Rob Kitchin's Blog, page 8
September 4, 2021
Scared
‘Kelly.’
‘Don’t come any nearer.’
‘Let’s talk about this.’ Sarah edged forward.
‘Just leave me alone.’
‘Not until you step back.’
‘If you come any closer I’ll jump.’
‘Kelly.’
‘All you had to say was you didn’t like me.’
‘Look, I …’
‘You didn’t need to out me to the whole school.’
‘I’m sorry.’
‘Now my parents know.’
‘I … I wasn’t …’
‘They think I’m a freak.’
‘Kelly. Please, just step back.’
‘I thought you liked me as well.’
‘I do like you.’
‘But not in that way.’
‘I was scared.’
‘So am I.’
‘Then let’s be scared together.’
A drabble is a story of exactly 100 words.
August 28, 2021
Thanks to you
‘If there’s no us, then there’s no point. M.’
Paul looked up. ‘Where did you find this?’
‘On the kitchen table.’
‘And Marina?’
‘I couldn’t find her,’ Sarah replied.
‘Jesus. What game is the silly cow playing now?’
‘What happened?’
‘We broke up.’
‘You mean you dumped her.’
‘It’s been over for a while.’
‘For you maybe, but not for her.’
Sarah’s phone began to ring.
‘Yes? … What? … Are you sure?’
‘What is it?’ Paul interrupted.
‘It’s over now.’
‘What?’
‘They’ve found her at the lake; seems she couldn’t live without you.’
‘She’s …?’
‘Dead. Thanks to you.’
A drabble is a story of exactly 100 words.
August 21, 2021
Us?
The crows lifted off the beeches.
Jake waited at the gate, Blue panting at his feet.
Eventually a figure ambled round the bend and raised a hand.
‘I thought it might be you.’
‘How are you keeping, Jake?’ Sarah asked.
‘So-so. You?’
‘The same. Just been you, the last couple of months?’
‘And Blue and the cattle.’
‘You don’t get lonely?’
‘Some of us are meant to be alone. You know that.’
‘Sometimes I wish it were otherwise.’
‘You’re getting wistful in old age?’
‘I keep wondering if it’s too late for first love?’
‘First love?’
‘For us.’
‘Us?’
A drabble is a story of exactly 100 words.
August 14, 2021
Denial
I often think about Jason. He made the mistake of confessing to his best friend. Only the friend wasn’t ready for that kind of truth. He was in denial; was afraid of what everyone else would think. How they’d react. So he’d pushed him away. Mocked him. Got drunk and outed him. It only took four weeks from when the bullying started. A nine-year-old boy found him hanging from a tree; the same place he’d confessed. The boy’s probably scarred for life. I guess that’s better than no life. I still struggle with the guilt. And I’m still in denial.
A drabble is a story of exactly 100 words.
August 7, 2021
That's all I'll pay for
‘Are you sure you want to do this, Jack?’
‘God knows the truth. He’ll judge me accordingly. It’s the living that need it now.’
‘Then I’ll hear your confession,’ the priest said, taking the dying man’s hand.
‘I killed Jane. I didn’t mean … it just … I lost it. Her clothes are in the woodshed. The knife is in the septic tank.’
‘And Terry Macleod?’
‘He was her lover. He got what he deserved.’
‘He’s in prison for a crime he didn’t commit.’
‘I only regret Jane. That’s all I’ll pay for.’
‘You don’t get to decide that, Jack.’
A drabble is a story of exactly 100 words.
July 31, 2021
She's still our mom
‘She’s gone.’
‘What do you mean, gone.’ Harry looked up from the workbench.
‘What do you think I mean?’
‘Don’t get snooty. Where’d she go?’
‘Away. She left this.’
Harry held out his hand, motioning his daughter forward.
He unfolded the sheet of paper.
Sorry. I can’t do this anymore.
‘Is that it?’
‘Her side of the wardrobe’s empty.’
‘I guess that’s that then.’
‘You need to go after her.’
‘What’s the point?’
‘You’re the cause of this. You need to fix it.’
‘We’ll survive.’
‘You’ll survive. What about us? She might be our step-mom, but she’s still our mom.’
A drabble is a story of exactly 100 words.
July 24, 2021
Protect her from the witch
‘You really are clueless, aren’t you?’
‘What?’
‘Jesus. Person C likes Person B who likes Person A. Person
A is shy and insecure. Person B lives in his own world. Person C is devious and malicious; she thinks that by driving Person A away she’ll be able to seduce Person B.’
‘I’m Person B?’
‘Duh!’
‘So, Cindy left … because of Jane?’
‘What do either of them see in you?’
‘But I like Cindy.’
‘Then tell her that and protect her from the witch.’
‘Jane being the witch?’
‘God, Ryan; yes! And Cindy is the princess you need to rescue.’
A drabble is a story of exactly 100 words.
July 17, 2021
I don't need friends
‘Wait!’
Carol tugged an earbud free. ‘What?’
‘If you need anything …’ Darren trailed off.
‘I won’t.’
As Carol stepped forward, Darren grabbed her wrist.
‘Let go.’
Darren loosened his grip. ‘Sorry.’
‘Just leave me alone.’
‘At least take my number. In case you need help.’
‘I don’t need your help. Or anyone else’s.’
‘They’ll keep hassling you.’
Carol shrugged. ‘It’s nothing I’m not used to.’
‘It’s no harm to have friends.’
‘I don’t need friends.’
‘Don’t want or don’t need?’
‘Both. They only betray you.’
‘Well, I won’t. Just take my number.’ Darren shoved a note into Carol’s pocket.
A drabble is a story of exactly 100 words.
July 10, 2021
Make a new life
The woman was hunched forward, hands on her knees. ‘You go on.’
‘I’m not leaving you.’
‘I’ll hide. If we stay together we’ll both be caught.’
‘Mom, you have to keep going.’ The man stared anxiously down the dark laneway.
‘I’m too slow. You go. I’ll catch you up.’
‘We’ll never find each other.’
‘We don’t have time for this. I’ll hide; you go on.’
The sound of voices drifted up from the valley.
‘You can do this.’
‘But not fast enough. Please, go. Make a new life.’
‘Mom.’
‘Go.’
As he crested the ridge a shot rang out below.
A drabble is a story of exactly 100 words.
July 9, 2021
Swap from Feedburner to Follow.it
Since Google are shutting down Feedburner - the means by which folks can subscribe via email to the blog - I have swapped to the Follow.it service. If you're a subscriber this means you'll be receiving this blog post via the new service. Otherwise, it should be as usual.
I realise I've not been posting many book reviews lately. I am reading a lot but it is nearly all work related and I'm watching a lot more dramas and movies now I've finally moved beyond the six terrestrial Irish television channels. I do have a handful of books I need to post reviews of and I'll get round to them in the next few weeks.
