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

Going Down

December 20, 2021 15 Comments

By Coco Jane

Yessss! I think as the elevator door opens. He is there, alone. Gregory. He works at the McBride offices on 17.

He smiles at me. Those chocolate brown eyes, those tousled auburn curls. Ohhhh, yessss!

My heart races as I enter. The parking level button is already lit. Pleeeeze, no one interrupt this elevator ride. My breath quickens. I smooth my blouse.

As we descend, Gregory says, “I love you” in a sublime, dreamy voice. Delighted, I turn and reply, “I love you too!”

The door opens. Gregory walks out past me, index finger on the Bluetooth in his right ear.

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. Helen C says

    December 20, 2021 at 7:12 am

    A brilliantly crafted story and the ending was a surprise – I’d thought something else would happen!

    Reply
  2. Peggy Gerber says

    December 20, 2021 at 10:12 am

    This story is so beautifully written and so relevant. I never know whether people are talking to me or are on their phones.

    Reply
    • Christie C. says

      January 2, 2022 at 5:42 pm

      The ending made me laugh and I felt the moment she realized it right down to my toes.

      Reply
  3. Bill D. says

    December 20, 2021 at 11:13 am

    Excellent. Captures in a fun way something we’ve all experienced.

    Reply
  4. Jennifer Lai says

    December 20, 2021 at 11:27 am

    Nicely done, Coco. Fun story!

    Reply
  5. Michael Talledes says

    December 20, 2021 at 3:12 pm

    Ahhhhhh it happens to the best of us! Well done this was a fun piece!

    Reply
  6. Rita+Riebel-Mitchell says

    December 20, 2021 at 3:28 pm

    An embarrassing situation that we can all understand. Cute and well-written story.

    Reply
  7. MiKayla says

    December 20, 2021 at 4:19 pm

    The end got me. Funny!

    Reply
  8. Coco says

    December 20, 2021 at 5:32 pm

    Thanks for the support, all. This was fun to write .

    Reply
  9. Coco says

    December 20, 2021 at 7:41 pm

    Thanks for the support, all. This was fun to write.

    Reply
  10. Tom Baldwin says

    December 20, 2021 at 10:07 pm

    So much in so few words!

    Reply
  11. dlherrmann says

    December 22, 2021 at 10:34 am

    I was anticipating the encounter would not be pleasent. The ending different from that was nice.

    Reply
  12. Gautam Sen says

    December 22, 2021 at 10:46 am

    A sweet and entertaining story.

    Reply
  13. Ekta Garg says

    December 27, 2021 at 10:26 am

    Love the ending! I’m sharing it on my blog in a bit.

    Reply
  14. Elden Buck says

    December 28, 2021 at 7:21 pm

    Beautifully done.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

Primary Sidebar

Search Stories

The end.