Leap of Faith

 

She tiptoed around his moods like a drunken ballerina.

 

Her choreographed steps danced in and out of debris. Delicate footfalls amid the shattered remains of their relationship.

She knew when to pirouette so as not to get cut.

Practiced in the art, she executed jumps and leaps knowing exactly where her feet would land—between scattered bits of betrayal and contempt.

Home was a minefield. In those rare performances when her foot slipped, she set off explosions, creating more rubble, and learning new dance moves.

 

Faith worked hard, living each day with the beauty of her intricate steps unnoticed.

 

 

Flash Fiction Challenge over at Carrot Ranch

November 18, 2015 prompt: Dance – In 99 words (no more, no less) write dance into your story. Twirl your characters round and round or stomp your plot onto the page. Use dance in any way that comes to mind. Be specific or free, tango or disco.

 

 

Closet Space

 

People never look up.

 

My family storms in, stomps around, looks left and right. Sometimes they search underneath the bed or stick their heads inside the closet. But they never look up.

That is why I hide here.

The climb is precarious but worth it. Curled up, comfortable, alone.

When they call, I get twitchy but I pull my arms tightly over my face.

Relaxation washes over me on this shelf in the corner of the closet. There are always soft things here—sweaters in the summer, beach towels in winter. I sigh. Knowing they will never find me.

 

 

Flash Fiction Challenge over at Carrot Ranch

November 11, 2015 prompt: Comfort/Refuge – In 99 words (no more, no less) write about a place of comfort that is a refuge. Have fun…or go dark. Play with the idea of comfort and refuge.

 

 

The Retreat

 

“Why does he do that?”

“Anne, I’m not going over this again,” Lisa sat on the couch next to her son, stroking his hair. “He needs sanctuary—a place to escape.”

“It’s weird,” Anne twirled her hair. “I mean, other people aren’t going to be as understanding as I am. Look at him. He’s just… sitting there staring.”

Lisa stood up, rummaged through the kitchen cabinets, and pulled out some pots. She brought them shoulder level then slammed them together next to Anne’s ear.

“What the hell!”

“That is how he feels every day. Would you need a break?”

 

 

Flash Fiction Challenge over at Carrot Ranch

November 11, 2015 prompt: Comfort/Refuge – In 99 words (no more, no less) write about a place of comfort that is a refuge. Have fun…or go dark. Play with the idea of comfort and refuge.

 

 

Bitter, Cold

 

I loved him with a brutal intensity.

I often wrapped my arms around my chest as one might do on a winter’s morning when frost has formed where soft dew should be.

The strength of my emotions hurt, and I hugged myself to add pressure, like pressing on a wound to stop the bleeding.

Without warning, that love froze. Cold seeped into my heart and, even in summer, I could never stay warm.

 

The shallow pond, only partly covered in ice, lets me slip into its frigid, watery grave. As I do, I wonder what will happen in spring.

 

 

Flash Fiction Challenge over at Carrot Ranch

November 4, 2015 prompt: Frozen – In 99 words (no more, no less) write a frozen story. Is the weather the source of freezing or is a character frozen by emotion or lack of it? It can also be a moment frozen in time. What does it reveal?

 

 

Election Day Causes Many U.S. Citizens to Consider ‘The Cave’

 

In the United States of America today, people have one thing on their mind: The Cave.

That’s right. According to the Study of Bizarre Election Day Phenomenon by the University of Wicked Smart Students and Pompous Professors (WSSPP), citizens are thinking seriously of ditching the suburbs and heading for the hills. Literally. Some have even started preparations for a quick exit to The Cave in early 2016 after the primary election for president.

“It’s a viable option,” says Carol Fixit of Florida. “The Cave is actually very nice. There are tile mosaics and natural hot springs.”

The Cave is an underground community designed by architect, Neo Opportune, who said in an interview last month that “The Cave is a fully-developed area with all the amenities”. It is currently under construction after a grant from the FFCC (Frantic Foundation of Concerned Citizens) funded the final extension of the sewer system lines.

When the DICs (Desperate Indecisive Citizens) questioned Opportune about the rumors that developers didn’t have the proper building permits, Opportune responded, “After the election, it won’t matter.”

It is uncertain whether any legal action will be taken against anyone involved in the building of The Cave. However, as of today, housing has been increased to accommodate 15,000 residents.

“There is no ‘lesser of two evils’ this time around,” says Nick Bottom of New Hampshire. “Not when the candidates don’t know the difference between a stalagmite and a stalactite,” he shook his head. “It’s just not right.”

The confusion Nick refers to occurred during a televised presidential debate last Tuesday. When a candidate was asked what he planned to do to about the national debt, he pointed to the wintry scene through the window, making a comparison to the stalagmites in The Cave. He said they were too dangerous to allow families to consider a move there. Another candidate chuckled and called him on his mistake saying that he was pointing to stalactites, not stalagmites. Yet another candidate chimed in with the observation that they were, indeed, neither of these things and were mere icicles. Someone in the audience shouted that all this Cave talk was just a red herring and the moderator continued the debate by asking the candidates their stance on the regulation of Wall Street.

 

 

#Blogbattle is a weekly writing prompt for flash/short stories hosted by Rachael Ritchey 

Read more stories and vote for your favorite here.

Week 34 Prompt: Cave
Genre: Satire