100 Words
100 word stories. A quick fix for your eyes.
Ear to Ear
Every time I see her smile my heart breaks a little more.
My corn just won’t pop without her. My seeds sit dormant.
Yet there she is, laughing. Without me. Taking tickets and eating handfuls of popcorn when she thinks no one is looking.
I even took her to a fancy restaurant.
“I can’t,” she said sliding the ring back.
Fucking Todd.
I imagine tying them up, opening their fat mouths, and stuffing them full of popcorn. Then pouring in gallons of that yellow stuff we call butter. They’d explode for sure.
I finally smiled again.
Todd was in the dark corner kissing another girl.
Happiness without her.
My corn just won’t pop without her. My seeds sit dormant.
Yet there she is, laughing. Without me. Taking tickets and eating handfuls of popcorn when she thinks no one is looking.
I even took her to a fancy restaurant.
“I can’t,” she said sliding the ring back.
Fucking Todd.
I imagine tying them up, opening their fat mouths, and stuffing them full of popcorn. Then pouring in gallons of that yellow stuff we call butter. They’d explode for sure.
I finally smiled again.
Todd was in the dark corner kissing another girl.
Happiness without her.
Barely Sluggish
“What are you doing out here?” he asked.
I burped.
He spotted the beer can in the dirt.
“It’s not mine,” I said instinctively.
He picked it up, slowly.
The ground was dizzy.
“It’s still cold. And full,” he said swishing it around.
“Wait…” I said.
He glared and me then downed it.
Beer spilled onto his beard.
He crushed the empty can in his hand and belched.
I laughed.
He drank the slug.
I knew he would.
“If you steal my beer again kid, you’d better damned well drink it. Now grab your teddy bear and get back inside.”
I burped.
He spotted the beer can in the dirt.
“It’s not mine,” I said instinctively.
He picked it up, slowly.
The ground was dizzy.
“It’s still cold. And full,” he said swishing it around.
“Wait…” I said.
He glared and me then downed it.
Beer spilled onto his beard.
He crushed the empty can in his hand and belched.
I laughed.
He drank the slug.
I knew he would.
“If you steal my beer again kid, you’d better damned well drink it. Now grab your teddy bear and get back inside.”
Working Model
“Take your foot off,” he said.
I slowly removed it.
I always do what he says.
Like a dummy.
He took it from me and set it on the floor.
All I had on was this stupid gown.
“Why do you take everything from me? First my clothes, now my foot? What next?” I asked.
He laughed.
I shivered.
Ever since the explosion, doctors have been putting me back together and taking me apart.
“Now give me your hand.”
I slowly removed it.
I always do what he says.
Like a dummy.
He took it from me and set it on the floor.
All I had on was this stupid gown.
“Why do you take everything from me? First my clothes, now my foot? What next?” I asked.
He laughed.
I shivered.
Ever since the explosion, doctors have been putting me back together and taking me apart.
“Now give me your hand.”
Dolled Up
“Move your foot,” he said.
But I didn’t move.
He took it off his lap and dropped it on the floor.
“You’re so stubborn,” he said, sliding his hand up my thigh.
All I had on was this stupid, frilly gown he put me in.
Still.
“Oh Sweetheart,” he said kissing my cold lips.
I wanted a cowboy and I got stuck with this rich geezer.
Figures.
“We’re going to be together forever,” he whispered.
There is no God.
Ever since I got here he dresses me up and plays with me.
Like a fucking toy.
“Now be a doll and give me your hand,” he said.
But I didn’t move.
He took it off his lap and dropped it on the floor.
“You’re so stubborn,” he said, sliding his hand up my thigh.
All I had on was this stupid, frilly gown he put me in.
Still.
“Oh Sweetheart,” he said kissing my cold lips.
I wanted a cowboy and I got stuck with this rich geezer.
Figures.
“We’re going to be together forever,” he whispered.
There is no God.
Ever since I got here he dresses me up and plays with me.
Like a fucking toy.
“Now be a doll and give me your hand,” he said.
Housebroken
“It’s nothing,” I said.
She looked at me. Worried.
Blood dripped in my eye.
“I’m fine,” I said wiping my brow. “It was an accident.”
My forehead burned.
“Where is he?” she asked.
“Who? Your father?” I laughed. “He didn’t do this.”
I heard the familiar jingle coming down the hall.
Oh no, his dinner!
He sauntered into the kitchen, eyeing me. He didn’t say a thing. He just sat down quietly at his empty bowl then stared at me.
Fearing another encounter like the one I just had over his box, I quickly filled his bowl with kibble.
She looked at me. Worried.
Blood dripped in my eye.
“I’m fine,” I said wiping my brow. “It was an accident.”
My forehead burned.
“Where is he?” she asked.
“Who? Your father?” I laughed. “He didn’t do this.”
I heard the familiar jingle coming down the hall.
Oh no, his dinner!
He sauntered into the kitchen, eyeing me. He didn’t say a thing. He just sat down quietly at his empty bowl then stared at me.
Fearing another encounter like the one I just had over his box, I quickly filled his bowl with kibble.
Tight Lipped
I pick up a stick and hurl it as far as I can.
It soars through the air then lands about ten feet away.
“He doesn’t want to play ball with you,” mom said.
“Well he can’t just play those damn video games all day!” Pop replied.
He dragged my sorry ass outside and threw the ball at me.
“What the hell’s the matter with you, Boy?”
I kept my mouth shut.
Even though it hurt.
I kick a rock. It rolls a few times then stops.
“Your Daddy won’t believe you,” Mr. Decker had said.
I start running but quickly tire.
What’s the point?
I can never get away.
It soars through the air then lands about ten feet away.
“He doesn’t want to play ball with you,” mom said.
“Well he can’t just play those damn video games all day!” Pop replied.
He dragged my sorry ass outside and threw the ball at me.
“What the hell’s the matter with you, Boy?”
I kept my mouth shut.
Even though it hurt.
I kick a rock. It rolls a few times then stops.
“Your Daddy won’t believe you,” Mr. Decker had said.
I start running but quickly tire.
What’s the point?
I can never get away.
Falling Out
It’s summer again. Time for a new pair of boots so I can forget her.
She never should’ve fell for me. I told her that I wanted to show her the ropes. It’s not my fault that she had to go and get all tangled up.
I told her that I didn’t want to be tied down. She just couldn’t understand.
I tried to get through that thick skull of hers.
She was so hard headed.
It crushed her.
Pushed her over the edge.
I had to leave. Distance myself.
From all that yelling and screaming.
She never should’ve fell for me. I told her that I wanted to show her the ropes. It’s not my fault that she had to go and get all tangled up.
I told her that I didn’t want to be tied down. She just couldn’t understand.
I tried to get through that thick skull of hers.
She was so hard headed.
It crushed her.
Pushed her over the edge.
I had to leave. Distance myself.
From all that yelling and screaming.
Like Danny
I’ve never liked people. They disgust me. Shove things in and shit things out.
I watch him. He’s different. He wipes the crumbs from his mouth. He would never make a sound from his butt. Like Danny.
He would never lay there and fall apart. Like Danny.
I would take care of him and wipe the crumbs. From his butt. While he lays there. Alive.
“I love you,” he’d say.
Not, “Let me go,” like Danny.
And when he starts to slip, I would nurse him back again.
I would want to. Because he wouldn’t cry.
Like Danny.
I watch him. He’s different. He wipes the crumbs from his mouth. He would never make a sound from his butt. Like Danny.
He would never lay there and fall apart. Like Danny.
I would take care of him and wipe the crumbs. From his butt. While he lays there. Alive.
“I love you,” he’d say.
Not, “Let me go,” like Danny.
And when he starts to slip, I would nurse him back again.
I would want to. Because he wouldn’t cry.
Like Danny.