Categotry Archives: Friday Fictioneers
The Door Into Summer
There were 32 doors in Ruth’s house. She knew for sure because she’d counted them when her cat, Sargent Pepper, insisted on trying each and every one. The first door she opened let out on a snowbank. Sargent Pepper gave her such a pitiful yowl, as though the cold and wet might be a personal insult. This was followed by a tour of every room, and every closet until at last they returned to the back door, where, of course, […]
In the Woods
“Is that a piano over there in the woods?” Brandy peered through the trees. “You think it plays? Let’s try!” She took off running. “Not that one!” Matt followed. “It’s cursed!” “Hah, hah! Don’t be silly!” The piano played beautifully until the last note. Then Ruth stormed out the back door of her house. “If you hit a wrong note you have to pay the penalty! It’s the chair for you!” She pointed at a kitchen chair left by the […]
An Arch Look
Marge politely put a scarf over her head before entering the mosque. She was learning to carry one in her bag for just such occasions. It was that, or borrow one that had been on who knew how many heads. This mosque featured more arches that any of the others she’d seen. The tour group had gone so many places, she wasn’t even sure what country they were in. A set of arches beckoned. Maybe there would be something new. […]
Making Tracks
Toby needed to make tracks. Fast. He should have left town right after the killing, even if it meant hitchhiking through a snowstorm at midnight. Instead, he’d slept in the old wino’s cardboard palace. The smell weren’t too bad, so he stayed a couple of nights. Then they found the body. Too late to hitch out now. He’d have to hop a train. He waited until the bull went by on an ATV, then tried to slip into an empty […]
The Fruit of Hard Work
Ruth liked to work in the elections office. Most of the other people there were also retirees. They all greeted her with a smile each election. Opening the envelopes and taking out the absentee ballots was easy work but felt important. During a major election they could work well into the night to be sure all the votes were counted and accounted for. “You’re so fast!” One of her co-workers said. “How many did you process today?” “I counted six […]
A Father-Son Moment
The boy found his father in the living room with a beer in one hand and the remote control in the other. “Whatcha doing, Dad?” “It’s a monster movie marathon on three channels at the same time. I can’t decide what I want to watch.” “This is a horror movie? I get the scary music, but what’s so scary about a diner?” “Just keep watching.” “You’ve seen this before? Whoah! What’s that eating the diner?!” “That’s the blob. The movie […]
Christmas Pony
Alicia and Sally leaned against the split-rail fence while watching the horses eat. The bails had been frozen together this morning. Getting them to the feeder and breaking them apart had taken half an hour. “You know, when I was a little girl I asked Santa for a pony every year.” Alicia broke the silence. “All through grade school and right up until I met you I wanted a pony. If I’d known how much work they take, I’d never […]
Roofer
Carl hadn’t gone up on a roof himself in ten years. With one thing or another, his whole crew walked just as the millionaire hired him to roof a set of three. He scraped his knees and bruised his thumb, but got it done. Even the last roof with all the color tiles that had to be done just so – he did it on deadline. When he went for his pay, the owner changed his mind. He wanted the […]
A Life On the Shelf
Ruth stood in front of the curios cabinet. Hank put the shell in the niche on the lower left the day they came back from Coney Island. Martin put the feather on the top left the first time he visited after completing his bird book. Matt gave her the jar full of match heads. She wasn’t sure what that was about and wasn’t going to ask. Ted placed the painted pebble in the center niche the day he won his […]
Come Hll or High Water
Old Man Matheson put on his galoshes in the mudroom. “Are you crazy?” His daughter hovered over him, wringing her hands. “Do you have any idea what it’s like out there?” “If I let a little bit of weather stop me, I’ll never get any exercise. It’s now or never.” He heaved to his feet. “A little weather?” He opened the door, then stopped. The front yard was completely under water. “That isn’t weather. That’s a hurricane!” His daughter pointed […]
Working Conditions
“This way.” Ken jangled the keys as he walked through the storage unit. “You expect me to organize your storage unit for minimum wage?” Marge scowled. Her boss never knew where to draw the line. “I expect hazard pay.” “No, no, no. It’ll be easy. We’ll just slip in and grab the box of files then head back to the office. See, I’ve got this new shelving system…” He unlocked a unit and rolled up the door. A tower of […]
Light Show
Deborah stopped half way up the stairs. The chandelier sent shards of light splashing all over the walls and ceiling. It was a light show she’d seen all her life. In the center of the cheerful display, the glare from a window revealed a form that left her cold. Her niece, dead now for nearly ten years. “Mom? What’s wrong?” “Nothing Dear,” she told her son. “Nothing at all.” If she told him, he’d have her locked up some place […]
Quick Decision
Jane tiptoed away from the rest of the tour group. She should have used the bathroom at the previous stop. Now, if she wanted to go, she would either have to announce the need to everyone in the group, hold it on the bus while they rattled over who knew what kinds of roads, or help herself to the nice family’s commode. She considered the choice obvious. But where would the facilities be? She finally found a tiled room that […]
A Stitch in Time
Becky pulled her chin up to look over the edge of the table at the noisy machine. “Are… are you sure?” “Yes,” her mother said. “This will fix it. Don’t touch that.” Becky yanked her hand back away from the pointy thing. The machine whirred. Mother snipped the loose threads. Then Teddy was back in Becky’s arms. “And what did we learn from this?” “Never put Teddy in the dishwasher. And.. and if you do, then don’t put in a […]
Sparks
“How much more you think?” Toby leaned over and looked into the bucket between him and Matt. The two of them sat on the porch and cut off match heads. After hours of work, they’d filled the bucked about half way. It didn’t look like much. “What? To blow up City Hall? No, man. We’ll need a lot more.” “I don’t care about city hall. I just want to see someone go boom!” “Hey! What are you guys up to?” […]
