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101 Word Short Stories

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Suckling Envy

December 18, 2021 2 Comments

By Sharmila Shankarkumar

The new creature’s a savage attention hog, cries incessantly, eats Mother alive. She’s witnessed this, his greedy toothless maw gaping, then closing around a rosy nipple, great sucking sounds emanating from within. After his arrival, she’s rendered invisible, all eyes transfixed by his dumb antics, his infinite feed-poop-sleep-whine loop.

Can we return him to the stork now? she entreats. They chortle, like she’s the century’s greatest wit.

At night she unwraps him, puts him out in the garden for pickup.

Squalls break their exhausted slumber. Raccoon attack. Now his head’s like rhubarb jam.

The creature needs even more attention. Will always.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ekta Garg says

    December 27, 2021 at 10:29 am

    Wow. Talk about a gut punch at the end! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  2. Sharmila Shankarkumar says

    December 31, 2021 at 11:20 am

    Hey – thanks for reading and commenting!

    Reply

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