Win Cash Prizes & Get Professional Feedback @ Flash Fiction Magazine
Learn More
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

101 Words

101 Word Short Stories

  • Subscribe
  • About
  • Submissions
  • Volunteer

The Late Larissa

November 9, 2022 17 Comments

By Lou Normann

Larissa was running late and prayed no one would notice her sneaking through the back door. She was always late, but today had completely disrupted her schedule—her kids woke late, traffic stalled, and she needed to stop for gas. One more late day and her boss would write her up simply because he didn’t like her. What could possibly happen to make her morning worse?

The red and blue flashing lights surrounding the building were the first sign. Her dead boss was the second. The police were third, especially since they wanted to talk about the blood on Larissa’s boots.

Share this:

  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads
  • Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • More
  • Share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Share on Telegram (Opens in new window) Telegram
  • Share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon
  • Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp
  • Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Share on Nextdoor (Opens in new window) Nextdoor
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest

The Power of Imagery with Nina Schuyler

September 12 & 13 on Zoom
Enrollment closes Thursday, September 3 at 7:00 PM Pacific

If your descriptions are vivid but your stories still feel thin, this workshop is for you.

Join award-winning author Nina Schuyler to learn the difference between description, which tells a reader what things look like, and imagery, which carries plot, character, and meaning at the same time.

In just two days, you'll learn to choose images that hold emotion without naming it, pair them so each one deepens the other, and build patterns that gather meaning as the story moves.

Learn More and Enroll

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lena says

    November 9, 2022 at 6:14 am

    There’s so much action conveyed in so few words that it feels like we’ve been with Larissa for a far longer story, it made me so invested in her character arc that I feel I’ve enjoyed the ending a bit too much lol. Great job!

    Reply
  2. Yogita says

    November 9, 2022 at 7:04 am

    Great job! Looks like a perfect synopsis of a thriller

    Reply
  3. Chetana Vaishnavi says

    November 9, 2022 at 7:45 am

    Enjoyed the story.
    Absorbing

    Reply
  4. Howard Dart Humeston says

    November 9, 2022 at 8:03 am

    Enjoyed the story.

    Reply
  5. Rachel Glowacki says

    November 9, 2022 at 9:14 am

    Woah, that’s a thriller ? is there a part 2?

    Reply
    • Gilda Candela says

      November 9, 2022 at 9:51 am

      Honestly, I want more!!! This is a “reeler inner” for sure!

      Reply
  6. Dee Lorraine says

    November 9, 2022 at 9:52 am

    An excellent story! I love it, Lou!

    Reply
  7. Rabab says

    November 9, 2022 at 10:02 am

    Wow ! I really enjoyed the story ! Well done !

    Reply
  8. Michael Talledes says

    November 9, 2022 at 10:08 am

    Wow we need another like ASAP! Well done!

    Reply
  9. Ekta Garg says

    November 9, 2022 at 10:19 am

    Fantastic! Loved the twist at the end. Great job!

    Reply
  10. Elaine Russell says

    November 9, 2022 at 11:32 am

    Wheres the rest Lou? We want more! Awesome twist didn’t see it coming.

    Reply
  11. Lynda says

    November 9, 2022 at 3:44 pm

    Fantastic story and I loved the building suspense, the way it moved from the mundane to the criminal.

    Reply
  12. D willson says

    November 9, 2022 at 4:19 pm

    I need more !!!
    What a great lead up to what is sure to be one humdinger of a bad day for Larissa !
    More more more please

    Reply
  13. Doug Jacquier says

    November 9, 2022 at 5:52 pm

    Potentially interesting plot. Just not sure why Larissa would be worrying about her boss writing her up when she (presumably) already knew he was dead?

    Reply
  14. Tom Baldwin says

    November 9, 2022 at 7:37 pm

    Loved it! So much from so few words.

    Reply
  15. Jon Culp says

    November 10, 2022 at 10:59 am

    Might look to the tenses of your verbs. I think some of your past tense verbs should be present. Leave the exposition in the past, but what is happening right now should be actively in the present.
    Otherwise, great economy of words with so much packed in!
    Nice job!

    Reply
  16. James R. Coffey says

    November 12, 2022 at 6:24 am

    Quite enjoyed this!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Search Stories

The end.