Oct
The Manor
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
The enormous house consisted of large acres of land with an abundance of flower and vegetable gardens. Violet’s only companion was her cat Missy.
She walked down the basement steps, the kerosene lamp, her only light. The stairs creaked and the ghastly noise churned her stomach.
When Violet reached the top shelf and grabbed a bucket, something brushed her leg. Startled, she tripped, fell, and hit her head unconscious. Missy pawed her arm until she awakened.
“Missy, don’t do that again.” Violet rubbed her lump and walked upstairs with Missy trailing behind.
In the basement, the deceased prior owner chortled.
From Guest Contributor Lisa M.Scuderi-Burkimsher
Oct
Hurt
by thegooddoctor in Uncategorized
“We’re joined today by the great Cuban émigré slugger Robinson Falco Villegas, Jr.”
“Hola.”
“Robby, rather than talk about your recent injury, why don’t you tell us why you and your father were named after Jackie Robinson?”
“I wasn’t named after him. I was named after the great irascible poet, Robinson Jeffers. I learned English so I could read his poems.”
“I didn’t know that. Can you quote your favorite lines?”
“I’d prefer to paraphrase.”
“If it makes you more comfortable, go right ahead.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, go for it.”
“Were it not for penalties, you’d be dead now.”
From Guest Contributor Clyde Liffey
Oct
Dreamland
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
The lake has an island that has a church on it with fine black cracks etched all over. It’s the place where disaster originated. Everything else has been declared safe for visitors. The sky is an orange I never experienced before. A smell like the rancid diapers of the spawn of Satan crawls through trees. A fox poses in front of a sign that says NO JEWS AND ANIMALS ALLOWED. Joggers, dog walkers, and parents with strollers slow down as they go past. I catch the expression on their faces, mostly a combination of surprise and puzzlement. Sometimes they smile.
From Guest Contributor Howie Good
Howie is the author of two new poetry collections, The Death Row Shuffle (Finishing Line Press, 2020) and The Trouble with Being Born (Ethel Micro-Press, 2020).
Oct
The Receipt
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
Monday was always wash day in Marla’s house. She sorted through the load of “darks,” mostly jeans and towels. While checking the pockets, she thought she felt a piece of paper in her husband’s jeans.
Marla found a receipt made out to her husband. It read: “Rent for the month of October 2020, paid.”
“What rent?” she thought to herself. Marla didn’t recognize the address. She began to consider the possible explanations. Was it a pied-a-terre? The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. What had the bastard done now?
Just then, her husband walked in the door.
From Guest Contributor Janice Siderius
Oct
Dangerous Dan
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
Dan is a famous television personality. He tells everyone via Twitter, television, and sky writing that he is a rich and brilliant man. His public statements have attracted a following of those who hate the same people that he does. Recently he advised people to drive 100mph in dense traffic without seatbelts, despite transportation experts saying it would lead to deaths to both drivers and the innocent. Many thousands died following his advice. Dan laughed it off, until he himself was injured while driving at 100mph. Several others were injured in his crash. What do you think of Dan now?
From Guest Contributor Doug Hawley
Oct
The New Normal
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
Three minutes before the meeting, I don my favorite blouse. It won’t pass the waft test, but I’m out of clean clothes. My flannel pants are ripped; it’ll have to do. My hair is in a bun because styling takes too long.
Apple sauce pools on the high chair; fruity pebbles litter on the floor.
I rush to open the laptop and enter the meeting. Twelve baggy pairs of eyes stare back at me. I then remember that no one can smell my shirt or see my pants. But I wonder if anyone would mind if I went to pee.
From Guest Contributor Jennifer Lai
Oct
Queue For Killing Time
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
Mow lawn with toenail clipper; count sand. Invite spiders to tea party; pretend you’re the Mad Hatter.
Adopt imaginary twins; cry when they say their first word (“quarantine”); ransack new recipes to quiet their insatiable hunger; crank open doors and windows; demonstrate how to run fingers over wild, overgrown grass; bike them to beach; build castles, mermaids, moats; inhale salty ocean air; watch fire-red sun sink into horizon.
Lift face to pale moon and marvel, “Isn’t it crazy that there are more stars in the sky than all the grains of sand on earth?”
Time killed, savor moment without end.
From Guest Contributor Michelle Wilson
Michelle’s words have appeared in 50-Word Stories, 101 Words, Literally Stories, The Miami Herald, and elsewhere. She lives in Miami Beach, Florida.
Oct
Ajar
by thegooddoctor in Uncategorized
“Time sure flies. Tomorrow is already his Big Truthful Day.”
“I’m glad we won’t have to lie to him anymore.”
“It wasn’t really lying – rather hiding the truth.”
“What shall we tell him first? About Santa or the Easter Bunny?”
“Wouldn’t you think he already knows this stuff? Probably a few of his classmates must have told.”
“Then we’ll tell him we’re not his real parents and that he’s hereditarily predestined to be offered to the gods.”
Both giggle inaudiblely.
“Ssssh… wait… did you hear that?”
“No. You are imagining things.”
“Perhaps. Are you sure you closed his bedroom door?”
From Guest Contributor Hervé Suys
Oct
Unspoken Memory
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
Memories surfaced as the woman on the balcony leaned against the balustrade, her young daughter beside her.
She had been joyfully preparing to tell him the wonderful news. She cooked a special dinner and waited for his return from work. She opened the bedroom window, breathed in the fresh spring air, and watched the passersby. A group of people gathered near a stopped buggy. Tears rolled down her cheek. There had been no mistake. It was his still body.
She gently hugged her daughter and watched the young girl’s red hair blow in the breeze. The same color as his.
From Guest Contributor Lisa M. Scuderi-Burkimsher
Oct
Beauty Of Life
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
Walking through the park’s garden, the fresh scent of grass and flowers soothes me. The leaves are slowly blowing in the breeze and the chipmunks race around the path.
Children are laughing and playing baseball while their parents proudly watch, and it reminds me of my own childhood summers, playing catch with my friends while my father coached us on our throws.
I wish I could go back and be young again, but I can’t change time. I’m elderly, brittle and fortunate to be able to walk at my age.
This is why I’m thankful for the beauty of life.
From Guest Contributor Lisa M. Scuderi-Burkimsher