April, 2018 Archives
Apr
Cars And Cradles
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
The drive was rocky. Hanging out of the window of the car speeding past pine trees, barely clinging to the edge of a degrading dirt road, she felt free. Sitting on the edge of her seat, she stuck her hand out the window and played with the wind whipping past her fingers. Up and down up and down her hand went. As the road got rougher she tightened her seat belt, the last vestibule of safety in a spiraling series of events. She tucked herself in as if waiting for the kiss that never came, that hug that never happened.
From Guest Contributor Noah Bello
Apr
The Way The World Ends
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
At first I thought it was a barrel of whiskey strapped to the back of the gangly old man, stooping him over to half in the parking lot. Snow swirled in orange light clouds. As he shuffled closer, I realized it was an egg, yellowish, enormous, bound with dirty ropes. There were scratches on it as long as my arm, and I wondered whether they came from the inside or the outside. I loaded the groceries into the car and pushed my cart at him.
“That’s not how it works,” he muttered, head down. “I have to carry it myself.”
From Guest Contributor Brook Bhagat
Apr
Ireland’s Descent
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
Niamh clambered down the rocks, grasping grass to ensure balance. Her eyes widened with adoration each time she peered over her shoulder espying tides crashing carelessly against bustling coral. To others it was an empty beach clinging to the base of Irish pastures, but to Niamh her struggle over the roughened pebbles opened the gates of Eden.
Her lens captured what she saw; pulsating amber beasts clinging to years of compressed life, silvery fish darting around with grand families and crabs working hard, hunting. Emerald weeds flowed through natural pools capturing the life of the sun. Images she trapped forever.
From Guest Contributor Kerry Kelly
Apr
In The Dark
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
“Sit down!” someone yelled.
“I need to find out what happened,” I yelled back.
“We were told to wait,” a woman insisted.
The stage went dark. My mind revisited twirling silks, accelerating swings.
“Pity she fell. A beautiful performer,” the man next to me said.
“She wanted to be a aerial trapeze artist since turning twelve,” I replied.
“Difficult to replace,” he added. “She was so talented.”
“Why in the past?”
“Because,” he said while checking the Internet, “It appears she may have…”
“It’s my only child,” I sobbed, rising to walk away from my seat.
No one stopped me.
From Guest Contributor Krystyna Fedosejevs
Krystyna is a writer of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction.
Apr
Scrabbling For Vanity
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
Most had outside toilets, located in narrow backyards just far enough away from kitchen doors for odours to dissipate.
Granddad’s was a stark brick shell with a plank-door, cord for inner handle, neatly torn newspaper for wiping, and Adamant throne a chasm to toddlers.
The landlord was actually well-to-do and had provided an Edwardian commode, but this was purely for night-time excursions by the ladies of the house.
The home of the paternal grandmother faced the cathedral; the toilet inside. She boasted poshness.
The facility was internal only because her house had no yard. She forever nagged about flushing properly.
From Guest Contributor Perry McDaid
Apr
Murderous Intentions
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
He sat on the park bench. Waiting to find his next victim. Women pass by as they take their morning jog.
A woman with meaty thighs and blonde hair grabs his attention. Not too slim, not too heavy. Right in the middle. She is the one. Time to work his magic. He jogs beside her.
“Hi I’m John. Let me just say that even if there wasn’t gravity on earth, I would still fall for you.”
“Smooth, but cute. I’m Kathy.”
They jog together. His mind wanders. How is he going to kill her? Stabbing? Poison?
So many endless possibilities.
From Guest Contributor Alexa Findlay
Alexa is a Creative Writing Major at the University of California, Riverside. She spends her time writing fiction and poetry. Her work has been featured in Pomona Valley Review, Better than Starbucks Magazine, Adelaide Literary Magazine, Halcyon Days, Grotesque Magazine, Blood Moon Rising Magazine, Scarlet Leaf Review, and A Story in 100 words, amongst others.
Apr
Bad Escape
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
Alcatraz, 1938.
Prisoners Nick and Daryl were aboard a boat to Alcatraz. The boat collided with a rock and turned over. Nick and Daryl swam to shore followed by a guard. He knocked them out. Outside of the prison Daryl grabbed the guard’s gun and shot him.
With Nick, Daryl ran from the loosened dogs and guards. They found a boat. The warden followed as the men stole the boat.
‘This is the life’ cried Nick.
‘Hungry for bullets?’ called the warden as he shot Daryl. Nick, an identity thief, shot back.
Nick lived another fifty years as a warden.
From Guest Contributor Bayley Kelly
Apr
Ludere
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
He introduced himself to the elegant redhead, making the proper, respectful eye-contact interspersed with cheekily brazen glances beyond the pendulous necklace of green stones.
He listened to her queries, gave all the right answers, asking questions on cue, seizing each opportunity for sexual inference.
Waiting for her fiancé, she allowed herself to bask in the attention and enjoy the ancient game. She even allowed her secret smile to beam forth occasionally, assuring herself that her fidelity was as icily resolute as the emeralds about her flushed neck.
Shortly after an artful hand touched her thigh, only the emeralds kept table.
From Guest Contributor Perry McDaid
Apr
Dream Beach
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
He walked along the beach he’d frequented as a child in holidays long ago.
“All those years,” he thought, “and my life has had as much significance as a grain of sand on this shore!”
“Even my memories are fading,” he reflected, as the past receded ever further year on year.
“My senses too are dulled. The sights and sounds of the sea are not as vivid as before.”
Hearing the mesmerizing cadence of the waves he felt he was walking in a dream.
Yes, it would soon be time for his return to the dust from whence he came.
From Guest Contributor Ian Fletcher
Apr
Anything Can Happen
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
“Why do you think you’re an expert on me?” I asked Jim. We were on another construction job together doing some demolition. It felt good sledge hammering the walls.
“Listen, kid. You’re eighteen and you gotta drop this attitude. People don’t appreciate it.”
“Sure, Jim. Whatever you say.”
“Listen, kid. I’ve seen the world and I know what it’s like.” Jim lifted his shirt to reveal a .45 pistol. “See this. I’ve had a gun on me all day. You never would’ve known. Anyone is capable of anything.”
Jim pulled the pistol cautiously. Fumbling it in his hands he–– POP!!!!
From Guest Contributor Steve Colori