Win Cash Prizes & Get Professional Feedback @ Flash Fiction Magazine
Learn More
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

101 Words

101 Word Short Stories

  • Subscribe
  • About
  • Submissions
  • Volunteer

Dammit Roscoe

October 2, 2024 11 Comments

By Scott Bogart

The man took one last swig of whiskey, backed the fire, then laid down and went to sleep. Roscoe usually curled up next to him, but he’d recently developed the annoying habit of licking dinner remnants from the man’s beard while he slept. This resulted in the man leashing Roscoe to a nearby tree for the night.

One hour later, Roscoe whimpered and barked in a desperate attempt to wake the sleeping man. The man muttered and cursed, then resumed his snoring. Then the licking started again.

“Dammit, Roscoe!”

Behind the tree, Roscoe cowered. He’d never seen a bear that big.

Share this:

  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads
  • Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • More
  • Share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Share on Telegram (Opens in new window) Telegram
  • Share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon
  • Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp
  • Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Share on Nextdoor (Opens in new window) Nextdoor
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest

The Power of Imagery with Nina Schuyler

September 12 & 13 on Zoom
Enrollment closes Thursday, September 3 at 7:00 PM Pacific

If your descriptions are vivid but your stories still feel thin, this workshop is for you.

Join award-winning author Nina Schuyler to learn the difference between description, which tells a reader what things look like, and imagery, which carries plot, character, and meaning at the same time.

In just two days, you'll learn to choose images that hold emotion without naming it, pair them so each one deepens the other, and build patterns that gather meaning as the story moves.

Learn More and Enroll

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Paul Scott Wood says

    October 2, 2024 at 9:47 am

    I agree with L J’s ?. I believe the bear would have eaten Rosco rather than lick the man’s beard.

    Reply
    • Scott Bogart says

      October 2, 2024 at 9:20 pm

      Hi Scott! The bear didn’t just lick the man’s beard, he ate him while Roscoe watched. At least that’s what I intended to convey.

      Reply
    • Scott Bogart says

      October 2, 2024 at 9:23 pm

      Paul

      Reply
  2. Stella says

    October 2, 2024 at 1:09 pm

    I like this …. Maybe the man had honey in his beard if we’re being pedantic.
    Well done Scott

    Reply
    • Scott Bogart says

      October 2, 2024 at 9:25 pm

      Thanks Stella! The beard was the bear’s appetizer before he devoured the man.

      Reply
  3. Peter says

    October 2, 2024 at 3:05 pm

    I missed it on the first read but got it on the second. Well done!

    Reply
    • Scott Bogart says

      October 2, 2024 at 9:21 pm

      Thanks, Pete!

      Reply
  4. Rosemary Johnson says

    October 3, 2024 at 7:26 am

    Loved it. ‘Crying wolf’ is what it’s all about.

    Reply
    • Scott Bogart says

      October 4, 2024 at 3:49 pm

      Thank you! Exactly

      Reply
  5. Ed Kratz says

    October 4, 2024 at 3:23 am

    Fun read.

    Reply
    • Scott Bogart says

      October 4, 2024 at 3:50 pm

      Thank you, Ed!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Search Stories

The end.