Jim the Writer

a literary blog

short story

Shots Fired, Garden View Apartments

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As she parked near her building, Gina saw a man’s form swaying in the shadows. It was the same guy. She was sure of it.

The book said to call it in. Gina liked the book, but not for this. Instead, she drew her nine-millimeter.

In a second, she was out of the car. Air-conditioners hummed. Crickets sang. Gina stepped forward, the automatic by her thigh.

“Pretty stupid, stalking a cop.”

“Stalking?” The voice was soft, almost feminine.

“Yeah, stalking. What would you call it?”

“Haunting, perhaps?”

The shadow lunged.

Gina crouched and fired three rounds into a potted shrub.

I wrote this story for the 100 Word Challenge #339 at Velvet Verbosity.

His Sainted Mother

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His sainted mother needed him. Big surprise! The message didn’t say what for. It didn’t say “sainted,” either, but Susan read that into it. “Walter, this is your mother. I need you.” That was all. Not even “please call,” but that was implied, too. Of course you need him, dear. You’re 85 and alone. You need Walter and six more like him. Susan smiled. Yes, seven Walters should be enough to meet any woman’s needs. Still smiling, she pressed delete. She would tell Walter to call his mother, as she told him almost every day. The need would be implied.

I wrote this story for the 100 Word Challenge #335 at Velvet Verbosity.