Drabbles

For those who don’t know, a drabble is a story that’s exactly 100 words long. No more, no less, and it has to have a beginning, middle, and end. As you might imagine, writing one is difficult. Short stories are already difficult enough without limiting yourself to such a small word count. But, in difficulty we also find opportunity, so I’ve tried my hand at it. Here are some of the drabble stories I’ve written. I hope you like them…

THE GUN

“C’mon, little girl,” the bandit said. “Lower that piece. You ain’t no killer.”

Calie was only a child. She’d been minding the sheep when the first shot rang out, and then watched in shadow as outlaws took everything worth carrying before leaving. One bandit had stuck around, for reasons she didn’t want to ponder.

They hadn’t found her daddy’s gun, though. When Calie snuck in and grabbed it, its smooth sandalwood handle burned against her palm.

The bandit spit on the ground. “You won’t shoot me. You can’t.”

The gun thundered, making him a liar as well as a murderer.

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THE END OF THE ROAD

The steering wheel was stubborn beneath his hands. He pulled one way and then another, but his path didn’t change. His road only went forward.

“Please, let me go,” he said, tears burning beneath his eyes.

The woman in white beside him didn’t move, didn’t react. Like the road, her path didn’t waiver. For a moment she vanished, the leather seat beneath her lifting unburdened, but then she reappeared. Her face was as grim as the grave.

“Take me home,” she whispered. “Take me to the end of the road.”

But she had no home, and now neither did he.