Category: Flash Fiction

Fiction under 250 words.

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“Happy birthday, honey!”

I tried to smile and accepted the silver, foil-wrapped gift from my husband. I was feeling vulnerable and on edge. I was 30. When exactly did that happen?

“Thanks.” I wasn’t sure what else to say. This was the first year he had actually remembered. Granted, he was four days after the fact, but at least he had finally gotten the month right this time.

I continued to smile at him. I realized that my smile was a cross between painful and hopeful. Perhaps now things would be different. A new job. A new city. There wouldn’t be any more distractions. We could work on starting a family. We deserved a fresh start.

“Open it already,” he said, his voice laced with impatience.

I swallowed my sigh and gingerly opened the gift. It was a beautiful tennis bracelet; the diamonds winked and sparkled at me, as if they were dying to tell me something.

“It’s gorgeous,” I croaked out. And it was. It as by far the nicest gift he had ever given me. In fact, it was the best gift he had given me. I bit my tongue. I wouldn’t start with the paranoia again. It was my birthday. I didn’t want to spoil the tentative truce between us. I managed a smile and carefully pulled it from the box.

I could feel the blood draining from my brain and rushing past my eardrums. I had to ask.

“Did she buy it?”

I braced for his answer.

Fiction under 250 words.

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“So, what do you think yours says?”

Mary glanced over at the woman sitting on her right. She was pretty, long black hair, light brown eyes but she was very, very pale. Mary shrugged and issued a long-suffering sigh. “I’m not sure. I don’t have a history of breast cancer in my family so I’m hopeful.” And she wasn’t really worried. She had always been lucky, with her health, her career – life was good.

The woman visibly swallowed and nodded once. “Unfortunately, I do. In fact, my grandmother and my aunt both died just a few years ago. Months from each other in fact.” She shot a bitter smile at Mary. “Our family hasn’t had the best of luck.”

“I’m so sorry.” Mary resisted the urge to pat her hand. She had never been very good at offering comfort; at least, that’s what her husband always told her. “I’m sure your test results will come back negative.” Mary tried to instill a note of confidence in her voice but deep down, she wondered if the woman was doomed, like the other females in her family.

“Mary Brown?” asked a heavyset nurse with bad teeth.

“Well, that’s me. Good luck.”

“Yeah, you too.”

Doctor Evans walked into his office and sat down behind his desk.

Mary smiled at him.

He did not return her smile.

“I went over your test results,” he said in low, serious tones. “And I’m afraid I have some bad news.”

Mary’s luck had run out.

Fiction under 250 words.

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“This sucks! I don’t know why you’re dragging me along, I don’t want to be here. You’re making me miss my best friend’s party. I hate you,” the teenage girl grumbled and sat back in the seat with a huff.

Ramona cringed and clutched her bag closer to her chest. She could feel tears welling up in the corners of her eyes, but bit her lip in an effort to quell them. She was tired of crying.

“Do you know how many kids would kill to be in your position?” the woman next to the girl hissed. “I can’t believe you’re so ungrateful. We saved up a long time for this trip and we’re going to have fun whether you like it or not!”

The girl snorted in disgust and shifted her body away from the woman.

Ramona sneaked a peek at the girl over her shoulder. She was dressed in the latest fashion and had a nose ring. She loudly popped her gum in defiance. She gave a wry smile; she used to be so much like that girl. Taking a breath, she pulled the death notice out of her purse. She had read it so many times the edges were starting to curl with use.

She lightly ran her finger over the names: Mary Beth and Anthony James Taylor.

Her parents.

A tear dropped onto the page. She sucked in a shaky breath. She would give anything to go on vacation with her parents – just one more time.

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*This was inspired by a Post Secret that said, “I hate family vacations.” When I went to the site to link to the post card, I noticed that it has been removed. I wonder why … there’s another story right there, I think.

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“So. How long has it been since you … you know.”

Olivia shrugged. “A while. I think I’m over it.”

Valerie scowled. “Liar. I don’t believe you. Let me see your legs.”

Olivia’s eyes widened before hardening into chips of graphite. “No.”

Her roommate reached over and pulled up her pant leg before Olivia could stop her.

Her hard voice negated her slow smile. “So instead of cutting, you’re writing on yourself now?”

Again, she shrugged. “There’s less clean up.”

Valerie snorted. “You need help, girl.”

“And you don’t?” Olivia shot back. “When is your next tattoo scheduled?” she asked.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Valerie snapped back and glared at her.

It was Olivia’s turn to say it. “Liar. All I have to do is pull out your planner and see when your next appointment is. You write everything down. It’s almost a sickness with you.”

“One of many,” Valerie murmured and then shrugged. “Fine. I have one scheduled for next Friday.”

Olivia sputtered a bitter laugh. “Good God, where? Nearly every square inch of your body is covered.”

“I’ll find some space,” Valerie shot back.

The girls glared at each other for long, tense moments before they both relaxed at the same time and started laughing.

“Geez, we’re a pair, aren’t we? We could keep a shrink in business for years.”

Olivia shrugged. “We cope. You hide behind your tattoos; I manifest my emotional pain into physical pain.”

“Hell, who needs a shrink!”

They laughed.

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Fiction under 250 words.

Inspired by this and this Post Secret.

Fiction under 250 words.

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“God help me,” I muttered under my breath. I was behind “Eeyore” mom and we were traveling at a maximum of 20 miles per hour.

I glared at the navy blue Chevy Tahoe and tried to keep my cool in front of the boys. I didn’t know this woman, but I hated her. She was the slowest driver in the entire city and I was always the lucky dipstick that got stuck behind her.

Always.

The boys began squirming in their seats. They knew whenever we got behind the truck with the Eeyore decal that there would be trouble. We were slowing down (which only required a tap or two on the brakes considering we were moving at a snail’s pace) at a stoplight.

We were in the left-hand turn lane and there wasn’t a car to be seen for miles. The light was green and yet we continued to sit there.

I could feel a hot bubble of impatience making it’s way up my throat. I gritted my teeth and tried hard to keep my cool. Only, I couldn’t. A force, bigger than myself, took over and I gripped the steering wheel so hard I heard a knuckle crack.

I glared at the woman hoping she would catch my death-ray look in her rear-view mirror and get the hint.

No such luck.

We continued to sit through the green light. I tensed and before I could stop myself, I called her an ugly name. We were all disappointed.

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I hugged her.

What I wanted to do was strangle her. How could this woman act so fake? How could she pretend like nothing was wrong?

I noticed the gleam in her eyes. I noticed the way her lips curved into a self-satisfied smirk. She knew. And she was playing a game with me.

Fine. I’d play along. I’d show her that her little affair with my husband was not going to destroy me.

“Hey Candace! You’re looking good!”

Damn straight I look good, I thought to myself. I suppose she had assumed I would crawl into a dark hole and feel sorry for myself after I found out about them. True, I had seriously toyed with the idea of seeing a therapist – what woman wouldn’t feel so betrayed after twelve years of marriage? And by her best friend, no less?

But I hadn’t. Instead, I had kicked the jerk out of the house, joined a gym and had taken my frustrations out on the elliptical machine. I had lost almost fifteen pounds.

“Thanks. I’ve been keeping busy.” I swallowed the bitter lump of bile stuck in the back of my throat. “But look at you!” I arched a brow and deliberately paused for effect. “You look … nice.”

She shifted self-consciously and issued a nervous laugh. “Yeah well, you know Todd. He likes to eat.”

I glanced at my watch. “Todd’s not here yet?”

She nodded nervously.

“Gee, I hope it’s not another woman.”

Laughing, I turned and left.

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Fiction under 250 words.