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101 Word Short Stories

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Grounded

December 28, 2023 6 Comments

By John Holmes

His voice was loud and authoritative. Threatening.

Stevie and I hunched down on the damp grass and offered our naked legs. The dirty old rope cut deep into our skin as we were ruthlessly lashed together.

I noticed a fair-haired man march past, expertly spinning a gun on his middle finger.

“On your feet,” instructed the rope man. Struggling, Stevie and I stood up as one.

“Follow Blondie.”

We hobbled over to the others.

“Ready?” shouted Blondie.

The sound of gunfire filled the air.

Like soldiers in battle, we immediately crashed to the muddy ground, despising our school’s annual three-legged race.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. G J says

    December 28, 2023 at 11:44 am

    What a brilliant twist to a childhood memory story!

    Reply
  2. John Holmes says

    December 29, 2023 at 7:12 am

    Thanks GJ. We’ve all been there.

    Reply
  3. Anne Jones says

    January 4, 2024 at 2:05 am

    I loved the twist. Brilliant. I have similar memories of the torture of sports days. Thank you

    Reply
    • John says

      January 8, 2024 at 7:16 am

      thanks Anne – that’s just where the story originated…in the corner of a cold sports field.

      Reply
  4. Pamela Cartlidge says

    January 7, 2024 at 12:52 pm

    Great. I enjoyed the suspense and the twist.

    Reply
  5. John says

    January 8, 2024 at 7:16 am

    Some sports days were actually murder!

    Reply

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