#shortstorysundays

[authoremilynicole]

... she'd been crying all night. Overwhelmed by her life-or lack thereof. Nothing had been going right- for YEARS now. Living in the big city meant nothing to her if she wasn't living her dreams, and she hadn't been. As of late her life consisted of-work, dog, home. Every day. Like clock work... and she was beyond tired of it. The mundaness of her life was the cause of her tears tonight. She couldn't help but shed a few for her nonexistent social or sexual life either because, what are those? ...after wiping her eyes and running a bath, she did what she normally does on these internally painful nights-she called a guy, who dropped off a girl, who'd keep her company through the night... and then some. The guy wasn't cheap, but she knew his girls were worth every penny. She gave him 150 and he nodded his head in appreciation as she closed and locked the door behind him. Turning to look at her treasure, she smiled- the first in several hours...

...lights out, candles lit, and a hot bath awaiting them, she returned to her guest in the living room, approaching almost nervously to the couch. Placing various toys on the table, she adjusted her silk robe and leaning over, anxiously began...

...this was always her favorite part-the first opening; the aroma of the particular girl- always different, always pungent, but definitely worth every penny of her meager check. She took her between her thumb and forefinger and raised her to her nose.

"Jesus,"

she says, a smile spreading across her lips... She's frantic now, rushing to get her ready and into the tub- practically drooling with the need to inhale her...

...she isn't delicate as she grinds her; pressing her heel into the top of the cylinder toy until her guest is reduced to nothing more than fine particles...she withdraws; arranges; and rolls her between her fingers. Her tongue slips between her lips to moisten her fold...

"Perfect."

...the scalding bath has turned into a comfortably hot one as she settles into its depths, her fingers laced around her companion. She pauses to admire her, only to interrupt the silence of the room with a quick flick of her thumb...

...with puckered lips, she covers her and her counterpart, finally relishing in the taste of her-and of the TASTE of her...blueberries. Fucking blueberries!! She smiles against her, feeling her in her lungs, her head, her veins. She exhales. Rests her head against the back of the tub...she stretches her toes and smiles and inhales again...bliss.

...who knows how long she'd been there-her companion temporarily gone, the incessant banging on the door, and the uncomfortably chilling water suggested long enough. She struggled to get up from the tub- her limbs heavy and numb, but she managed to do so without too much effort...or fail.

"I'm coming!"

She shouts. Wet feet slapping against hard wood floor.

"Mrs. Thomas,"

she says.

"Hi."

She smirks, averts her eyes, pulls her robe closer to her front and the door closer to her back as she remembered her companion...Mrs. Thomas shakes her head.

"I heard you crying sweetheart, and I don't know what's going on, "

"Mrs. Thomas,"

"But if you're gonna smoke pot can you at least open a window?!"

...she nods her head and bites her bottom lip.

"Yes ma'am."

"Get it together sweetheart. "

...she giggles and steps back into her apartment...

Title- Marijuana (Mary Jane)

[fantasywordcraft]

New Year’s News

Well, it’s 2020, and that sounds a bit like we should be living in a sci-fi novel. But, to past generations, we pretty much are the the stuff of Science Fiction! Who’d have dreamed of a computer small enough to fit in your pocket that would also allow you to access the entire World Wide Web?

But, I digress. While I won’t promise any blogging resolutions, I can say I’ve finally gotten some of my…

[forestsstories]

Nap-time Nightmare

The child mercifully slept through the entire argument, and the frosty glares they had been shooting each other ever since. She remained nestled comfortably in Derek’s arms letting out the occasional soft snore. She finally awoke to the barking of their neighbour’s dog and let out a soft whine at the sudden state of consciousness she found herself in. “That damn dog again? Goodness sakes it’s almost nine… oh, hey look who’s awake?” Derek’s eyes shone as he gazed at the baby, who only whined for a moment before beaming up at him. Josh was perched at the window glowering at their neighbour’s backyard. “I think we can’t raise a noise complaint until after eleven… oh, is she awake? Good, the instructions said she was supposed to eat dinner around five, but it’s probably fine. I’ll go warm the bottle.”

As Josh darted from the room the baby gazed around, taking in her surroundings. The living room was a perfect blend of both men’s personalities. Derek’s prized vintage record collection lined the bottom shelves of their bookcases, with Josh’s computer manuals carefully organized on the second shelves. Glass figures were, mercifully, in a china cabinet, along with several cherished photos. Cords dangled from their various electronics, of which there were many. Expensive earbuds were carelessly lying upon Josh’s desk, something that had irked Derek for days. Soft throw pillows were carefully placed, giving the room a pop of colour to make up for the neutral paint tones. The baby took all of this in, but understood the significance of none of it. One would not expect her to after all; she was in fact… a baby.

               Derek placed her gently on the floor, gathering her soft playthings around her and proceeded to scroll through his emails. He was expecting an important one, but he made sure the baby had toys. It was more than Josh would have thought to do. The child cocked her head to one side as she watched her uncle stare at the small glowing rectangle in his hands. She glanced around at her own toys, none of which appeared to be glowing and made her way toward the couch. Digging her fingernails hard into the Italian leather she roused herself to her feet and strained to see what might be so fascinating. A sharp yell caused her to fall back to the floor in shock and she began wailing.

               “What is it? The baby is crying again? Why is it crying again, did you drop it?!” Josh’s screechy voice emanated from the doorway. “No I- it- she… was standing! Like, straight up!”

“Oh.” Josh waved his hand dismissively. “Yea she does that. Melinda told me she started scooting along the edge of the couch last week, it’s no big deal.”

“No big- but it- BABIES CAN’T STAND UP!!” It was Josh’s turn to be amused by a freak out.

“Honestly Derek, you act like you think babies just crawl until they’re supposed to go to school.”

“They don’t?!” Josh shook his head dubiously.

“She’s expected to start walking pretty soon actually. Bring her here, I have the bottle.”

               If you’ve ever been tasked with caring for an infant you will know you have to warm their milk slowly, and test it before giving it to them. This is an important step. This was not, however, a step which Melinda had remembered to put in her instructions for childcare.

               “Why is it screaming?! I gave it the bottle!”

“I don’t know! Let me try…” Derek reached for the bottle. “Geeze!” Milk droplets fell to the carpet as the bottle tumbled from Derek’s fingers. “That’s hot! How hot did you make it?!”

“The instructions say to heat it to 98, so I put it in for 98 seconds. That’s what it says.” Derek frowned thoughtfully. “Well that makes sense I guess but-“ He took the infant into his arms and rocked soothingly. “That was clearly too hot… we best let it cool. There there… shh….” The child continued to whimper for some time before relaxing into the warmth of Derek’s chest. “You go on and play honey… I’ll show your uncle how to warm a bottle.

               Derek, of course, knew little better than Josh how to warm a bottle as the men would soon discover. But while they were busy attempting to boil milk their charge was enacting experiments of her own. A loud crash brought both men back to reality when it was followed by a piteous, piercing shriek. Two left feet appeared to be possessed by both as they stumbled into the living room. The disaster that overtook their eyes would make a person think the infant had been unattended for several hours, instead of minutes.

More tiny claw marks had appeared upon the couch. Three of Dereks precious records had been tossed carelessly across the room, one of them was smothered in a body fluid of unidentifiable origins. A manual had found its way from the carefully organized place it had resided in and was in the center of the room, missing various pages. A laptop was dangling precariously on the back of a desk. Various cords lay asunder of where they should have been plugged in and lastly, an expensive headset was on the floor in the baby’s lap, the baby herself was propped against the cracked glass door of the china cabinet where several glass figures shook back and forth.

As if in slow motion both men clamoured toward the wailing infant, breath coming in short gasps, panic shining in their wide eyes. Derek clutched the child to his chest while Josh immediately set about checking her head for bumps or scrapes. “Is she broken? Did we break her? Oh god, we’re so toast Derek…” Josh moaned as he ran his fingers over her scalp, her peach fuzz hair soft beneath his touch. The infant continued to cry as Derek murmured to her, but Josh let out a sigh of relief as he found no scratches upon her.

It took several minutes of rocking before the sobbing subsided to hiccups, and neither man spoke, save Derek’s comforting murmurs. They gazed at the chaos a few short minutes without supervision had resulted in and met each other’s eyes. “Derek… I know you want to adopt but-“ Derek shook his head. “I know… we have a lot to learn first.” A collective sigh of relief was had, shared by the infant whose hiccups subsided. A small smile crept across all three faces. “I’ll watch the baby… you clean up this mess. Then you watch her and I’ll warm the bottle.” Josh nodded in numb agreement.

The remainder of the evening went reasonably smoothly once they found a children’s channel on their cable package. Josh’s head pounded with the sing-song melodies for many days to follow, but the child was entertained at least. It was roughly one in the morning when a knock on their door signalled the return of the primary caregiver. Derek was half asleep as he yanked the door open and immediately began the word vomit of how their night had gone. “But it quieted down when we found a program which appealed to its core drive and the suspicious noises have stopped now so I believe it will be operational from here on out.” Melinda blinked as she gazed around their living room and her eyes fell upon the baby, sitting bolt upright on Josh’s lap eyes glued to a colourful dancing animal on the screen. “Why is she still awake?”

Derek frowned in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, I told you guys to put her down at like seven…”

“We did. On the floor. That’s when all the chaos happened.”

“No no… put her down. Like, in the bed.”

“Why would we put her in the bed?”

“So she could sleep?” Both Derek and Josh frowned in confusion. The baby started giggling and it seemed as if it were at their incompetence, but honestly it probably had a lot more to do with the animal falling over on the television. The words escaped both men in unison as they slapped their foreheads simultaneously. “You never said we could put it in sleep mode!” Thus, a lesson was learned. In many ways a computer and an infant are not alike, but both do best when their sleep mode is properly engaged at regular intervals.

[houstonmediaexposure]

Now Accepting Submissions For #ShortStorySundays Fea @vicandcos Wireless 🎧HeadPhones Bringing An All New Entertainment Experience To 🎬Film.SUBMISSION 👉🏾. •📋 LINK IN BIO SHORT STORY SUNDAYS A DAY of gathering to Screen Short Films and Videos. •Screenings will be Held at “ @themediablock ” in AN INTIMATE ENVIRONMENT. •Be prepared for REAL FEED BACK. •Come Network and Receive KNOWLEDGE from Industry Professionals. TAG ALL #directors #producers & #actors #houston #houstonfilm #shortstory #houstondirector #houstonproducer #filmproducers #documentaryfilmmaking #houstonactors https://www.instagram.com/p/B4P9_WtBeqI/?igshid=x3vl8npu3gyb

[caelsonata]

Uniporn (Short Story Sundays)

Uniporn (Short Story Sundays)

Hi everyone! Starting today I will be posting short stories that I worked on throughout the week on every Sunday. This post will be the first of many more to come. I hope you enjoy! “Okay, I’m gonna jump! This is close enough, let the top down!” Monkey said to Lamb as they drove at blazing speed alongside a steam engine in the barren wastelands outside of Roadkill City. “Okay, we only have one…

[oganwald]

Twitter stories 1

Sit on the pavement, can't feel my legs.

Keep my head bowed, can't see them pretend I'm not here.

They never have anything on them.

She comes over with her boyfriend, gives me a sandwich. As she leaves, she cries.

I've nothing left to cry.

When I'm gone, they leave flowers, candles and letters on the bench where I slept.

When I'm gone, they all have something on them.

#shortstory

Pointed ears, fine silky wings.

Dwelling up in trees, next to lakes.

Caring for flowers, carrying pollen.

Chasing the large iron boxes on long iron rails.

Always unseen by tall folk.

Societies appear, people fall out.

Wars fought, times change.

Always unseen.

#shortstory

The tiny faeries looked like moths, the grown ups kept them away from their children.

They'd keep the windows closed, with gems and wards on the table.

They told them they steal children's dreams and give them nightmares.

The children grew to believe the lies.

1/2

#shortstory

As adults, they kept the tradition going.

The children who heard the faeries' words, became artists, saviours, agents of change.

Still the grown ups kept them at bay.

2/2

#shortstory

On the wall, a painting

The room in which you stand

The foreground, a murder

Behind you, a killer

#shortstory #shortstories

On the table, a dolls' house that reminds me of home.

Through the window, I see myself as a child, sitting by myself at a table.

On the table, a dolls' house that reminds me of home.

Through my window, myself at the end.

#shortstory

I'm the only one left alive, the city lies abandoned.

All I have is a dagger and a shield of wood.

I hear the crunch and rustle of slow moving forms, their eyes shine between the trees.

I've nowhere to go.

There is no one left alive.

#shortstory

We shut the gates and stand atop the walls with bows and oil.

There's no wind, but the edge of the forest shifts.

Nobody finds our remains. We join the darkness in the woods.

We go and find the next city to fall. They close their gates and stand atop the walls.

#ShortStory

For #TommyRobinson.

He went walking, day after day.

It didn't go well, to his dismay.

Covered in milkshake, day after day.

At dusk he sat, full of woe.

Always thinking, why don't they know?

If only they could see,

what only I can see.

Day after day.

#shortstory #Poetry

They all went on TV to win money.

The masses cheered as they fought to the death.

Their families watched in horror as one by one they fell.

The winner smiled for a moment, then succumbed to their wounds.

The prize money went on a funeral.

#shortstory

I hear their moans as they drag their steps across the fields at night, the awful cries of the cattle they devour alive, the flames from the lanterns they knock to the floor.

They claw at the window, silhouettes in orange.

These are my final words.

#shortstory

The large house stood empty, and the locals said don't look in the mirrors.

In each room, a tall shape with a velvet curtain.

But, don't look in the mirrors.

Behind the velvet, the cleanest glass.

Just don't look in the mirrors.

1/2

#shortstory

When you pull back the curtain, the mirror is a thing of beauty.

You have to look in the mirror.

Then you see the same room, behind a velvet curtain.

Now you wait for them.

Will they look in the mirrors?

2/2

#shortstory

We sit and watch the tide rippling on the pebbles.

I hold out my hand, a small cloud appears and droplets land in my palm.

"Nice." He says, leaning back on the bench.

I hear a smash, the house behind us is half consumed by flames.

1/2

#shortstory

"You conjure fire?" I ask.

"Nope." He raises his hand and closes a fist. "Look again."

I turn to see the flames gone, the house whole.

"Timetravel?" I ask.

"I place images in your mind. A house, a fire, a beach, a bench, the tide. You and me. A #shortstory."

2/2

When I woke up, it'd gone, along with my memory of what had happened.

#shortstory

The shopkeeper never owned a cat, but every day he fed the stray that came around.

It ate the food he left, then sat by the doorstep and watched the tree line of the forest along the road.

One day, the cat no longer ate but still sat and watched.

(1/2)

#shortstory

Year after year, it never came when called but simply kept its vigil.

When the shopkeeper retired and passed the business to his children, during his funeral round the corner, it continued to return.

To sit and await a darkness unknown.

(2/2)

#shortstory

We met at an outdoor table. We were over before the leaves fell.

She told me it wasn't me, it was her.

I insisted it wasn't her. Soon, it really wasn't.

When the snow came, my footprints stood alone.

#shortstory #shortstorysunday

On the wall, a painting

The room in which you stand

The foreground, a murder

Behind you, a killer

#shortstory #shortstories

The man chose the workhouse over a shop doorway, for food and shelter and warmth. There, the master banished a boy to the streets for losing a finger.

In the night, the man found the master and made him into next days stew.

(1/2)

#shortstory

Standing on the gallows, the man saw gentry arriving to witness his end. To them he said, one day you will be all we have left to eat.

By his side, the boy with a bloody finger and a stolen watch.

"You missed a good meal".

(2/2)

#shortstory

There were two sages; Tawny and Andrew. For miles around, people would heed their words of wisdom and truth.

Every week, people would ask: "greetings, is this situation a utilisation of prejudice and abuse of power?"

(1/2)

#shortstory @yoisthisracist

And joined by a guest, the sages would speak; sadness, joy, sighs and laughter, by the end of which, all who hear are all the wiser.

On Odin's day, clear your mind and listen well, and you will hear these words of lore.

#shortstory @yoisthisracist

Our hearts are numb with pain and grief,

But prayers are not the answer.

Stand up, unite, say no to hate,

From now and here on after.

#ChristchurchMosqueAttack #Islamophobia #poetry #hopenothate

We got it from a second hand bookshop in town, its words describing our very actions, with pages left blank to change reality.

I found him dead, the book lying open, the price of greed.

1/2

#shortstory

They'd never believe my story so I wrote in the book and stepped in front of a train.

We disembarked, together again.

2/2

#shortstory

Using the remains of the dead to cast spells on the living, got him expelled. Now he wanders the cities, looking for trade and hunting his resources.

#shortstory

We agreed it was for the best, then walked to get the train. We said our last goodbye, and never looked back.

#shortstory

You can hit the wall, you can hit me. You can fix the wall, but I'll never fully heal. The wall will be here long after you hit me for the last time.

#shortstory

Sitting in silence, a jar of ashes on the window sill. You and me, we're a photo on the table, I'm sitting in silence.

#shortstory

I saw a flashing 30 sign by the side of the road, so I turned my music down to 29

#shortstory

[stephanieniecolewriites]

Heyyy sooo sorry for the late announcement but my first post in the Art & Lit blog is up now☺️ The link will be in the description aaaaand the art show I went to TODAY is on my stories so you can check that out as well😁 I hope you will enjoy🌻 :: :: :: #newbloggers #newcontent #newblogpostalert #newworks #20something #20somethings #shortstorysunday #artandlit #stillwriting #writersofcolor #writersofig #blackwriter #writersociety #poet_artist #writersclub #poetress #writersfollowwriters https://www.instagram.com/stephanieniecole/p/BpF_tmilCcM/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1o2yd0ehqk9vx

[bibliobeque]

Where do you see yourself in four years time? More centred? Living without arbitrary borders? In an overall brighter environment? Reissued with a new serial number? Costing a whole shilling more? SN1411 - Steinbeck - The Pastures of Heaven - Corgi, 1964. GN7810 - Steinbeck - The Pastures of Heaven - Corgi, 1968. #sundayshelfie #shelfiesunday #shortstorysunday #johnsteinbeck #thepasturesofheaven #acorgibook #bookcovers #bookdesign #spotthedifference #bookalikes #steinbeck #thegreatamericanauthor #northamericanliterature #howmyancestorslived — view on Instagram https://ift.tt/2VfbeSn

[astoldbytosyn]

Do you like #shortstories ? I have one up on the #blog. http://tosynbucknor.blogspot.com.ng/2017/02/shortstorysunday-once-year.html?m=1 #Post #BlogPost #ShortStory #Read #Fiction #Writing #PostOfTheDay #AsToldByTosyn

[fantasywordcraft]

"the sky would be safer than the ground"

“the sky would be safer than the ground”

It’s official!  Runestone, Volume Six was released during the final days of February, so here is a live link to all the work of the undergraduate student contributors and student editors at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota.

The title of Volume Six, “the sky would be safer than the ground” represents the message of hope the editors collected into this volume.  I am honored that my story,…

[forestsstories]

Kitchen Calamity

The hour is oh thirteen hundred hours. I have surrendered all hope of peace with an unrelenting enemy. The sounds of warfare fill the air and I begin to wonder if I shall ever sleep again, if I even survive this battle. My beloved has turned on me in my hour of need and is unresponsive. If this should reach him, know my love for you is like a cavernous canyon. Both vast and deep. Farewell.

               “Darling I don’t think canyons can be cavernous. By their nature canyons don’t have ceilings and therefore cannot be cavernous.” Josh scowled as Derek chuckled. “But your poetic phrasing is sweet. However we do have to get this baby fed.” Derek kissed the tip of Joshes nose before turning his attention back to the baby who was perched in a high chair. “Nyeeeeroooom!” Derek maneuvered the spoon the way parents are wont to do in the vain hope of coaxing the child to open her mouth. Her mouth however was set in a stubborn pout as she scowled at her would be feeder.

               I fear we shall starve here, set behind the wall of our scowling opponent. All hope should be henceforth abandoned as metal is flying in my direction once more. Surely we shall perish here my love. And yet, success! A hole in our enemy’s defenses has been breached! Perhaps there is hope after all. With my love by my side I shall- “Babe, you need to stop writing and feed your niece. The bedroom is still a mess from the diaper debacle and eventually we’re probably going to have to change her again.” Joshes nose scrunched at the thought and he reluctantly took over trying to convince the child to not wallpaper their kitchen with green mush the origin of which could no longer be deciphered. He had moderate success and by the time Derek returned was running a clean cloth over the baby’s face. “Done? Wow.” Derek’s eyebrows raised in mild surprise. “You didn’t skip any steps did you?” His voice had an accusatory edge and Josh crossed his arms. “Now why would I skip steps? Put food on spoon, put spoon in mouth, wait for swallow, repeat.” Derek quirked an eyebrow. “Then why is the little jar still mostly full? Did you only feed her two spoonfuls?”

“Yes! I followed the instructions! Put food on spoon, put spoon in mouth…” Derek frowned thoughtfully while Josh continued explaining. “Well, that is true… maybe that’s all babies need. Okay, so what is next?” Joshes rant ceased immediately as he once again consulted the instructions. “Put her down with a bottle. Wait what? You can’t club a baby with a bottle what’s she saying?!” Joshes voice once again got high as Derek snatched the page from his hands. “I mean I’ve had to put down animals before but what kind of monster does she think I am?! No, I’m not going to put down her baby I don’t care what she s-“

“Josh.” Derek’s voice was soothing as he crooned at him. “Your sister does not want you to kill her baby.”

“But the instructions-“

“I’m sure she just means to put it down out of the high chair. Let’s put it on the floor with a bottle okay?” At that Derek plucked an empty pop bottle off the counter. “I mean, we have toys for it so I don’t know why it would need a bottle but maybe it just likes them.” The baby cooed as Derek lifted it from the high chair, reaching once more for his tie as he set it on the kitchen floor. “I’m going to get these dishes caught up, why don’t you clean the walls?” Josh waited several minutes for his pulse to return to a normal rate before he took a shaky breath and nodded. “Okay. That makes sense.” All was well. Except that it wasn’t. All was not well at all.

               You may have no experience with babies. In which case I would like to inform you that a kitchen floor is absolutely no place to leave one. Josh had hardly touched cloth to wall when a piercing wail made his hands shoot to the sides of his head to shield his ears. Pots clanged into the sink as Derek did the same and both scanned the room for the source of the unbearable noise. Halfway across the room from where they’d left her was the child, her hand caught in a cupboard door and an unholy screech echoing from her tiny lungs. Both men sprang into action, tripping over each other as they gently eased her fingers from the crack between cupboard and door. “Is she ok?”

“No she’s not okay!” Derek cooed softly at the child as he picked it up and rocked it. “She could have lost a finger, I thought we had babyproof things on those doors?”

“We do!” Joshes pulse rapidly began to rise again when he thought of what his sister might do to them if she learned about this. “They must not be installed correctly. Hold on, let me get the instructions, I’ll uninstall and reinstall them.”

“I mean, is that really important right now?” The baby’s shrieking had subsided to gentle hiccups. “We just have to watch her. Make sure she doesn’t go anywhere she’s not supposed to.” Josh shook his head.

“That would be like leaving faulty virus protection on a computer and telling someone to avoid sites where viruses are common. The program is faulty, we have to reinstall it.”

“Yes but fixing the computer’s components is more important than making sure the malware protection is properly installed.” Derek’s lips pursed as they entered into an ages long debate. “The health of the machine is your first concern. Hardware before software.” Joshes eyes flared.

“But if your software is up to date you have a better chance of not damaging the hardware!” The argument continued to escalate, and in their fervour neither man noticed a soft yawn like the coo of a dove and gentle snoring as the child nestled into Derek’s chest and closed her eyes. Calm rhythmic breaths warmed his shirt as they argued pointlessly about the hardware or software, of the child who could care less.

[buckysxgal]

Short Story Sunday: T.O 1

Thor x Reader

Prompts:

93. "You’re crazy! You’re out of your mind!”  98."Where are your pants?” 42. "If I die I’m going to come back and haunt you.”

AN: Set in Thor: Ragnarok

Requested by: @narutoro

“Where are your pants?” I yelled as I walked into Thor and Hulks room on Sakaar. I put my hands over my eyes. “Hulk... Big guy... can you please put on some pants?” Hulk laughed.

“You can look now Lady Y/N” Thor called out. I removed my hands from my eyes. “Thank you Thor.” I stared pointedly at Thor. “I know that look on your face. What are you planning?” 

Thor pointed to the quinjet and explained his plan. I stood there shocked. “You’re crazy! You’re out of your mind!”

Thor just stared at me. “So... are you in?” I thought for a moment. “Of course I am you big loaf.” I smiled while patting him on the shoulder. “But I have to let you know. If I die I’m going to come back and haunt you.” 

He chuckled. “Naturally.”

Masterlist || SSS Masterlist

Perma-tags: @narutoro

Character Tags: @marvelite1998

[fantasywordcraft]

New Home

Today, I join you for #shortstorysunday with more than a fiction tale.  I have a true story of hope and rebuilding.

At approximately 6:45am on Tuesday, November 6, 2018, the Pleasant Valley Fire Department received a call for a smoke alarm at the local Library.  By the time they arrived, it was clear the Pleasant Valley Library was filled with smoke.   Even though the fire, which originated in…

[fantasywordcraft]

The Biscuit Bandit in WRiTECLUB

I’ve returned from a short hiatus of editing stories to submit to contests for #shortstorysunday. The story below was one I submitted to the WRiTECLUB Contest last year. I’ve submitted 2 stories for this year’s competition, so be sure to click the link and watch the bouts to see 30 brave writers compete anonymously for the top prize. The winner is chosen by you, the readers who take time out of…

[forestsstories]

Misfortune

There were a number of factors that contributed to the chain of events which led to a small kitten lying dead on a cold cement floor that evening in December. The first factor came into play before it was even born, in the form of a decision made by someone who would never even know of its existence. A decision made not out of desperation but merely convenience, to leave their male cat unaltered. It’s hard to say how many kittens were the result of this outdoor roaming tom, but this one certainly was.

“Stop! Mom Mittens got out!” The cry echoed through the home of the child, only six. The mother hesitated as she heard her child’s call. It was late, and she needed to get her daughter to bed. Mittens was an indoor cat, and only six months old she would probably come back in a couple hours. “That’s ok honey, she’ll be back soon. She probably just wants to explore.” An anxious knot formed in her stomach, but what could she do? Go out in the dark to hunt for the kitten that would probably make it back home before they did, and throw off the girls sleep schedule for her trouble? Not to mention worry her. “It’ll be ok, she’ll be back when you get up tomorrow, now go brush your teeth okay?” But it was not okay. About three blocks away a cat yowled, and our story begins.

“Mommy look how big Mittens is getting! Do you think she’ll have the kittens soon?” The frazzled mother released the breath she’d been holding “I don’t know honey. Probably.” The girl was definitely right, the poor creature’s stomach was huge with babies and she was almost a baby herself. She chewed her lip as she ran over the options for vet care in her mind. How did something like this even happen? It was hard to imagine a kitten becoming pregnant, and yet here was the proof. What if there was a complication? If she lost the litter, or one got stuck, the vet bills could easily cripple them. Then what if there were no complications? The cat was huge, how on earth was she going to deal with a litter of kittens? She sank to the couch to weigh their options as her small daughter sang songs to the expecting kitten. Who knew something she had adopted to make her daughter happy could cause such a huge mess?

The delivery thankfully went off without a hitch. The little girl squealed with delight when she came home to five perfect squirming little bundles of joy. Grey like their mother and letting out the tiny mewls only newborn kittens are capable of the mother breathed a sigh of relief. Perhaps they could handle this after all. She smiled when she gazed at her daughters beaming face. They were only kittens, she would find them homes when the time came. Who could possibly not want kittens?

The answer, as it turned out, was a lot of people. The other women in her mommy group, her sister in law, even the nice lady on the corner with the bowls of cat food beneath her front porch. Everyone she asked either didn’t want a kitten or had too many cats already. Six weeks. Eight weeks. Twelve. The kittens were tumbling around the house now, getting into anything not kept under lock and key. Her daughter was of course delighted by the mayhem but it was when she was finally at her wits end that the mother booted up her computer. It was time to return to just one cat, before she strayed any further down the rabbit hole of learning why crazy cat ladies are crazy.

“Free to a good home.” Words phrased with the best of intentions that none the less resulted in every last kitten’s demise. Two kittens were crushed beneath the tires of a truck at their new farm home. One perished from exposure when its new owner dragged it to the park and forgot to bring it home with them. Lastly, this one’s other sibling died at this one’s very first step on its tragically short journey. A nice little old lady stroked the baby’s head, smiling warmly as she assured the mother she would take good care of both kittens. A sigh of relief escaped the mother as she watched the box with the last two kittens vanish into her car. She would have no idea what became of the kittens. Was it her fault? I wouldn’t say so. How was she to know? She was just doing what she thought was best. What then, of the person who decided to skirt the vet costs of neutering their male? Certainly not the best decision, but who among us hasn’t put off something simply because it was inconvenient? It’s very hard to place blame, but the first home our kitten found itself in is certainly where I would lay the most.

Both kittens tensed from the moment the woman removed the box from her car. They had been wildly confused when six other kittens were picked up from various homes and added to the back seat, but now they were certain something was very wrong. Her brother mewled pitifully and curled into her as the box was handed over to a gruff looking man who slipped a crisp bill into the old woman’s hand. “Six? Looks good. I want another six next week okay?” A dull dread crept down the kitten’s back and it’s hackles raised as the stench it had smelled from outside got stronger. Loud growls and the clatter of chains upon the floor filled the air as the box was dropped roughly to the ground. The kitten gazed through a hole in the side of the box and couldn’t understand what the gruff man was saying to his colleague but stared intensely at the creature they were both praising.

Thick muscles bulged beneath skin that seemed stretched too thin over them. Flecks of drool sparkled on its chin as it gazed stupidly up at its masters. A slick sweat glistened on its thin fur and it’s yellowed teeth caught the light. Fearful mews erupted all around the kitten and it scooted to the back as the man stormed to the box. She flinched as the ground shifted beneath her from the force of his boot crushing in one side of their enclosure, and yet suddenly she saw her chance! A crack in the top of the box opened from the force of his boot, only for an instant but that instant was all she needed. Wings seemed to erupt from her spine and carry her to safety as she soared from the prison which had contained them and a panicked mewl was the last sound she would ever hear from any of her littermates.

Shouts filled the surrounding air and she froze momentarily. The animal which had previously looked docile and gentle exploded into a snarling beast. Its chain strained against the link which was attached to the wall and one of the humans calmly spoke while the other dove for her. Her panic took the form of flight and not a moment too soon as the chain was released by the calm human, and in an instant the eighty five pounds of pure muscle that made up the snarling beast was barrelling toward her. Breath came in short gasps as she made for her only hope of salvation. Her tiny muscles burned from fatigue as he gained on her with every step. Hot breath made her fur sticky and wet and yellowed teeth clamped down mere inches from her tail tip as she flung herself recklessly through a window and landed gracefully on the other side.

Her escape, though daring, left her with little idea of where to go next. She put as much distance as her legs would allow between herself and those yellowing teeth. Dusk was licking at the edges of buildings and casting an orange glow upon the scenery when she finally took stock of her surroundings. It was a posh place she’d found herself in, colourful flowers lined every path. Tall homes with perfectly manicured lawns stood proudly and the light of the setting sun reflected off the glittering cars which lined every driveway. A garden bed nearby looked particularly inviting, the dirt soft and fluffy from recent activity. An ashy and somewhat sour smell filled her nostrils as she sank her paws into the soil. The salty scent of the earth made her stomach growl uncomfortably as she relieved herself. She would desperately wish she had moved on mere moments later when an angry shriek reverberated around her.

The woman’s hands were a blur as she waved them erratically, a high pitched squeal directed at the animal that had befouled her precious garden. It is difficult to blame her if you have ever found an animal urinating on your hard work you may relate. The kitten’s breath was heavy by the time she had once again successfully outrun the current threat and her mouth felt like sandpaper. She dipped her muzzle into a small pool of stagnant water which would have been an unsightly eyesore in the last neighbourhood and had just gotten her first mouthful when an enticingly meaty aroma caught her attention. Her stomach growled again. Dinner was served.

She followed the scent to a small bowl which had been placed carefully inside of a steel box. Memories of tumbling playfully with her littermates in boxes warmed her heart as she crawled in, but this box was of course not like those ones. A loud clang erupted behind her and she whirled around. A door had closed, sealing both the box and her fate. She reached her tiny legs through the bars in a feeble attempt to escape but before an hour had passed resigned herself to her prison. Her stomach growled, reminding her that she was still hungry and she inhaled the small bowl of meaty paste. It tasted sweet and salty and she relaxed a bit, curling on the cold pavement and waiting for morning.

Morning came with a jolt, her eyes sprang open as the ground shifted beneath her. A human lifted the cage which was her new home into the air and before she could brace for the impact the cage was thrust roughly into a much less shimmery vehicle than the ones that had lines the other driveways. Her heart beat like a bongo drum as the combination of new sensations overwhelmed her. A cry escaped her in the form of a tiny yowl, which continued until the vehicle came to an abrupt halt. The next few minutes passed in a blur as she struggled to understand precisely what was happening.

Before she could fathom any of it the human had gone, taking their clanging metal box with them. The ground beneath her paws was cold and hard. The air was rank with a sour chemical scent, and another human stood watching her. Trembling slightly she took a few steps to explore her new surroundings, recoiling immediately when she felt a human hand brush the tip of her tail. Two humans mumbled something between themselves before leaving her in the empty sterile room.

The weeks that followed things began to look up, the humans in this place seemed to be kind, much like the people that owned her mother. It was not long before a rumbling purr shook her in pleasure when she felt their fingertips stroking her fur. It was mere days later that she began to meet other humans. Some were small with grubby fingers, and some were taller with piercing gazes. It was one of the small ones which ended up offering her a home, for which she was grateful.

Her nose twitched as the box in which she had been stuffed was opened and she found herself once more inside a house. The air here lacked the stale scents of the place she had been taught to be hospitable and instead were welcoming and warm. It was a wonderful place to spend a few days, sadly that is all she would be allowed to spend there as before the sun had set on the third she felt a chubby fist close upon her tail and a jolt of pain shot through her spine as it tugged. I would like to think you have never felt spinal pain but if you have you will immediately understand the kittens reaction, which involved a flash of claws and a crying child. This of course meant that our kitten found herself once more outside in the cold, and this time it was much colder indeed.

A chill wind ruffled her fur, causing it to stand on end as she watched a mouse rifling through trash. She had been several days on the street now and was beginning to become accustomed to it. Her hunting was not what it could be and she had been subsisting mostly on scraps dug from the large refuse cans the humans liked to use, but she was determined to try. Her focus was steely and her muscles taught as she waited for the mouse to come more into the open. Her attention was so strongly focused on the task at hand she didn’t see or smell the other cat until she was on top of her.

Teeth sank into her shoulder before she had an inclination of what was happening and she kicked off with her back feet. Her shoulder throbbed and a deep growl emanated from her throat to ward off this predator. The mouse of course had vanished and anger surged through her at the lost meal, propelling her forward and her teeth also met flesh while her claws tore frantically at the other cats fur. Her tail lashed back and forth as she felt a slice through the tender skin of her ear. A cry escaped her and she struggled to return fire. A yell from a nearby window shook both cats and they sprang apart as a large boot was suddenly between them. The adrenaline broken the kitten suddenly desperately wanted to flee, and managed to put several blocks between herself and her aggressor. The damage however was done, and a few short days later an empty stomach was the least of her concerns.

She had a hard time holding herself up when she found herself back on the hard examination table at the shelter where she’d been adopted. A kindly stranger had found her staggering and dropped her off there, she hadn’t even seen their face but started purring the moment they lifted her into their arms. Their touch had been gentle and they had spoken with a coo while they carried her. Her ear felt warm and she dug her claws into the strangers shirt wishing desperately they were here to take her home. But she was back here again, and while the people around her were kind, their voices sounded worried. She lay her head down, closed her eyes so she could no longer see the crust around them and waited.

A soft hand stroked her and she heard that same soothing tone to the person’s voice as she opened her eyes to gaze into their face. Their eyes were not red with tears, but were not untroubled either. “Shh…. It’s alright.” She didn’t understand the words, but they brought some comfort anyway. Her chest heaved and rattled with infection and she hardly flinched as a needle pinched its way into her vein. Moments later her eyes felt heavy and she allowed them once more the drift closed, not knowing that they would never again open. The last thing that reached her before she fell into the soothing abyss were two words that in that moment she actually did understand. “I’m sorry…”

Our kitten was one of many cats that lost their lives that evening, for various reasons. Whether they were too feral, or ill, or simply too old each one likely had a story similar to this one. In the end the world did not mourn for the loss of one small kitten, but it was a loss none the less, and no less tragic for the fact that the poor creature never experienced what it was to be truly, deeply, loved.