“How did you expect her to react, Mom?”

The elderly woman was silent, watching her youngest daughter doubled over, retching in the driveway. Patricia knew this wasn’t going to be easy on any of them, including her mother and her younger sister, Erin, but it had to be done.

The city had called Patricia earlier in the week saying the house would be condemned unless immediate action was taken. And she was surprised that it had taken them this long. The house, from the outside, appeared mostly normal save for the numerous plastic containers on the front porch and a few bad spots in the front and back yards.

But inside was a completely different story.

Her mother’s downward spiral of self-loathing and guilt, piled on by years of failed relationships and marriages, were most likely to blame. Mom had become a hoarder, refusing to let go of anything that she acquired. She also, apparently, hadn’t paid for or used a garbage man in quite some time as well. Garbage littered the floor from one end of the house to the other and, in certain spots, rose to over three or four feet high.

It hadn’t helped that both Patricia and Erin lived several states away. And Mom would always visit them, always saying her house was a mess and that she’d feel more comfortable traveling. Patricia hadn’t actually seen her childhood home for five or six years, and Erin even longer. They had no idea it had come to this.

Aside from years of trash, the noxious smell of garbage and rot and death of one unfortunate animal or another was completely overwhelming. And the house was filled with cockroaches and rats. When Erin had attempted passage into the kitchen, climbing over refuse and risking her life, at least a handful of the disgusting, disease-spreading bugs crawled onto her hand, sending her reeling back and out the door. Patricia thought her sister was acting a bit overdramatic, but then again, this was all so emotional.

How had her mother allowed herself to slip so low? Patricia just hoped the therapist would be able to help. They could clean it up, sure, but without treating whatever disease her mom had, it’d just end up that way again.

Erin was crying, and Patricia walked over to console her. Her younger sister just stared back at her mother with anger and contempt.

“Erin, it will be OK. We’ll get it cleaned up, and we’ll get Mom help.”

“You don’t understand, Patricia. The mess, the bugs, the rats—none of that matters.”

“I know,” replied Patricia, rubbing her sister’s back.

“No you don’t! You don't! Did you even go into the kitchen? You have no idea!”

“I didn’t, no, but I figured it was just as bad as the other rooms.”

“Patricia! They are in there! Bill, Greg, Richard. Dad! They didn’t leave her! Dad didn’t abandon us! Their mummified bodies are all in there, sitting in chairs at the kitchen table!”

500 words
@rastrohman

“How did you expect me to react with a confession like that?” she demanded. “I’m very angry that you didn’t tell me before. I really loved you or thought I did. Was that something you forced on me?”

“I can’t do that,” he pleaded. “You should know that.”

“Really? I should, should I?” Her tear-filled rage grew. It was not so much the fact of what he told her, it was that he chose now to tell her, after she had given herself to him both physically and emotionally. Had she known this before she could have made a rational, informed choice. She did not go into things blindly—it was not how she was, full disclosure always with everything.

“Let me explain.”

“Explain, really? I don’t think you need to explain. I fully understand what you are. What I want you to explain is where they are. Why can’t I see them now that you’ve told me your little secret?”

“Because they are gone, it was part of my punishment.”

She glared at him and turned back to the window. In the reflection, she could see that her mascara ran making her eyes look like blue and black butterfly wings. She laughed at the thought of wings. He misread her laughter and stepped closer to him. She saw his pale movement in the glass and turned around quickly.

“Don’t come near me.” The tears burned her eyes. He stopped. His face filled with grief. “You should’vee told me this at the beginning before I…”

“Would it have made any difference?”

“Yes, I would’ve stayed away from you, knowing that any second you could be taken back into the fold.”

“I don’t think that’s going to happen anytime soon.” He grimaced, glancing over his shoulder. “Besides they don’t grow back and I wouldn’t be able to fly home.”

She fought the smile that wanted to brighten her face.

“It’s just not something that you should’ve kept from me, asshole.” Her mood began to soften. “It does explain some things though.”

@ChuckWesJ
340 words

The Spider Jeopardy
by S Jayanth

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“How do you expect me to react idiot? How would you, if I did the same to you? With a bigger and more vicious looking spider!”, Tess barked at her younger sister after she woke up screaming to a hairy tickle caused by a palm-sized dessert spider. She jumped back from her bed in panic and fell over the floor, hurting her head.
Only after this freaky moment did she notice her sister standing at the bedpost and more frustratingly, laughing at her.
“I wouldn’t freak out like you”, said Jane, still unable to control her laughter.
“Well, you are such a disgusting little prick”, Tess hissed and walked out of her room. This fun-intended prank by her sister has not only frightened her but also led to an even more awkward fall resulting in a smack on her head which left her dizzy which felt more like something-more-than-just-a-smack as her pain did not go away even after an hour. She has been walking in the veranda all that time, nauseated by visions of evil spiders and pangs of pain at her head. It was 6 in the morning and Tess knew this day was going to be long, as is the feeling left by any pain that goes off inside us early in the day and continues for too long.
After deciding that resting would help more than walk in loops like a bird which flew in circles, thanks to an unexpected bowl of gin that she drank from. This thought made her laugh out loud, but the pain it caused cut her short. She cursed under her breath and walked to the door. She closed the veranda door behind her and turned on the light in the hallway. To her goosebumpy surprise, a spider was lying on the floor ahead, though its hair color looked different. This got her temper to peaks that it seemed the red on her cheeks would spread to her blonde hair. She stomped the two feet that separate her from the spider and picked it up with her whole palm and stormed into her sister’s room, this time, she was so damn sure she would slap her.
Turning on the light in her sister’s bedroom, Tess pulled the blanket away and shook her sister who fell asleep when she was struggling with the post-‘pranks gone wrong’-bruises. Her sister sat up unwillingly, eyes still closed.
Tess said, “How many of these are still there in the home?”
“What are you talking Tess”, Jane said, yawning. She was now awake completely, thanks to her sister’s loud voice.
“That isn’t my spider, Tess”, she said, rubbing her eyes.
“What do you mean by it is not………”, Tess broke off as the spider in her palm moved.
“ I THOUGHT WOMEN ARE AFRAID OF SPIDERS. BUT YOU SEEM TO BE BRAVE “, the spider spoke, in a deep and weird voice.
The sisters looked at each other, then screamed like hell broke loose.
“ HAHAHA ”

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497 words
@sankarajayanth

«How did you expect me to react?” Cayla said, and sat down on the velvet-covered chair.
“I don’t know, but I didn’t expect you to be upset about it,” Bren answered.

He’d worked out all his life and knew he looked good; add the fact that he was a Sabretooth in his other form and you had a desirable mate – at least, that’s what he thought.

“Oh, don’t look so offended,” she huffed and got up to see him, “It’s not you, it’s me. I just have a lot to think about, and you know that.”
She placed her palms on his chest and looked into his brown eyes. He was a prime specimen of the male race, but finding out you’re not human - or from the world you thought you were from, was not an everyday happening.

He sighed and took her wrists, and then planted a kiss on each of them. Her skin was so soft, like the petals of the Aireloes flower.
She tilted her head and looked at him intently, wishing she could decipher him as well as he did her.

“Tell me what you’re thinking,” she demanded.
He smiled broadly and shook his head. “Perhaps if I remain a mystery I’ll be more alluring. I do, however, have something to show you. Come on,” he said and took her hand.

They ran down the golden-bricked hallway and Cayla’s eyes were nearly popping out. The beauty of everything surrounding her was astounding, and she wanted to stop and look at every little detail.

She wasn’t moving fast enough for his taste, so in one swift move, he’d launched her into the air and phased just before she landed; perfectly on his back.

Just like when we were kids, he thought.
Jesus Christ I can hear what he's thinking, Cayla panicked.
I don’t know who this Jesus is, but I’d rather you didn’t think any other man’s name while we’re connected. Now, hang on tight!

They jumped the fence at the end of the hallway and ran down a rather steep mountainside, avoiding the path next to them.

Such a show off, she scolded, but she was thrilled nevertheless.

His giant paws thudded heavily on the rocks and grass underneath them, and she did remember doing this as children. He started skidding to stop their decline, and it wasn’t until she saw the cliff that she really panicked.

“We’ll never make it!” she screamed, and pulled at the scruff of his neck, yanking off pieces of his fur as she did.

He turned his head and growled loudly, but she didn’t stop – they did, however, and it was an embarrassed and shaken Cayla who climbed off his back.

Do you remember this view? He thought, and turned his giant flat head towards her. Her hand was still on his back.
Yes, she answered, and took a deep breath as she recognized the city Lockireth and her childhood home.

Word count: 492

@ChessnySilth

You've written a very moving story in only a few words-not at all easy to do. Well done!

FEVER DREAM

<i>How did you expect us to react?</i>

“I didn’t say anything! I promise!” Miyu fell to her knees, clutching her head and sobbing.

Clergy stood about impotently watching the sudden convulsions of the child in the tattered dress. Each time they patched or replaced it, she managed to wear it down to threads by afternoon. Brother Baldwin knelt to brace the scrawny girl comfortingly.

“Miyu, what’s the matter?”

<i>You thought you could hide from us? You thought we couldn’t reach you in their holy place?</i>

“NO!” the pale blonde pushed Brother Baldwin away and fell on her side. “Please leave me alone!”

The broad shouldered monk stayed by the girl, but didn’t touch her again. She curled into a shivering fetal position and he turned to the others in the chapel.

“Someone bring a blanket! She’s freezing!”

<i>Ungrateful whelp, we spared your miserable existence. We gave you power. Purpose. Now you dare to betray us?</i>

“I didn’t do anything wrong! I-“ Miyu choked, unable to finish.

Baldwin lifted the little girl in his strong hands, guiding her back to a straighter posture with desperate concern in his eyes. Miyu’s own eyes opened suddenly, the right a crystal blue but the left hemorrhaging with murky red. Her tiny hands dug into his cassock with a strength belying her diminutive appearance.

“Look at me. Look at me, Miyu. I’m here. You’re safe. Everything’s going to be okay.”

<i>We have been far too lenient with you. We know why you came to this place. You must be punished.</i>

“No…” The girl retched.

As her protector stroked Miyu’s back and steadied her breathing, a steaming gout of viscous fluid erupted from her mouth drenching him. Unwavering, Baldwin held the child out of her own mess showing no care for his own state. It was then one of the sisters returned with a blanket and the abbot.

“Father! Is there no way for us to get little Miyu a doctor?”

“I’m afraid not until the storm passes. Her fate is in God’s hands now.”

Everything was so dim. Quiet. It felt as though Miyu’s mind had been wrapped in the heavy wool, not just her body. She wanted to sleep.

“Father, her hair’s turned white! As disciples of God, there must be some way we can combat this unholy malady!”

“Calm yourself, Brother Baldwin. It is merely a trick of the light; her hair was quite fair when she came to us. If evil forces were at work she would have been cured upon crossing our threshold. For now, rest is all we can give her.”

The sensation of being carried lulled Miyu’s mind further into darkness. Baldwin would take care of her. Everything would be alright.

“Don’t worry, Miyu. I know you can’t tell me what’s wrong, but I promise I’ll find a way to help you.”

<i>You think this priest can free you from us? How did you expect us to react?

We will have you kill him in the night.</i>


498 words
@DavidALudwig

“How did you expect him to react? Calmly? Reasonably? Rationally?” I flitted my wings, and landed on the roof of the car. “Seriously? Tie-died? In pink, aqua, magenta, and lavender? On a guy’s car?”

Sasha landed next to me. “I was just trying to add some color to his life! He didn’t have to go all Nordic Warrior on me!” She sighed. “Came at me with a broom handle and a trashcan lid, he did! Talk about unexpected!”

I shook my head. “But, Sasha. Turning the guy into a statue for 8 hours?”

Sasha shrugged. “I panicked. Did the first thing that popped into my head.”

I looked at the poor guy. Looked like he was trying to throw a javelin. But where the javelin was supposed to be was a bouquet of flowers. “A flower throwing bandit? Sasha? That just popped into your head?”

“Yes.”

I looked at the poor guy. “Oh, gods. Now he’s wet himself.”

Sasha looked down. “I’m sorry. I panicked. But I never really thought he’d be angry, Momma. I really didn’t.”

Ah, the joys of parenthood. My little pixie daughter was sometimes a handful. “I know. I know. It’s not like I didn’t make mistakes when I was your age, dear.” I placed my hand on her shoulder. “What say we clean this mess up?”

There was nothing else to do, but fix the disaster my daughter had made. We flitted our wings, and took back to the air. I looked at the car. It really was a pretty paint job. Sasha had done well. She’d just got the colors wrong.

“OK. Dear. Let’s fix the first mistake. The car. This is a car for a male. You used female colors. What colors would have been better?” Sasha thought a moment. Then she waved her hands, and tossed some pixie dust over the poor man’s car. The colors all changed, becoming basic black, silver, primary red, and blue.

“Very nice, dear. Those are much more appropriate colors for a human male.” We then flew over to the man, statuesque as he was. “And throwing flowers?”

“I know, Momma. I know. That’s not right either.”

“How would you fix that.”

Another wave of her hands, and tossing of pixie dust, and the man turned into a soldier out of one of the human races favorite video games. I believe they called it Halo. I smiled. “Nicely done, dear. Nicely done.” I patted my daughter on the back.

“I’m proud of you, dear. It takes a strength and courage to admit your mistakes.” We started home. “I want you to go out again tonight, and practice some more.”

Ah, the joys of parenthood.


461 Words.
@LurchMunster

Rob’s Train of Thought

‘How did you expect me to react? It’s a quiet coach, can’t you read? What’s wrong with you peasants?’

These were the words Rob urged to shout out. Commanding them with the authority of a true leader, an accusatory finger directing their humiliated faces to the sign plastered on the rain-dropped window as he ripped up the offending passengers train ticket. Instead he silently cursed them, sighed repeatedly and unnecessarily folded and unfolded his scrawny legs in the only hope that this might knock their bulging seats a little.
The blackness suddenly reflected his unflattering features. Creases forced the narrowing of his wide brow and the murky green in his tiny, hazel eyes flickered with resentment. His newly bought ‘beanie’ hat was two sizes too big for him and sat crumpled by the side of his barely there stubble but he thought it made him look like the coolest member of a boy band; the still-attached label actually made him look like a shop-lifter. The image grimaced back at him and slowly cracked each knuckle along every finger joint. The adjacent stranger shuddered, squinted at Rob and turned the other way in disgust.

The voice was getting nearer. Rob hurriedly jumbled through his rucksack but couldn’t find them. The uniformed man looked him up and down disapprovingly but by now both sleep and tickets had made a premature exit.

‘Oh, sorry’ Rob apologised for muttering an expletive. ‘Urm, I…’
‘I’ll come back in a couple of minutes’.
‘Yeah, yeah, that’d be great yeah. I know they’re in here somewhere’.

The journey continued into darkening skies but left Rob somewhere in the midst of a Yorkshire countryside with all the quiet he’d previously desired. That beanie was to come in handier than he’d ever imagined.

294 words