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101 Word Short Stories

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I Love Christmas

February 26, 2022 8 Comments

By Yolanda Melendez Joosten

“You should have left him years ago,” her brother said looking through the dividing glass wall.

“He’d have followed me,” she said, shaking her head. She wouldn’t be seeing her brother for a long time, unless he came to see her in prison.

“Why now, after thirty years of marriage? After all the cheating, drinking, verbal abuse, and hitting?” he asked.

“He wouldn’t let me have a Christmas tree,” she said in a quiet voice.

“You mean you put that pillow over his drunken face because of a Christmas tree? Jesus, Sara.”

“I love Christmas; I just forgot about petechial hemorrhages!”

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Charron says

    February 26, 2022 at 11:50 am

    Very powerful!?

    Reply
    • Yolanda says

      February 26, 2022 at 1:04 pm

      Thank you, Charron!

      Reply
  2. A.M. McKnight says

    February 26, 2022 at 12:22 pm

    Heartbreaking but good.

    Reply
  3. Yolanda says

    February 26, 2022 at 1:04 pm

    Thank you!!

    Reply
  4. Monica Brar says

    February 28, 2022 at 10:58 am

    This really packs a punch in such few words! Excellent as always, Yolanda!!! 🙂

    Reply
  5. J. Noel says

    February 28, 2022 at 7:12 pm

    Now that’s great dialogue. A fast, impactful read. Looking forward to reading more of your short works, Yolanda.

    Reply
  6. Jim Gunshinan says

    February 28, 2022 at 9:09 pm

    Yolanda,

    Well done! From dour to funny in 101 words.

    Reply
  7. Andrea Firth says

    March 1, 2022 at 6:49 pm

    Well done Yolanda. Love the hint of the dividing glass wall in the first sentence, and the close with the petechial hemorrhages! And the dark humor, so fun.

    Reply

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