Mangoes

(100-word flash fiction)

It all started with mangoes. There she was, hiding among her backyard trees, wolfing down the juicy, golden fruit. An innocent teen, cloistered in the inner courtyard of a Brahmin household, far from the eyes of the world.

The crash had startled the mango from her grasp. A young, ripped body had followed the fallen coconut down the tree. She had burst out laughing. He had fallen in love. Well! She too. Isn’t whatever is forbidden the most enticing?

Eventually, her folks found out. She was married off, hastily, to a Brahmin boy. His body was found in a ditch.

—

This is something that could very easily have happened 100 years ago in the south of India, in the coconut palm laden villages. Brahmin girls and women were cloistered and not allowed to move about in public view. Their contact with men was limited to only close family members and so, sometimes when they accidentally met men, like in this case, the coconut-feller, who would have been from a lower caste, romance blossomed. It was usually cut short with the girl’s marriage and the guy’s exile or death.

Many thanks, once again, to our head-mistress Rochelle, who keeps us Friday Fictioneers in line ♥

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PHOTO PROMPT © Todd Foltz

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Fall

(100-word flash fiction)

He fell from the 10^th floor balcony, free- falling onto Mother Earth like a home-coming son.

At exactly the same time, on the 5^th floor, Bill pulled out a gun and fired. Luckily for Ben he had quicksilver reflexes. The bullet whizzed past his ear sailing through the open window, hitting the totally unexpected falling body passing outside. Even Bill was horrified at the soft thunk.

They couldn’t decide if the fall killed him or the bullet. Or if he was already dead when he fell?

The case was closed without concluding if it was suicide or murder or accident.

******

So much death in the news, can’t escape it. I fear I might get unsensitised. Rochelle, you’re doing a great job bringing us all together for Friday Fictioneers. A big thank you to you ♥

Photo prompt –

PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

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Deflated

(100-word flash fiction)

‘Deflated’ her mind intones while she watches Barry slowly crumble as he puts the phone down. ‘Punctured’. She feels the energy seep out of him.

“Was that your boss?” His chin sinks in answer.

Long days and nights at the office. Birthdays forgotten. Missed graduation. Fights, tears, then stony silence.

She is numb as these vignettes march across her mind. She would have reached out to comfort him but his workaholism has put a chasm between them, filled with searing absence, with bitter resentment that he chose his job over them.

Instead, she asks, “Who got the job?”

“Hot-air Harry!”

***

Thanks Rochelle for hosting yet another scintillating Friday Fictioneers party 🙂

Photo prompt –

PHOTO PROMPT © Ronda Del Boccio

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The last chip

(100-word flash fiction)

She bit into the last chip, its salty crispiness flooding her mouth. She was so ravenous for comfort that she forgot.

It was only when he entered the room that she remembered. The last of everything was to be ALWAYS his, the last cookie, the last piece of cake, the last chip.

“I was hungry,“ she stammered, as he examined the packet, almost banal in its emptiness.

The first blow caught her in mid-whimper.  The second landed her on the floor. The boot knocked her out.

The lock-down is on. No one will see her bruises for a long time.

***

Domestic violence cases have gone up by more than 20% since the lock-down started. Violence is so much on the mind, I couldn’t find any playfulness 😦

***

I hope all of you in the US are safe. Thanks Rochelle for hosting the fabulous Friday Fictioneers fabulously, as always.

PHOTO PROMPT © Ted Strutz

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