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101 Word Short Stories

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The Mirror Effect

July 22, 2026 4 Comments

By M. Conant Carr

Auntie looked at her niece with narrowed eyes and a rigidly closed mouth, holding back deadly bullet words. She scrunched her nose as if smelling rotten fish.

Why would Auntie hate her so much? It wasn’t jealousy. The older woman was plain, bordering on ugly—but so was the girl. The niece had an idea. Auntie was seeing herself, years ago, and felt disgust. The girl wasn’t even there. Only the woman, seeing herself in a live human mirror.

The niece had a solution. She smiled, took her hand. “I hope I grow up to look as beautiful as you, Auntie.”

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Faith says

    July 22, 2026 at 7:39 am

    Touché and well done!

    Reply
  2. Janet says

    July 22, 2026 at 8:57 am

    A sweet finish to the smell of the rotting fish!!

    Reply
  3. K F Lerner says

    July 22, 2026 at 10:01 am

    May we all have such wisdom and grace.

    Reply
  4. Cheryl Dahlstrand says

    July 22, 2026 at 10:12 am

    A fresh insight and solution to family friction.
    Kindness wins!

    Reply

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