille,
I write ’em as I see ’em. 😉 He does sound like a creepy individual. No wonder his wife committed suicide. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Hopefully, he suffered a horrendous nightmare before he drifted away.
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Dear Keith,
No argument here. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I could tell where that was going — and wasn’t going to end well, either. Yup.
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Dear Cuzzin Kent,
And so it did.
Shalom,
Cuzzin Shelley
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Sounds like he had it coming. Good story.
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Dear Josh,
I’m of the mind he did. While historians can’t agree on whether or not she actually murdered him, it does feel like poetic justice. My link picture is reportedly the portrait she sketched as he expired. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Well, seems the curse was on him this time …
What a vile, vile man. Too bad we know some like him, in the present time. I didn’t know about the veronal, but hey, I won’t judge her. I can’t judge her. I think too many of us may not condone, but surely understand.
Thank you for another story of history that it less known than it ought to be.
There is utterly too much of that – then and now.
Na’ama
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Na’ama Y’karah,
Poetic justice I’d say. I had to look up veronal when i read the account. Apparently her grandparents kept barbiturates on hand. In the event of Nazis coming to take them away, they could commit suicide first. Grisly history all the way around no matter what brushstrokes you paint it with.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Oy, history ain’t an easy thing, is it?
You painted it well, gory though it is.
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So sad that he was such a horrible man & Grandfather. Justice comes with a price for her but a fitting end for him.
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Dear Jan,
Poetic justice I’d call it. 😉 What kind of animal he must’ve been. I think I know why his wife jumped out the window. Thanks for reading and commiserating, m’luv
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Very neatly told, Rochelle. Dreadful that there are such people about. Mind you, I can’t help wondering what Grandfather’s childhood was like. Many abusers were abused themselves.
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Dear Penny,
Abuse is a curse handed down from generation to generation, isn’t it? How sad that, not only did Charlotte have to worry about the Nazis, but her own family as well. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I prefer to think of abuse like that as the product of mental illness. There’s still a stigma surrounding mental illness or a willingness to ignore it and blame the inflicted for actions over which they may not have any control. Of course, in situations like that wherein the inflicted is inflicting pain and suffering on others, if he’s unable or unwilling to get help, euthanasia may be the best option. I would call that self-defense over murder. Maybe it just scares me that human beings are capable of such heinous acts, especially against one’s own children, grandchildren.
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Dear Nobbin,
It’s tough to say what Grandpa’s issues were. I wonder how much he had to do with Grandma jumping out a window. Many family details we’ll never know. At any rate Charlotte got him to stop. 😉 Thank you for your comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Well, if he’s as evil as your portrayal, who could blame her if she did do it? Chilling story.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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Dear Susan,
History doesn’t paint the old man with a very tender brush. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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She was too kind in how she ended him, but concessions need to be made for one to avoid spending years behind bars or lobotomized in an asylum.
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Dear Lisa,
The drugs were handy and she’d had enough. Poetic justice that she sketched him as expired. I’d say there was a lot of mental illness surrounding that family. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Rochelle, reading her story sticks with me. How much she suffered, how much art sprang from it, and her unnecessary tragic end. Anyone who could stay balanced in the midst of all that…
Shalom,
Lisa
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p.s. adorable froggie this week!
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😀 And again…thank you. 😀
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You’re very welcome.
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I see a whole film noir in this!
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Dear Paula,
I quite agree. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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He had it coming to him. I hope he died… slow. Great story Rochelle!
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Dear Eric,
I don’t know how quickly the drugs worked. I hope it was painful in any event. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
More importantly, did she get away with taking care of business? Oh right. It wasn’t proven that she did it. And if she did, he deserved it. Crazy to draw him as he died… I wonder what went through her head as she did it.
As per, you drew a fabulous portrait of a historical person as only you can do.
Shalom and lotsa freeing love,
Dale
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Dear Dale,
Fascinating history. I can’t imagine sketching a portrait of someone while they’re breathing their last. It feels akin to snapping pictures of relatives in their caskets (which some of Jan’s relatives do). I will forever remember Jan’s cousin standing on a chair at the cemetery, taking a picture of her dad after the funeral. Ugh.
Thank you for such high praise.
Shalom and lotsa artistic hugs,
Rochelle
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Yes. There are those who do. I did consider it for Austin…then just couldn’t.
Well merited, my friend.
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Better to remember people alive. I don’t even like passing the open casket at visitations.
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I feel ya
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“to ease his sorrow.” THAT line was truly effective. What an evil man. Thanks for another glimpse of history ~ I think. No, truly, thank you.
Cheers, LIsh
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Dear Lish,
You’re welcome and thank you for such a lovely comment on such a grisly piece of history.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I can’t say I would blame her if she did. Powerful story.
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Thank you so much, Josh.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
I just got done following your trail of bread crumbs and want to thank you for casting them my way. The older I get the more I realise i do not know. Life, or theatre, indeed.
With gratitude,
Doug
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Dear Doug,
I’m so happy you took time from your building and blueprinting to chase my trail. Just when I think there couldn’t possibly be another story another crosses my path and I must write. Thank you for your kind words, my friend.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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OMG! So many skeletons in history’s cupboard. I hope she told him after he had eaten it. Your historical fiction is always on point, Rochelle!
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Dear Joy,
Some things will never be known, will they? I imagined her telling him. Thank you for your kind words.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Wow, Rochelle.
A Buddhist book I read said there are three kinds of people in the world. Those who make it a better place, those who make no difference, and those who make it worse.
On any given day, which am I? At the heart of this story (and so many others) is the main reason I am not a pacifist.
May I say, your writing of this story elicited many emotions. Well done!
(And I need to read the rest of the story).
Peace,
Bill
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Dear Bill,
Can a writer receive a greater compliment that? Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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What goes around comes around.. love the story
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Thank you, Vartika! 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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No more than he deserved.
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I agree, Liz.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Whoa! I read the other story first.
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Dear Ted,
Either way. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Sounds like a well deserved death !
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Dear Laurie,
Hard to feel any pity for the man, isn’t it? Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Well, if she did kill him, he did have it coming. Ew..
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Dear Anne,
I can’t argue. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I had to Google Veronal. Maybe she was just trying to send him to sleep for a bit, though if she “accidentally” overdid the dose it sounds like he deserved it.
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Dear Ali,
I had to Google Veronal, too. 😉 Something tells me she had more than a nap in mind for him. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Querida Rochelle,
Death was too good for him. A bit of torture prior would have been acceptable.
But perhaps, veronal is a slow and painful death. I concur with that.
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Oopppss … lightning just splashed across the screen and posted my unfinished comment.
GGrrrr … bueno, su cuento es muy interesante y bien escrito.
I enjoyed the way she decided to capture the moment in a painting.
The only way for her was to handle this herself.
Buen fin de semana, mi amiga. Que la pases conetnta y con alegria.
Abrazos y Carino,
Isadora 😎😍
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Querida Isadora,
I think I understand why Grandma jumped out a window. 😉 Strange family circumstances in perilous times. I really don’t know much about Veranol other than it was one of the drugs the family kept to off themselves to avoid being taken by the Nazis.
Gracias para sus palabras amablles mi amiga.
Shalom y buen salúd,
Rochelle
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Querida Rochelle,
Now, I’ve learned another bit of historic info. I did not know Veranol was kept in households for that reason. A nice drop or two for the Nazi’s would have also been good. Que mal tiempo esos dias de brutalidad. A sad, sad history we must pray will never happen again.
Amor y abraozs,
Isadora 😎
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Querida Isadora,
I pray it never happens again, too. But looking at the current state of affairs…Gracias para sus palabras tan amables.
Shalom y cariño,
Rochelle
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Rochelle, you compelled me to go and look her up and if she didn’t kill him, she should have. Again I have to tnank you for bringing me interesting history I was unaware of.
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Dear Michael,
I only recently learned of her myself. Historians are undecided as to whether or not she actually killed him. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Love your work Rochelle.
Amazing story. I’ll be honest and say that I was not aware of her and her remarkable talent that was forged amidst the suffering she endured. To think that she escaped an evil grandfather to be gassed by the Nazis while five months pregnant.
“Today,” wrote Primo Levi in “Survival in Auschwitz,” “I think that if for no other reason than an Auschwitz existed, no one in our age should speak of Providence.”
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Dear Subroto,
Wonderful quotes. Just when I think I’ve heard all the stories left to tell, I learn of another. Such a life to be snuffed out so soon. Charlotte’s story is full of irony for sure. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Charlotte’s is such a terribly sad story, on so many levels. Thank you for painting this portrait of her.
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Dear Valerie,
Thank you for your encouraging and affirming comment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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He will not be missed. This adds to the tragedy of Charlotte’s life.
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Dear Gabriella,
It does add to the tragedy. Perhaps that’s why the murder went virtually unnoticed. 😉 No one missed him. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A chilling tale!
Shalom,
Ronda
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Dear Ronda,
Chilling indeed. Thank you for the introduction to Charlotte and her art.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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