Social Sniping (Story)

Author: Damian
Word Count: 415
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Social Sniping (Story)

Sadly, based on actual events. Names have been changed to protect the idiots.

Social Sniping (Story) belongs to the following groups:

WMG

‘I’ve worked out a spot you could shoot someone from and get away without being seen,’ he said smugly. I looked at him carefully, weighing up whether he was kidding or not.

He was scrawny and pimply, with a plain black t-shirt hanging out over black jeans. His dyed-black hair was short, with the beginnings of curls attempting to form through the layer of oil. He was not attractive, and seemed very far from being cool; yet he had the demeanour of a celebrity, charming his way through the social circuit. The friends around him listened in awe, and two girls flanked him, fawning absurdly. Maybe cult leaders had this same charisma.

He seemed to take my stare as flattering interest, and he hurried to continue. ‘I know where the mall surveillance cameras are, and what they can see, and where their coverage stops. It’s not as complete as you’d think. And if you’re blocks away, from a building window, no-one’s gonna see a thing.’

I groaned silently and gritted my teeth. Unbelievable. This party was pathetic, and the crowd worse. Anne, an old school friend had invited me, so I’d brought my flatmate Glen along, expecting a great night. So far, it was pretty far from a great night. I didn’t want to guess what drugs Anne was running on, but from the look of her, they had been fuelling her for some years now. She could barely speak, and hadn’t moved from the lounge the entire time we’d been there.

Glen was now settled in with a short, blonde girl. Well, that had taken all of five minutes. It wasn’t surprising, he did it everywhere he went, mostly unconsciously. He was tall, athletic and handsome, as well as being a funny, likeable character. His long hair gave him the aura of a fashion model, while his sense of humour didn’t let him take himself seriously. Quite the happy ‘himbo’!

I resigned myself to being stuck in conversation with the self-styled ‘master of evil’.
‘So you’ve got a rifle here?’
‘Not here.’
‘So, you don’t have a gun?’
‘I know where I can get one. I can get one straight away if I want to.’
‘Uh huh.’

The two drunk girls on either side of him swooned and gushed about how clever and dangerous he was. I rolled my eyes and went for a drink.

Constructive criticism welcome.

Hoffard

Wow! Great writing!
Empress

a drink on the way to the exit?
kseriphyn

fun party, not. sadly, I’ve been forced to endure one of those once in my life.
Kym Breeze

glad he webt to get a drink…the lesser of two evils…..great writing cheers
Damian

Thanks Kimberly, glad you like it :)

Kate, I wish! That was the never-ending evening. And no idiots were harmed in making (regretably…) LOL

Bummer Ronnie, those sort’ve nights are just painful! This was one friend I haven’t tried to track down again.
Damian

Thanks Kym, drinking wins again LOL!
animo

this really made me think. i’ve heard people say stuff like this too and watch amazed as other people seen to hang off every word…
i’m curious about the things people say to impress others, about why they say stuff like this in the first place, and why they think they’ll impress people, and then i wonder about what personality disorder may be surfacing!
animo

damn the no edit function! seem NOT seen.
LostBoy1

Disturbing…great writing!!
Damian

Thanks animo; it’s a bizarre situation isn’t it. And the way that it seems to really impress some people too! It makes me feel torn – are they just idiots trying to make something of themselves in conversation, or do they really have these ideas and an ambition to find out what it’s like one day? This particular person was also very proudly talking about being sociopathic. That made me lean towards the idea that he was talking himself up into the role of dark and mysterious…!

Thanks LostBoy, glad you like it!
Leoni Venter

Very cool! I’ve been at parties where my companions couldn’t remember from minute to minute what they were talking about. As I was drinking water, I remember every nonsense-filled mind-numbingly boring minute. So yes, perhaps parties are good for those who drink. Those who don’t, has it even worse ;)
Damian

Thanks Lee!
I don’t think this guy could blame drink for his carry on. And I certainly didn’t get smashed with such a dodgy bunch either; more like bide time until I could get the flatmate away ;)
Although I know what you mean about being sober amongst drunks, LOL! A very different view of the world!
LostBoy1

I didn`t realise this was based on a true event…

sad shit…cult leaders feed the weak…the poor of character…

my natural prey when it comes to social situations…i have left so many groups

there is always an apple that should be stomped into the ground…
Damian

That’s cool LostBoy. I don’t usually like to write anything particularly real, but this occassion has always stuck in my mind.
And I think you’re right – this was about one guy using a bunch of weak willed types to make himself feel important.
anaisnais

Nice one! When do I get to read the next bit? lol.
Damian

Thanks Anna-Marie, glad you like it! No next bit yet, but it wouldn’t be too hard to go complete fiction and pretend I stayed to watch him either make a fool of himself, or prove me wrong and go get a gun…!
Anne van Alkemade

Great writing Damian. Never one for parties myself – I like the idea but can’t stand the inanity of it all. Could relate to the way you felt in this piece very well indeed. Good luck with In the Moment too. :o)
Damian

Thanks Anne! Parties interest me a lot less nowdays too :)
Cheers for the comp, right back atcha!
indeterminacy

There’s something too that – actually read something similar not long ago about this aspect of female psychology:
“European women drawn to Texas death row inmates”
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/120907dnmetdeathrowlove.2c3fc16.html
Michelle Rogers

Oh god yes, all too familiar… not with the guns per se, but the smug loser-ness that is somehow appealing to some… nice work!
Damian

Interesting link Inde, thanks. It’s bizarre how it works. An element of attraction to power or danger?

Thanks Michelle, it’s a shame it’s so familiar to so many of really. There must be people like this all around the place.
Leon Walker

Absolutely fantastic writing. We all slip on a slimy slug once in a while. It’s just an aggravation.
Well stated.
Damian replied

Thanks Leon! That’s a great way of putting it, LOL!
jianina

this I would hace to say is my favorite piece of yours….it raw, gritty, and if not true…it could be! Yeah people want to say things to be heard and to get someones attention a suave pimply dork might talk about shotting someone and knowing the cameras angles…”Smarter then the machine huh” isn’t the whole world!!!LOL…(not laughing)...its probably not the best thing but the right thing to grab a drink…that was an interesting and fitting end to a story obviously not finished??...with a story like this and a great narrator this could be a gruesomely honest book! And that my friend is a compliment!!!!!....
Damian replied

Thanks a lot Nina :)
Glad you like this one, and that you could see yourself reading more if it existed! Thank you :)
H J Higgins

“He seemed to take my stare as flattering interest, and he hurried to continue.”

Exactly. This is also my favorite piece of yours. Brings me back to scenes and parties and all the transient, the colorful, the fucked-up and the boring people there. Many who are your close friends. I agree—more would be wonderful.
Damian replied

Thanks HJ. This story was an experiment for me. I hadn’t done this sort of thing before, writing so close to actual events. I’m glad it came across for you :)