By M Murniati
He takes sugar, she—no milk. His flat white seems to taste ten times bitter. He glances at her face being steamed by the hot brew under her chin, her cheeks a shade of perylene red. She’s staring at an Amigurumi doll on the table across theirs. She remembers making one—some time ago. She gave it away because it’d brought mists in her eyes. Among other things. He remembers scooping the leftover memories and burying them. Deep in the ground like their son. Perhaps in the next anniversary drink she’d have some sugar, he a dash of milk.
Poignant. I am interested in your use of the word perylene. I looked it up and it seems to be a chemical compound, which can be toxic. Not sure what you were going for there. I would appreciate hearing from you about it. Thanks!
Maybe the author meant this colour – tone:
https://gamblincolors.com/perylene-red/
Hi June, this is what I found. “A watercolor medium, Perylene Red is medium staining and semi-tranparent. It creates vivid, dark washes with a clean brilliant red-orange.”
Sad and sublime. Well done.
I like the way you built the characters. Great story
Very clever…and profoundly sensitive…Well done!
Good story.