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101 Word Short Stories

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Cut Short

February 10, 2025 3 Comments

By Tim Craig

“There was another murder last night,” she tells him over breakfast. “A seventeen-year-old from the estate, it says on the local news site. There are big bunches of flowers on the corner.”

“I hope it wasn’t one of the kids’ friends,” he says, though he knows it won’t be. He knows it will be a gang thing, a drugs thing. Nothing their children would ever be mixed up in, please Jesus.

“It’s so senseless,” she says. “And it never stops. I mean, who wins? Who benefits?” But she knows the answer, even as she asks the question.

“The florists,” he says.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Bud says

    February 12, 2025 at 5:24 pm

    Very sad story about an all too familiar occurrence. Nicely done!

    Reply
  2. Ed Kratz says

    February 14, 2025 at 12:46 am

    Nicely done. Perfect dark humor. And so true.

    Reply
  3. Kelly Louisa Balliu says

    March 17, 2025 at 5:50 am

    Definitely wasn’t expecting that last line! Concluded with a twist of cruel irony. Stirling.

    Reply

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