Cliché

Saltwater

"A perfect storm," he said.

I replied "what comes around goes around".

He nodded. "If walls could talk..."

"Yup, but sometimes ignorance is bliss."

He nodded again.

There was a moment of silence while we looked at the sea.

"We must think outside the box."

I replied, "but we must be careful not to open a can of worms."

"True. Oh, well. It doesn't matter anymore. He's dead as a doornail."

I smiled. "Good things come to those who wait."

"And we did wait a long time," he said.

"We did. My finger was freezing," I replied, holding the gun.

100 Word Stories

Brownie Mix

 

Milk Wood

When the neighbor started digging holes in his garden at two in the morning, I thought I should do something about it. I took a spade and trotted across his garden. It was a body missing a finger... I put it back in the ground. Should I call the police? I had committed a crime too, trespassing on his property. When he knocked at my door the next day, I froze. He smiled. "Here, have some brownies. It's my own brownie mix recipe. I add a pinch of this and a pinch of that." I sure didn't like his sneer...

100 Word Stories

I Was Very Young

Time Remains

I wanted that horse toy so badly and my father said "you'll regret it". I shoved the toy in my pocket and ran. My father yelled "you'll regret it". 40 years later, here I am, still that 10-year old kid at heart. That toy was the beginning of my career. Every time I robbed a bank, I took the horse toy with me, the toy and my father's voice too. Today, I was arrested. My father looked at me and whispered "do you regret it now?" I shook my head and smiled. It had been one heck of a ride.

100 Word Stories

Her Little Paradise

Swayland

The asinine brochure with the inept typo managed to convince her, in a moment of complete vulnerability, she should add, to go find a beach somewhere and age happily. She did. And the beach was lovely, yes, except for the fact that the damn seagulls pooped all over her little paradise. She thought there'd be other people around. But no, nobody, not a single soul. No fish either. So, she had to practice her skills on the pooping seagulls. It was a nasty sight. And she couldn't even eat them... She had given up on meat a long time ago.

100 Word Stories

Fight Fire With Fire

Wintersweet

"I have a dragon."

"I have a dragon too."

"My dragon is bigger than yours."

"No, it's not."

"Yes, it is."

"No, it's not."

"Yes, it is."

"Stop it," shouted the father from the living-room.

"Mine can spit fire."

"Spit? Haha. Mom says that's rude."

"No, it's not, not in dragons."

"Yes, it is."

"No, it isn't!"

"Stop it now."

Two seconds of silence.

"Your dragon's pooping fire."

"No, it's not."

"Then... what's that?"

"It's... It's... He had chili, so there."

This time, silence lasted longer. One of the kids sulked while the other wondered if dragons really ate chili.

100 Word Stories

Pick One

Roche

"Pick one," he said, looking at the box with small dividers. "They are seeds."

Seeds always have this promise of a future in them, she thought.

"I choose these. Are they poisonous?"

"No! They are berries, I think."

She smiled again. She could fall in love with him, she thought.

"I don't know how long they'll take to grow."

She nodded.

Years later, the bush was still there. She had no idea what kind of berries they were but she never touched them.

He did. Needless is to say that he never saw the plant grow.

Temptation is a bitch.

100 Word Stories

Even

Pure Dreams

She inhaled. Ah, coffee.

The nice librarian had suggested the book "Moving On".

How appropriate. Her husband was having an affair.

When she returned the book, she found out that her husband was having an affair with none other than the nice librarian.

Good thing she had also picked up "How to Get Rid of Your Old Life". Lots of interesting advice in it, including a few radical methods of... getting rid of your old life.

Books are extraordinary, and so are libraries.

Nice librarians... not as much. At least, not this one! But even that problem had been solved.

100 Word Stories

Overexposed

Kronbelt

The lighthouse stood by the bay, small waves hitting it softly.

The carcass of a boat rocked back and forth, a warning flag still swaying in the wind.

They had been overexposed to that gas, the one coming from the barrels tossed in the water at high sea. They tried to sail away as fast as they could. But it was only a matter of seconds.

People came onboard. They said no, don't come here. But they did anyway.

And now, the lighthouse stood by the bay, small waves hitting it softly, with no one to take care of it.

100 Word Stories

Don't Push Me

 

LEA 13 Cica Ghost

I am a good mother. I always knew what was good for you. But you never accepted what I said. I always pointed out your faults. That's how you learn. I never praised you because that wouldn't teach you anything. And that day when you wanted to hug me and I was horrified. A hug? Don't push me. And you had that pathetic look on your face. I am a good mother. You came out alright, except for not accepting my orders. You were always stubborn. Now you're indifferent. And we don't talk. Yeah, it's all your fault... your fault.

100 Word Stories

Left

 

LEA 13 Cica Ghost

I am a good mother. The kitty this, the kitty that. Let nature be nature. We need to take him to the vet, and you whined and whined and I took the kitty to the vet. I'm a good mother. It just annoys me to have to change my plans. I had stuff to do. If the kitty had lived till then, I am sure he'd survive a few more hours. And you turned your back on me and left to your room and then you left for good. Now we don't talk. And it's all your fault... your fault.

100 Word Stories

Store

LEA 13 Cica Ghost

I am a good mother. I always bought good food for you. There was that time when you went to the store to buy bread, and when you came back you said no more. But why? And you said there was a tavern next door and the men looked at you funny... And I said what a wimp, that's life, you need to get used to it. You were 12 and you had to toughen up. I'm a good mother. I taught you stuff you needed to survive. But now we don't talk. And it's all your fault... your fault.

100 Word Stories

Bee

LEA 13 Cica Ghost

I am a good mother. I fed you and took you to where you needed to go. I gave you books for school and I kept you clean. I was a busy bee till you became the annoying teenager you were. There was this time when you fell down the stairs and I did nothing, just watched. I hate interfering. I am a good mother. I put up with your friends till I managed to push them away from our house. They were too cheerful. Peace at last. But now we don't talk. And it's all your fault... your fault.

100 Word Stories

The Door Flew Open

Time Remains

The elderly home where she lived was... boring.

One day, the door to her room flew open and there he was, as handsome as ever.

"I have a message. In a minute, a man will show up and tell you something. Just say "yes".

She nodded and wondered. Had he been activated? Odd thing at his age...

"How did you find me?"

"I have my sources." He smiled. "Remember Prague?"

She smiled too.

"OK. Just say yes." And he left.

A knock.

She opened the door. It was him again.

"Will you marry me?"

And all she said was "yes".

100 Word Stories

What's That On Your Face?

Asalia House

The crow landed on the arm of the scarecrow.

“Well, I never,” thought the scarecrow.

The crow groomed himself and just sat there.

What on earth. They were supposed to be afraid of him.

A bit of wind made the crow flap the wings briefly.

This is really too much!

"Oh, what's that on your face?" asked the crow.

What, what? The thing was talking!

"That's so sweet. It's a ladybird!"

A ladybird? Where, where?

The crow laughed. "You crossed your eyes!"

The scarecrow smiled.

"Friends? I promise not to eat the crops here."

“Friends.”

And even the ladybird smiled.

100 Word Stories

NaNoWriMo 2021 Concluded

 

The past few months have been difficult, to say the least, and I didn't feel like writing new material (a novel). However, I was determined to get back to writing more than 100 words a week. NaNoWriMo was the perfect "excuse". 

Today, I have surpassed the 50k mark thus becoming a (rebel) "winner".

Thank you. You know who you are. Without you and your support, I wouldn't have made it to the end. Every time I felt like giving up, I could hear your voice saying "you can do it". Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Arson

Enoshima

The box sat on the floor. Everyone was quiet, imagining the potential level of devastation it could cause.

“I thought we were torching the place,” said one of them. “These are... well, ammunition for whatever war weapon. We don't have that weapon, do we?”

The question made them snort.

“We could get it,” another ventured.

“It must cost a fortune.”

Everyone mumbled. Destroying the place for the insurance was far more complicated than they had anticipated.

"I don't understand... Why don't we torch the place? Done."

Yep, he was done alright.

Let's face it. Simple solutions aren't always the most fun.

100 Word Stories

Unsure

Octoberville

He thought he had led a good life until someone from out of town whispered something in his ear. It wasn't easy to upset him and yet here he was, panicking. He took the fish from the lines where it was drying and hid it in a bag. He looked at his hands and felt the need to wash them, frantically, obsessively. But he just stood there. And he wondered... He wondered if the stranger really knew what he had done, traveling through space but, above all, through time, that time he had so desperately tried to run away from.

100 Word Stories

The End

"The End".

She put the pen down, happy.

The book was published. But she abhorred the cover. And she was very vocal about it too. No one listened because the book was a success, "a huge success" as the publisher always made a point of stressing.

OK, fine! So be it.

Her next book was called "The Fool". And she loved the cover, a photo of a foot sticking out of the ground. She had taken it herself with her cellphone. It was much cheaper than hiring some top designer.

Buying the gun, however, did mess up her whole budget...

100 Word Stories

NaNoWriMo 2021

Non-fiction. Personal. 50.000 words. November 1-30.

Since Records Began

 

Bridgetown

When it all started, no one expected to understand. They waited. Some waited patiently, others complained. After a while, it was clear that since records began, time had been bent to the limit. What was happening? When? It seemed the safety net everyone knew - seconds, minutes, hours, days - had disappeared. Town clocks were removed. A law was issued. No watches.. What had happened would happen again, multiple times. Everyone got poorer and had to live in shanty towns. But he smiled. The colorful row of light bulbs crossing his street gave him solace.... And he decided not to wait anymore.

100 Word Stories