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101 Word Short Stories

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Ranzini

July 22, 2024 13 Comments

By James Hancock

Lightning flickered, illuminating Don Ranzini’s office as he hid beside the grandfather clock. He’d heard his younger brother, Santino, whispering worrying words to cousin Luca all day: too old, after dark, unsuspecting, keep calm, piece of cake.

Over the clock’s ticking pendulum, Don Ranzini heard Santino and Luca tread carefully and quietly down the hallway towards his office. Assassins, driven by greed.

The door swung open, and as the two men entered, Don Ranzini stepped from the shadows, firing six rounds from a silenced pistol. Both men fell, as did the box Luca was carrying, spilling forth Don Ranzini’s birthday cake.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. David says

    July 23, 2024 at 3:20 pm

    Great build up and amusing twist.

    Reply
    • David Higham says

      July 24, 2024 at 6:36 am

      Great feeling of paranoia.

      Reply
  2. Bud says

    July 24, 2024 at 10:28 am

    Great “surprise” ending. Very clever.

    Reply
  3. Ramona Taylor says

    July 24, 2024 at 11:11 am

    What a twisted ending! Well done!

    Reply
  4. Cathy Cade says

    July 24, 2024 at 2:18 pm

    Lovely twist for the paranoid character

    Reply
  5. James Hancock says

    July 24, 2024 at 2:36 pm

    Thank you all for your kind words. I’m glade you enjoyed my litle tale.

    Reply
    • James Hancock says

      July 24, 2024 at 2:38 pm

      *little. Dammit! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Dan Graves says

    July 24, 2024 at 7:52 pm

    oh no! what have I done?

    Reply
  7. Ilona Rapin says

    July 25, 2024 at 10:38 am

    Whoa – good ending!

    Reply
  8. Charlotte Bennardo says

    July 25, 2024 at 5:49 pm

    Nice twist!

    Reply
  9. Ed Kratz says

    July 26, 2024 at 6:21 pm

    Well done. Great, totally believable twist.

    Reply
  10. Lisa H. Owens says

    July 31, 2024 at 9:10 am

    Nice to find you on here, James! A little glimpse of mafia life. Well played with the birtday twist!

    Reply
  11. James Hancock says

    August 13, 2024 at 5:44 am

    Thank you

    Reply

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