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101 Word Short Stories

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Codependency

October 29, 2021 18 Comments

By Michael B. Brodin

“How old are you, George?” asked Inspector Mallory.

“Forty-two,” George said.

“You live here your whole entire life?”

“Yes.”

“Last week you told the detectives you were aiming at your own head.”

“Yes,” George said, pointing to his right temple. He was shaking and sweating.

“And the gun slipped.”

“I was drinking.”

“And the bullet just happened to hit your mother.”

“Uh-huh.”

The inspector grew quite serious and said, “I need you to come downtown.”

“That’s pretty much what happened,” interrupted George’s mother from her wheelchair. Her thickly-bandaged leg was elevated. “Please don’t take my boy away. He’s all I’ve got.”

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. David says

    October 29, 2021 at 5:07 am

    Excellent. Loved it.

    Reply
    • Michael says

      October 29, 2021 at 5:05 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
  2. Mary A Gorman says

    October 29, 2021 at 7:08 am

    Excellent so full of many different emotions. You have a gift of using the power of the word Keep on writing

    Reply
    • Michael says

      October 29, 2021 at 5:05 pm

      Thanks.

      Reply
    • Kelly Louisa Balliu says

      October 30, 2021 at 2:55 am

      Brilliant – and the title clinched it!

      Reply
  3. Helen C says

    October 29, 2021 at 7:45 am

    Excellent – loved the story and emotions which were a part of it!

    Reply
    • Michael says

      October 29, 2021 at 5:06 pm

      Glad you liked it!

      Reply
  4. Alastair says

    October 29, 2021 at 8:16 am

    Good twist at the end, liked it a lot 🙂

    Reply
    • Michael says

      October 29, 2021 at 5:07 pm

      Happy you liked it.

      Reply
  5. James Kemoli Amata says

    October 29, 2021 at 9:01 am

    Indeed the pain of giving birth is known only to the mother.

    Reply
    • Michael says

      October 29, 2021 at 5:07 pm

      Exactly right!

      Reply
  6. Lexa says

    October 29, 2021 at 2:26 pm

    Home. You can check in anytime you like, but you can never leave.

    Reply
    • Michael says

      October 29, 2021 at 5:08 pm

      Well said.

      Reply
  7. Valli Henry-Boldini says

    October 29, 2021 at 6:38 pm

    Great little read… kudos …

    Reply
    • Michael says

      October 29, 2021 at 8:46 pm

      Thank you very much. I’m glad you enjoyed it.

      Reply
  8. Lorraine Ebbin says

    October 30, 2021 at 10:27 am

    Oh Michael, you are good! Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  9. Laura says

    October 30, 2021 at 11:57 am

    So clever how you lead the reader through and manage to develop the characters with so few words. Love this story!

    Reply
  10. Sam says

    November 13, 2025 at 7:54 am

    Liked it. Felt I was in the room.

    Reply

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