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101 Word Short Stories

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The Lake

December 28, 2022 9 Comments

By Amrita Sarkar

Jyoti blinked at the sapphire ripples ruffling the iridescent composure of the lake.

She remembered the night she’d last visited it. Little Mohan was mewling in her arms. His infantile voice rose as she tied his legs and rolled him into the water. Jyoti stood there watching until her brother stopped flailing his arms.

“My beautiful boy,” Mother often raved. “My one and only.”

“I am Mother’s one and only now.” Jyoti repeated the words like an incantation.

And yet, Mother said nothing. All day, she just stared at the lake from her window—as if it called out to her.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AB says

    December 28, 2022 at 7:26 am

    Chilling and achingly powerful

    Reply
  2. John Krahn says

    December 28, 2022 at 10:10 am

    Depressing.

    Reply
  3. Jyoti says

    December 28, 2022 at 12:55 pm

    Tragic

    Reply
  4. Jane Bradshaw says

    December 28, 2022 at 6:14 pm

    Wow – not what I expected, you packed a punch in so few words. Well done Amrita.

    Reply
  5. Miera says

    December 28, 2022 at 7:47 pm

    Nicely done.

    Reply
  6. Peggy Rockey says

    December 28, 2022 at 10:02 pm

    It leaves a haunting impression that lingers in my mind. Nice work

    Reply
  7. Madhumita Bhattacharya says

    December 30, 2022 at 1:24 am

    very imaginative and chilling….amazingly conveyed the emotion of a jealous sibling in so few words !!

    Reply
  8. Chetana Vaishnavi says

    December 30, 2022 at 8:28 am

    Each child is important for the mother. But sibling rivalry does exist.
    Moreover caring for a male child and ignoring a girl child is really traumatic for the girls.

    Reply
  9. Wendy A Markel says

    January 6, 2023 at 6:35 am

    Oh my goodness, that’s brutal, but so well written. I could imagine a cold psychopath going on to kill again.

    Reply

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