Friday, July 11, 2014

SHORT STORY

I love to write short stories. Hope you enjoy this one.

THE BODY

     She peeked into her son's room. He was spread out, the same way she left him. She sighed. Better to get this over with. He'd never know...never feel the pain.
     She quietly closed his door and peered out the front window. Nothing stirred. The street lights flickered in the darkness. The decision made, she grabbed the shovel and the flashlight she had carefully placed next to the door, and walked to the back yard. She hung the light on a branch of a tree and began to dig.
     After a few minutes, she stopped to wipe the perspiration from her face. If her husband hadn't left her with a young son, and plagued with debt, she wouldn't have to end things this way. She was out of options.
     She inhaled deeply and continued to dig until the hole was deep and wide enough. She took a quick look around to make sure no one watched. At three am, the neighborhood was quiet.
     She made a trip back to the house for the body and carefully wrapped him in an old quilt.She dragged the bundle outside, next to the hole. She wished it didn't have to end like this, but it was the only way. She lowered the body into the hole and began to fill the space. Tears threatened, but she sniffed them back.
      She'd miss that old dog, but after he died, she couldn't afford to take him to the vet for disposal. Hopefully, her son was too young to miss him, or ask too many questions.

11 comments:

  1. Excellent. Full of suspense and love wrapped tautly in description. I loved this clean, tight writing yet it left nothing out. This story had it all and was a joy to read.

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    1. Glad you enjoyed the story, Check out my eBooks on Amazon,com MISPLACED, THE HIDDEN JOURNAL, and OLIVIA

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  2. Thanks, Ginger. Creating short stories is an exercise in tight writing. Joyce

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  3. OMG! I was wondering where that was going. The lead was so ominous. Great turn around at the end. Well done!

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  4. Kem, Glad I surprised you. That's the fun of a short story.

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  5. I enjoyed the read Joyce, a good story

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    1. Thanks, Mary. I love writing short stories with a twist.

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  6. This is great Joyce. A classic example of flash fiction with a twist.

    Well done. Is it for a competition?

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    1. Cathy, I wrote this story for one of my critique groups to show you could write a good, complete story in 500 words.

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