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101 Word Short Stories

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A Flight of Words

April 5, 2026 4 Comments

By David Henson

As he watches for her, he checks the time and winces at the photo of his uniformed son.

A flash of red snags his attention. The cardinal dips its beak, flies away. How will he tell her? First her mother, now her brother.

He hasn’t freshened the birdbath in days. The water must be filthy. A bluejay lands; he taps the window before it can drink. The words, what are the words? He goes outside to the spigot. There are no words, but the water can be clean. He twists the handle; the hose jumps.

Behind him, school bus brakes squeak.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dan says

    April 6, 2026 at 2:49 pm

    Wow, so much happening, so much only hinted at. Well done.

    Reply
  2. JRRoth says

    April 7, 2026 at 7:52 pm

    Heartbreaking. Well done.

    Reply
  3. Ranabrata Ray says

    April 8, 2026 at 9:48 am

    Too much heartless and brutal.

    Reply
  4. David Henson says

    April 8, 2026 at 6:09 pm

    Thanks for your comments!

    Reply

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