By Dylan Newitt Allen
The lady with hair the color of Kool-Aid comes every Sunday. I hate her.
She asks, “Are you there?” I tap twice. The chandelier flickers.
“Do you remember what happened in 1988?”
One tap.
She places a newspaper on the table. The headline: FAYETTEVILLE FAMILY SLAUGHTERED.
I recall the shotgun in his hands, his lips a rictus grin. Bang. Splatter. Brains everywhere.
“Is your brother here?”
Two taps. He is always here, hiding in every corner, with his jack-o’-lantern snarl.
“Do you forgive him?”
Memories return: Christmas, birthdays, lawn chairs and sprinklers, our tongues stained blue from freezer pops.
Two taps.
Haunting. Such a big story relayed in just a few words. And taps. The medium’s kool-aid hair in the first line and blue freezer pops referenced at the end connect the present with the past. Powerful, memorable story. Thank you.
I agree with Janet. This story packs so much into 101 words. It is very impressive.
Works for me!