By Gabrielle Nelson
Pumpkinseed fish flicker in hollow gourds on her porch, and every cup in her kitchen holds a Balloon Bellied Molly. She seeks the future in their silent mouths. “They’re coquettes in a glass! Tell them they are pretty, and they’ll gossip and preen.”
I bring her vases of penny fish. She pours them in her bottomless pond and waits for answers. “My wishing fish.”
She’s always swimming, hands flashing beneath the water like scales. Submerged below the waist, concealing her deformity.
Her cruelty surfaced just once, when she slowly pulled swollen legs off a trembling frog: “Nothing is lovely with legs.”
Great descriptive imagery! And the last sentence–wow! This is one good story.
I can picture the whole of it. The poor dear. What a well done story.
Beautiful, compact (although I guess all 101 word stories are compact), and unexpected. Totally enjoyed the read. Thank you.
Good, creative writing.
The end got me, but it was a well done twist. Plenty of bread crumbs for me to go back to, but not so many that it was predictable.
Sara,
Loved the critique,,,,”Plenty of bread crumbs” ……. Great phrase….