Short Story
#87 – Fragile
Ben needed the woman beside him to shut up.
“Jimmy is such a good kid! He was first in his class at math for the whole of last year.”
A picture of a teenage boy dropped onto his lap.
“I don’t think,…”
His words dried in his mouth. The boy in the picture looked so happy. The Boy looked so peaceful.
“Ben Sharpe?”
The secretary was calling for him.
“Doctor Simpson will see you now.”
Ben looked at Jimmy’s Mother. She hadn’t stopped crying for 20 minutes. Ben passed the tattered photograph back to her and retrieved his antidepressants.
“Good luck”.
(c) Tim Austin 2016. Image by Jake Campbell via Unsplash.
I’m on the search for new words! If you’re reading this and you want to suggest one, please do! Just pop it in the comments or Tweet it to @timaustin2k using the hashtag #onewordonestory.
First visit? Not been here for a while? Check out more stories by clicking the links to the left and above!
See you tomorrow for “Torn”
#86 – Burning
The flames lapped at the wood and circled in the thinning air. A large crowd was watching as the fire danced and swelled, entranced by the hypnotic sweep of the blaze.
Music was playing loud and children were dancing. Cold boxes filled with beer gleamed in the firelight. The field was full of people talking and laughing together as the last rays of the day sank below the horizon.
The sheriff stepped forward, his hand lifting a microphone to continue his speech.
“Black Lives Matter, they say,…..” The crowd was laughing.
The children played and watched the white crosses burn.
(c) Tim Austin 2016. Image by Thomas Shellberg via Unsplash.
The first image that came to mind with this word was the KKK. It is a stain on humanity that this group still exists and that any group like this still exists. But it does and it’s worth remembering that, in these dark times. Humanity still has a long way to go,….
I’m still on the search for new words! If you’re reading this and you want to suggest one, please do! Just pop it in the comments or Tweet it to @timaustin2k using the hashtag #onewordonestory.
Check out more stories by clicking the links to the left and above and be sure to like the OWOS Facebook page. Share your favourites and let more people know about One Word, One Story!
See you tomorrow for “Fragile”.
#85 – Loyal
Time to play! Time to play!!
Jesse barked loudly at her owner and ran off through the house in a frantic search.
Where did she leave it?! Ooo! Ooo! I know,……
The Jack Russel dipped her nose to the floor, letting the scent tease and guide her as she snuffled her way to the sofa and reached beneath. Her jaws snapped closed against plastic.
Found it!! Mistress will be happy!!
The dog bounded back to her owner, dropping the phone by her hand and licking the woman’s face. A voice crackled from the handset.
“911, which service please?”
(c) Tim Austin 2016. Image by Robert Larsson via Unsplash.
I’m on the search for new words! If you’re reading this and you want to suggest one, please do! Just pop it in the comments or Tweet it to @timaustin2k using the hashtag #onewordonestory.
First visit? Not been here for a while? Check out more stories by clicking the links to the left and above!
See you tomorrow for “Burning”.
#84 – Disfigurement
“Oi! Freddy Krueger!”
The teenage boy sneered as the rock left his hand and span against the armrest of the man’s wheelchair.
“I said oi!”
The man didn’t move.
The gang could see his reflection in the store window. His face was white and smooth: burned flesh twisted, his eyes milky. The boy threw another stone, laughing as it whistled past the man’s ear.
The store owner ran out and the gang scattered, their sneering cries echoing down the street.
“Hey man, why didn’t you say something?”
“Because” the burned man replied, “he wasn’t like that before the fire,…”
(c) Tim Austin 2016. Image by Dawn Armfield via Unsplash.
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See you tomorrow for “Loyal”.
#83 – Suave
The gentleman brushed his finger over the rim of his glass, a low growl shucked carelessly from his throat.
“Thank you.”
His voice was smooth beneath the gravel of age. His smile was bright.
The stewardess smiled back, bowing her head a little as she poured another splash of red wine into his glass. With another quick glance, she stood straight and walked back up the isle.
“Old man in 26 D seems nice,” she chirped, stepping through the crew curtain.
“Oh, he’s a regular,” her friend replied. “Check your pocket.”
The old man’s smile widened when he heard her scream.
(c) Tim Austin 2016. Image by Ross Parmly via Unsplash.
Keep your title suggestions coming (drop yours in the comments) and please do share stories you enjoy. You’ll find a list of genres to the left! Enjoy 🙂
Come back tomorrow for another 100 word short story. Remember: it’s one a day for 365 days! Keep following the blog for more.
#81 – Insights
Allen swallowed a mouthful of coffee and rubbed his temple. It was going to be a long, night.
He ran a finger down the list of phone numbers, looking for something – anything – to give him an edge in court.
Danny Banner loved his kids. He wouldn’t hurt a fly.
Allen repeated the thought. He believed every word. The phone was ringing.
“Hi Danny. Ready for the morning?”
“Nervous.”
“Don’t be. It’ll be fi,…….” Allen stopped.
The number beneath his finger made his blood run cold.
“You said you never called her.”
“What?”
“Danny!!”
The silence betrayed them both.
(c) Tim Austin 2016. Image by Dariusz Sankowski via Unsplash.
Today’s title was suggested by actor and Manchester-based Equity stalwart Barry Evans. You can find him on twitter @THEbazzaevans. Thanks, Barry.
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For more thriller-related stories, click here.
See you tomorrow for another 100 word short story! “Like” the OWOS Facebook page so you never miss a new story.
#76 -Isolation
The light bulb buzzed and spat. Water was dripping down the chord and swirling in a fine spray from the tiny barred window.
Keith sat huddled on a freezing metal bed, eyes locked into the gloom. His throat hummed as he breathed, rocking gently on his lice-ridden mattress.
He wasn’t alone. Keith walked hand in hand with Andrew over the burning pale sands of the beach. Their feet brushed through the dunes and grasses, their laughter rolled into the sky. Hearts raced as lips blessed each other.
Keith was smiling in the darkness.
In his dreams he was never alone.
(c) Tim Austin 2016. Image by Ludovic Gauthier via Unsplash.
Another title suggested by Aliki Chapple – mother, activist, actor and proud Grecian. You can follow her and her work over on Twitter @amaenad
I’m looking for new one word story titles all the time! Tell me yours in the comments section or tweet them to me @timaustin2k using the hashtag #onewordonestory.
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See you tomorrow for “Abundance”.
#75 – Plunge
Goosebumps were itching on Eddie’s skin as he looked down into the pool 33 feet below. His head snapped back and he squeezed his eyes tight, a sharp breath hissing between his lips as his toes curled over the edge of the board.
“Okay, that was dumb. Dumb, dumb, dumb!” Eddie whispered. The crowd below had fallen silent.
The world froze for a heartbeat,…
“Hey, Charlie Brown! Time to go splat!”
Anger forced Eddie’s eyes open. People were laughing. People were always laughing. All the time.
Everyone except Mrs. Gomez.
The trembling boy raised his arms.
She would be watching.
(c) Tim Austin 2016. Promo image by Markus Spiske via Unsplash.
Suggest your own word by tweeting it to me @timaustin2k and I’ll write a story dedicated to you. Don’t forget to hit the follow button and like the OWOS Facebook pagelike the OWOS Facebook page.
Take a gander at the other romance and coming of age short stories by clicking on the links to the left!
See you tomorrow for another 100 word short story!
#74 – Mimetic
“Go ahead, Senator.”
The scientist was gesturing to the wall, smiling proudly. Gingerly, Senator Steele pressed his palm to the glass.
A wave of light instantly slithered over the surface, melting and shifting into a perfect copy of Senator Steele’s face. The scientist was almost clapping in his excitement.
“Go on,…”
“I am Senator Steele,” the politician stated.
I AM SENATOR STEELE the computer replied, in perfect mimic to the Senator.
“Is that all it does?”
Behind the glass, banks of microchips were thinking.
I AM SENATOR STEELE. I AM TARGET NUMBER ONE. DELETION WILL OCCUR IN SIX DAYS.
(c) Tim Austin 2016. Promo image by Verne Ho via Unsplash.
Today’s One Word title was donated by award-winning TV writer and author Robert Shearman. If you’re a Doctor Who fan you’ll know him as the scribe of the 2005 story “Dalek” and a number of Big Finish stories, including my personal favourite “The Chimes of Midnight”. Thank you Robert!
Robert suggested his title on Twitter and you can too – just tweet it to me @timaustin2k
See you tomorrow for “Plunge”
#72 – Suspicion
Detective Danson ripped into his sandwich, spitting chunks of bread over the sidewalk as he waved Constable Keegan away.
“There’s nothing more to it. Family says she fell. “Spinster dies in accident”: Case closed.”
“Really?” asked the Constable.
The Detective shot Keegan a glare as the Constable turned and trotted across to the Precinct Morgue.
Later that evening Keegan stepped back into his apartment, flinging his magnifying glass onto the table and sitting thoughtfully.
Her ring finger was worn. There was fear in her eyes.
“Was I right?” came a voice from across the room.
“You always are,” Keegan sighed.
(c) Tim Austin 2016. Promo image by Gratisography.
Today’s one word title was donated by the breathtakingly talented Izabella Grace – author of sublime Flash Fiction at http://flashfictiononline.com/main/authors/izabella-grace/. You can follow her on Twitter @iza8ella.
This is the OWOS debut of two established characters – Keegan and Lestrade from my Holmesean short thriller “The Santa Beneath the Ice” – available on Amazon. You can read Chapter One of that story Free here (opens a PDF).
If you want to suggest your own one word story title, please do! I’m always looking for new words 🙂 Just pop your word in the comments box below or tweet it to me @timaustin2k
See you tomorrow for “Nightmare”!
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