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.
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 them on the set and me in the chair.
Directing them to open their fat mouths and stuffing them full of corn. Then pouring in gallons of that yellow stuff we call butter and letting things heat up. They’d explode for sure.
I finally smile again.
Todd’s in the corner kissing another girl.
Another happy ending.
No Strings Attached
“Don’t pull on it,” he said.
I could never help myself.
I gently tugged on the string.
“Don’t!” He slapped my hand away.
“Why’d you do it?” he asked quietly.
I just can’t keep things in.
“I want out,” I replied.
It looked like a fuse. I reached for my lighter.
“Are you crazy?” he asked.
I couldn’t answer that.
“C’mon, keep it together,” he pleaded.
I laid back and tried to forget that I was there.
But I didn’t want to be attached anymore.
When he turned away, I quickly yanked on it.
The slit on my wrist re-opened.
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.
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.
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.
Withstand
Sometimes I just laid there. Still. I wondered what would happen if I got up.
Now I know.
What a fool. I thought he’d never turn on me. That he’d protect me. And I was special.
I wasn’t.
I was trapped.
In God’s Country. Without a God.
He was always so well hidden. Camouflaged and drinking cheap beer.
He walked in the room and unzipped his jeans.
My jaw still got busted so it’s hard to say.
I found what I needed. I stood up.
The gun. My only shot.
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 at 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 at 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.”
© Kerry McPherson and kerrymcpherson.com, 2017. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kerry McPherson and kerrymcpherson.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.