Category Archives: Trifecta

Flori’s New Pet

Posted on by February 25, 2020

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 “How’d you get dry ice?”

Cal wiggled the fingers of one hand and smiled at Flori. He could have been suggesting theft or magic.

She kissed him. “Nice touch.”

Flori turned to the tables. She made sure she could see all of them from the stage, no matter where she stood. She flexed her fingers and all the chairs scooted out. She closed her fists and they returned to their places.

“Don’t test it again,” Cal advised. “They’re coming.”

“All right.” Flori moved both dry ice containers under the central table, forcing them well to the middle, lids and all.… Read the rest

Cliffside

Posted on by February 25, 2020

This is the verge. From here, I can see every possible ending, good or bad. Every time I look over this ledge, I realize the greatest leap is into self. I’m so afraid.

 

The editors at Trifecta reminded us that 43 years ago yesterday, Neil Armstrong took his famous moon walk (which is different from a moonwalk; but I digress). They challenged us to write 33 words about a giant leap. Mine is not for humankind, but for myself. And it is coming.  (And to be clear, because in my family ones needs to be clear around certain subjects, if things go right, it will be a POSITIVE leap.… Read the rest

Uncle Walt

Posted on by February 25, 2020

Nikki asked, “Did you smell Uncle Walt’s room?”

“Horrible.” I took another bite of cereal.

She turned to our mother. “I think he died last night.”

“Nichole Ann, that’s rude.”

“I’m serious Mom!” Nikki balled up her fists. You don’t have to walk past him every morning. Why did you even ask him to come?”

“Walter’s only been here three days, and he’ll be up soon. Show some respect.”

“Respect. Hah. He’s dead.” Nikki grabbed a bowl and sat beside me.

Uncle Walt always stank. He called himself a ‘bath optional’ kind of guy. My first memory of him is throwing up from the stench when he picked me up.… Read the rest

Inviting water

Posted on by February 25, 2020

Anna said, “I’m sorry, Mom.” She looked out the kitchen window towards the traitorous pool, where she would not be swimming today, after all.

“I just wish you’d told me sooner.” Kaya drank her herbal tea slowly. She pushed a second cup towards Anna, who didn’t touch it.

Then Anna got up. She meant to leave, but instead, she grabbed her swim cover up off the back of her mother’s chair. She wasn’t cold, but she felt naked. The bikini had been ill advised.

Kaya set down her mug and rubbed her own temples. “There would have been more we could have done about it then.”… Read the rest

Shaping the map (NSFW) Flash Fiction Month Challenge and Trifecta

Posted on by February 25, 2020

Diana shouted, “You’re a goddamned hand mucker.” But she took the razor Trent handed through the shower curtain.

He said, “Fair’s fair. You lost.”

She snarled, “You cheated.”

He didn’t answer.

She hit the pits first. They took ages, and she had to rinse the blade between strokes. Then she moved on to her legs.

After the first one she yelled, “I need a replacement.”

“You don’t have to shout.” He pushed it through the curtain.

She attacked the second leg with a little too much vigor and got a red running slice for her trouble. After that, she demanded a third razor.… Read the rest

Priorities

Posted on by February 25, 2020

At the eighth grade dance, Patty Ann Lawson kicked Tricia Smiley in the shin. Tricia caught Patty’s vest in her fist. “Anthony Gray’s bombed or he wouldn’t have tried kissing me.” She held Patty at arm’s length. “I try not to punch deserving assholes in public.”

“Is something the matter?” Mrs. Haverty descended.

“We’re dancing.” Tricia suddenly pulled the much smaller Patty in close.

Patty seized Tricia’s arms. “Dancing!” she echoed, and tried a couple of steps to Katy Perry’s “Wide Awake”.

“ I’d suggest you dance a little less roughly. I could year you ‘singing along’ over there.”

“Yes ma’am.”… Read the rest

Rent

Posted on by February 25, 2020

Lady Beatrice whispered, “Magda can’t find out.”

Lord Bertram pulled her thigh closer to his lips. “Never.”

Then the world rent open with a piercing scream and a jagged hole in the wall. Lord Bertram threw Lady Beatrice onto the bed. A crier shouted, “To arms! To his majesty’s chambers!”  Bertram scrambled into his breeches and a tunic and ran to answer that call.

And then he reappeared in the wall’s hole, but it wasn’t him at all. This man looked exactly like Bertram, but he wore a mud leather helmet and a strange mask. Instead of a tunic, he had a short coat and strange breeches. … Read the rest

Thrice Told

Posted on by February 25, 2020

This week, Trifecta celebrates its 33rd weekly challenge. It’s actually three challenges, and it ends at 8AM tomorrow. I’ve been travelling, so posting these has had to wait. That means you’ll be hearing from me three times today (and then I’ll be quiet on Thursday). The first challenge is to respond to the following quotation

“What I tell you three times is true.” — Lewis Carroll.

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Thrice Told

A young mother wore her baby through the airport and pulled two suitcases behind. She was alone.  “My husband died,” she said to the woman beside her in the boarding area.

Her husband quickly joined her then.… Read the rest

Blue

Posted on by February 25, 2020

Rachael crunched through the yard. A pinecone, crunch. Dead leaves, double crunch. Her feet on the ground sounded like her teeth when she bit into a ripe, crisp apple. When she tired of crunching, she decided to swing. Kick up, lean back; tuck feet, lean forward. It seemed backwards to her that she should lean back to move her body forward and lean forward to move her body back.  But her Daddy said life was backwards sometimes. She had tried to do it the other way, leaning forward to go up and back to go down, but she didn’t go much of anywhere.… Read the rest

Cow in the road

Posted on by February 25, 2020

I spent my childhood chasing other people’s cows. The farmers who rented our fields were supposed to keep up the fences, but they never did. And the cows never got out during the day. No, they escaped at midnight or two AM, so that we all had to scramble out of bed looking for feed when someone banged on the door. And I slept downstairs, so I always heard the knock.

I hated those cows. I wanted them to die. But, especially once we bought the house and land, a wreck would have been on our insurance. While Mom tried to raise the cow’s owner, I tramped up State Route 286 in my nightgown chanting, “Come on cow, stupid cow, gonna get us both killed cow.”  … Read the rest