A vampire. A monster. Wonder Woman. These were the costumes of the kids I was taking trick-or-treating. As we walked to the next house, a bush near us began to move. It was in a front yard decorated as a cemetery with ghosts and skeletons hanging from the trees. We froze. A figure with green skin jumped out of the bush. “Trick or treat!” My heart skipped a beat. The kids screamed and ran. I crossed my arms and glared at my friend, who was laughing. “Did you really have to do that?” “Bwa-ha-ha. Happy Halloween!”
Tag: flash fiction
100-word story: Wildflowers
“Can I take one home, Mom?”
“What?”
Penny had been lost in her thoughts. Going through a divorce was draining all her energy. She had been hoping spending some time out here with her daughter would help.
“The flower,” Lily said, pointing. “It’s pretty. Can I have one?”
Penny shook her head. “No, honey. That flower belongs here. How about we plant a new one when we get home?”
Lily frowned but then nodded. “Okay. But only if Daddy helps us plant it.”
Penny sighed. “We’ll see if daddy wants to help.”
Well, at least she could enjoy the flowers.
The Lakehouse
“I want to go back home!”
When they finally arrived at the lakehouse for the first time, the whole family was exhausted. The kids had been arguing the entire ride, and their navigation system sent them down a dead-end road. They were seriously discussing never coming back again.
Once they finally got unpacked and went out to the lake, though, everything changed. The lakehouse was small, but the lake itself was so blue and seemed to stretch on for miles. The kids couldn’t wait to swim, Mike wanted to go fishing, and Angela wanted to sit and relax, just watching the water.
“I need you to promise me something,” Angela said to Mike. “We will never give this place up, no matter what mood we’re in or how crazy our summer is.”
“Done,” Mike said.
Thirty years later, Angela and Mike were sitting together by the lake, watching their grandkids swimming in the water.
“Remember when we were about to give this place up?” Angela said.
“Nah, I think you’re making that up,” Mike said. “This is our home away from home. We never could have given this place up.”
Angela just smiled.