My Short Short for the Day

Simone silently stared across the water to the buildings in the far distance.  Can I really do this?  It’s so far.  No, I’ve been training for this.  It’s my last big run before the race.  I know I can do this.  Simone walked forward until she was standing next to the tree.  When she finished her run she would be able to walk to the shore and look across at this tree.  She touched the bark with her hand and felt the strength flowing through it.  She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and released it slowly.  Ok, I’ve got this.

She stretched, taking care to loosen up all her muscles.  When she felt ready she turned away from the water and set her watch.  Ready, set, go.  She pushed off with her left foot into a jog.  She beeped her watch to start it at the same time.  Not too fast.  Steady, Simone, steady.  You’ve got a long way to go. 

Simone moved along at a strong, steady pace through the first half of the 18 mile run.  Not bad.  She told herself looking at the time.  Keep this up and it will be a good run.  She smiled and pushed a little faster.  She continued on until her calf suddenly cramped up.  She jerked to a stop and hobbled to a grassy area to sit down.  She massaged her leg willing herself to relax so the cramp would go away quicker.  After several excruciating minutes the muscle relaxed and she sighed in relief.  Then she stood up and slowly worked her way to a jog.  Her muscle was sore but seemed to be ok enough to continue the run.  Her form was wobbly at first but eventually evened out.  She wasn’t able to return to the previous pace but she managed a decent speed.

As she rounded the final corner, she tripped on the edge of the curb and crashed to the cement.  She put her hands down but the momentum was too strong and her head hit with a thud.  Dazed she rolled over onto her back, then slowly sat up.  She checked herself and found several bruises and scrapes but nothing felt broken.  Carefully she stood.  She felt a little weak but able to walk.  She walked to the shore and looked out at the tree across the way and closed her eyes.  I did it.  It wasn’t easy, but I did it.

My Short Short for the Day

I’m dreaming of a white Christmas…but it doesn’t look like that will happen.  Each year I keep asking for a white Christmas but so far Santa hasn’t brought it.  I usually get a fun toy, which is good, but once, just once I’d love to have a white Christmas.  Mom said I had a white Christmas when I was 6 months old.  That was years ago, though, and I can’t remember one bit of it.  I wish I could just have one snow ball fight, one snow fort, one snowman, one sled ride, one day of snow filled fun.  That would be awesome!  But, when I look out the window, all I see is green trees and blue skies.  The air is warm, the birds are chirping, the people are walking around in t-shirts and no hint of snow anywhere.

Well, there’s still time, right?  Santa has left yet and maybe, just maybe there’ll be snow outside when I wake up tomorrow morning.  Just maybe.  J

My Short Short for the Day

The sled whizzed down the hill like it was ice.  The wind whipping in his face, his red cheeks burning from the cold, his eyes squinting from the sun glaring off the snow.  He felt like he was flying.  He rushed towards the bottom of the hill where the snowbank loomed.  Oh, no!  He was going too fast, no time to brake, his only choice was to wipe out.  The snowbank was too hard to slam into.  He knew he had to throw himself off the sled but every time it was so hard to force his body to cooperate.  His heart thundered in his chest.  He was running out of time.  It was now or never.  He clutched the sides of the sled and threw his weight to the right.  He wobbled but it wasn’t enough, he was still racing to his doom!  Panic started to rise up.  He threw himself as hard as he could and for a second thought it wouldn’t work.  Then SMOOSH!  He tipped over and tumbled across the snow before landing face first in the cold, white fluffiness.  The sled smacked into the snowbank and bounced back.  That was AWESOME!

“Now boarding Flight 889 to Maine.”

“Gary, come on.”  Sarah yelled to her little brother.  “We’re boarding now.”

“Yes!”  Gary grabbed his bag and ran to catch up.  “I’ll be sledding in no time.”

My Short Short for the Day

My daughter made up this song and I thought it was funny so I’m sharing it with all of you.  (Sing to the Jingle Bells tune)

I’m in Santa’s sleigh

Lo-ove fills my heart

I hope he slo-ows down

Or I will hurl and fart!

Ho ho ho

Ho ho ho

I’m riding in a sleigh

Ho ho ho

Ho ho ho

I think my mom is drunk *

Ho ho ho

Ho ho ho

Oh, no my dad might barf

Ho ho ho

Ho ho ho

I am feeling light

Ho ho ho

Ho ho ho

Cats are in our sleigh

Ho ho ho

Ho ho ho

I love you!

*Just for the record, I wasn’t drunk.

My Short Short for the Day

“You’re gonna do what?!”  Herb asked never taking his eyes off the towering waterfall.  “Are you kidding me?”

“No, man.  Not kidding.”  Scar said grinning.

“But that’s gotta be hundreds of feet.”  Herb shook his head.

“422 feet to be exact.”

“But that’s…that’s just crazy.” 

“It’s gonna be awesome!”  Scar turned and walked back to the car.  “You coming?”

“Yeah, yeah.”  Herb turned and shook his head.  “I’m coming.”

They drove in silence until they reached the path.  Then they hiked up the trail, sweating in the muggy heat.  As they reached the top, the sun was starting to begin its descent.

“Ok, here we are.”  Herb stated as he dropped his backpack on the ground.

“Yup.” Mischief sparkled in Scar’s eyes.

“So you’re really gonna do it?”  Herb asked looking over the edge.

“Yup.”  Scar took off his clothing, leaving only his shorts.  “Ready?”

“I should be asking you that.”  Herb tried to laugh.

“Dude, you’d better get going.  I want this all captured on camera and I ain’t gonna wait forever.”  Scar handed his clothing to Herb.

“Yeah, I know.”  Herb stuffed the clothes into his bag and hoisted it onto his back.  “Ok, Dude.  See you down below.”

“3 sharp, I’m jumping.”  Scar said.

“I know, I know.  I’ll be there.”  Herb clapped him on the back then headed back down the trail.  He had to move fast because he know Scar wouldn’t wait and if Scar did this jump, it would make an awesome video.

It only took Herb 45 minutes to get back down which left him 15 minutes to set up the camera.  He was done with 5 minutes to spare.  He looked through the camera at the top of the falls and saw Scar waving, then giving a thumbs up.

“Here we go.”  Herb muttered to himself as Scar launched himself off the edge of the cliff.

My Short Short for the Day

The memory hit her with a flash.  She stumbled backwards landing hard on the cement floor of the parking garage.  Her purse crashed to the floor scattering its contents in all directions.  She grabbed her head as the pounding increased and the pain stabbed through her.  Panic raced up through her body choking her.  She gasped for breath.  Sweat trickled down her neck leaving an icy trail of fear.

“Excuse me.  Are you alright Miss?”  The man bent down and gently touched her arm.

“Ahhh!”  The scream came out more as a whisper.  She scrunched her eyes shut as tight as she could, holding on to her mind.  Refusing to let go.

“Miss?  Should I call someone?”  The urgency in the man’s voice started to seep through.

She could only grunt quietly as the pain finally began to subside.  The pounding dulled and her throat opened up.  She gulped in air and released her head.

“Miss?”  The man was gently shaking her.

“Huh..uh.  Yes.  I…I’m ok.”  She opened her eyes to the most brilliant blue eyes she’d ever seen.  Her face flushed as she smiled.  “Migraine.”

“Well, uh, you should get that checked out.”  The man helped her collect her belongings.  “I’ve heard there is a shot you can get now to help.”

“Yes, yes, I should do that.”  She quickly shoved her items back into her purse and took his hand.

“There you go.”  The man smiled at her with perfect warmth.  “Are you sure you’re ok?”

“Yes.  Thank you.”  She smiled again, feeling almost normal now.

“Ok, well.  You take care now.”  The man walked toward the elevator and stopped at the door.  He looked back and smiled, giving her a quick wave.

She waved, then turned to her car.  Now where did I put those keys she mumbled digging in her purse.

My Short Short for the Day

In a world that had once thrived with human life, now there is no one.  No sign of people and their ravages upon the land.  There is only nature.  Peaceful, serene, pleasant nature.  Animals free to roam the wild in safety.  Plants and trees free from trampling and chopping.  Oceans free from pollution and trash.  The world is at peace.  Calm tranquility blankets the Earth as nature reclaims what was rightfully hers.

“Edgar, what are you talking about?”  Alice furrowed her brow at her little brother.

“I’m making a documentary about what it’d be like without humans.”  Edgar stated.

“You know, if there were no humans, then you wouldn’t be here either.”  Alice huffed putting her hands on her hips and shaking her head.

“Yeah, well, maybe I’d revert to animal form or something.”  Edgar replied.

Alice stared at him with a look of disgust.  “You’re so weird.”

“Yup.”  Edgar smiled then turned back to his camera.  “The deer nibbled the sweet green grass that had been forbidden them for so many years.”

Alice rolled her eyes and stomped off.

My Short Short for the Day

The long, dirt driveway leads up to the old barn.  The barn doors are always left open and the scent of fresh hay and horse manure waft out.  Off to the left is an old, red tractor for hauling hay and beyond that is the field.  The horses wander lazily around the grassy field which is surrounded by a fence.  The fence is made of three rows of barbed wire between wooden posts.  The woods line the length of one side, while our home and yard are at the bottom end of the field and the road lines the other side.  There is a tiny stream that runs through the bottom part of the field and a small frog pond over by the woods side.

The farm house is off to the right of the barn.  It is painted white with a large front porch facing the roadway.  Inside are narrow little staircases leading up from several different points in the house to the second floor.  The front room is a cozy family room with windows making up the wall that looks out onto the porch.  The kitchen is big and bright, roomy enough for the cook to walk around with a whole table full of folks waiting at the dinner table to be fed.  There are numerous small bedrooms to accommodate the large family and several little bathrooms to prevent long waits. 

That was then. 

Now there are no horses, no smell of fresh hay, no fences.  The farm house remains but it’s no longer a working farm.  The field has been divided into lots for single family homes.  The tiny river has dried up and the pond has been filled in.  Even the memory of those days has become dusty with time.

My Short Short for the Day

It was a day like any other day.  Nothing in particular stood out as Wilbur scuffed along the dirt path.  The sun was shining…like always.  The air was stale…like always.  The heat was uncomfortable…like always.  The lecture was boring…like always.  Wilbur sighed heavily and shifted from one foot to the other to keep his legs from going numb.  When would this end?  With another sigh, Wilbur looked around trying to find anything interesting to distract him.  Everything looked brown and lifeless…like always.  Then something caught his eye.  

It was a flash of something.  He scanned the ground trying to catch another glimpse when the flash blinded him for a moment.  Without thinking he moved towards the shining object.  What was it?  The lecturer carried on taking no heed of the student wandering away.  Wilbur walked briskly towards the flash, never taking his eyes off it.  As he got closer he realized the flash was coming from the stones laid out in some kind of pattern on a flat, gray rock.  He squinted to make out the pattern.  He leaned down closer to get a better look.  The flash came again and he felt a sudden jerk.  He couldn’t move.  He couldn’t see.  He couldn’t breathe.  He couldn’t think.

“And here we have the lizard stone.  Long ago, people believed this stone possessed the power to capture souls.  Whatever you do, don’t look directly into its eyes.”  The lecturer spoke in monotone.  “And here we have the prickly pear cactus…”

My Short Short for the Day

“It’s so cold Mom!”  Herman whined.

“I know dear, but you’ll get used to it.”  Mom said gently.

“But Mom!  I don’t want to get used to it.  I want to be warm.”  Herman drooped.  “Why can’t it be sunny all the time?”

“Because dear, we live in Maine.”  Mom replied patiently.  “We live where in a place where there are seasons.  And that means changes in the weather.”

“But why?”  Herman pouted.

“Because our ancestors decided to take root here.”  Mom answered shaking the snow off her branches.

“I wish I was a palm tree.”  Herman grumbled flapping his branches.

“But then look at all the beauty you would miss out on.”  Mom said pointing.

Herman paused his grumbling for a moment to look out at the scene around him.  He saw the snow dusted ground.  The glistening ice crystals hanging from the rooftop.  He smelled the crisp, chill of the air.  He listened to the peaceful, quiet of the day.  Everything was calm, pleasant and serene.  It was beautiful here he thought to himself.

Mom smiled and went back to shaking her branches.

My Short Short for the Day

It was a cold and dreary day as Missy trudged along the road.  School was out early but she had nowhere to go.  No place fun at least.  It had been cold for days and all the water froze over but it hadn’t snowed yet.  Only 3 more days until Christmas and no snow.  Missy hated green winters.  That meant no sledding, no snowmen, no snowball fights, no snow forts and no snow days from school.  She looked up into the gray sky.  I know how you feel she muttered. 

It got dark early now, so her mom had told her to head home right after school.  No dilly dallying.  Whatever that was.  She took the long way home today since she had extra time.  She scuffed her boots along the tar until she came to a patch of ice.  I wonder if it’s strong enough for me to skate across.  She lightly touched the edge and it held.  She put some weight onto that foot and it still held up.  She leaned in and CRACK!  She yanked her foot back before it slipped into the water.   Whew!  Close call.  Maybe it’s thicker towards the middle. 

She hesitated for a moment, then stepped as far out onto the ice as she could reach.  She leaned to put more weight on it and the ice felt solid.  She leaned a little more but then her foot slid away from her.  She jerked to pull it back but lost her balance and SMASH!  Landed on her butt and broke through the ice.  Not only did her feet get wet but so did her pants, legs and hands.

After a few seconds, the shock wore off and she climbed out of the puddle.  There was no hiding it, she was soaked and muddy.  And now, with the chill in the air, she was getting cold, too.  Stupid ice.  She muttered as she trudged along the road.

My Short Short for the Day

The gems sparkled in the sunlight.  Randy stretched out his hand to touch it.  So shiny!  He couldn’t resist. 

“Wait!  No Randy!”  Ally shouted.  “No touch!”

Randy pulled his hand back and pouted.  “Yes touch.”  He said sticking his lip out.

“No Randy.  You can’t touch that.”  Ally said squatting down to his level.  “It’ll hurt you.”

“Hrmph.”  Randy crossed his arms and turned away.

“Come on Randy.”  Ally put her hand on his shoulder and gently pushed.  “It’s time to go home.”

“Don’t want to.”  Randy pulled away.

“Please Randy.  Mom’s waiting.”  Ally pleaded.  “It’ll be dark soon.  We don’t want to be out.”

“Ok.”  Randy’s shoulders slumped in defeat.

Ally smiled and took his hand.  She started to move forward when Randy jerked her hand.  “Randy?!”

Ally stumbled and fell toward the stone.  “No!”  Randy yelled trying to pull her back but she was too heavy so he just held on tight to her hand.

Ally put her hand up to protect her face but there was not impact.  Ally opened her eyes and Thud!  “Oomph!”  The wind was knocked out of her for a moment. 

“Ally, where are we?”  Randy’s voice sounded so small.

Ally looked over at him sprawled out next to her, still holding tight to her hand.  His eyes were so big as he stared past her.  Ally followed his gaze and blinked hard.  “I…I don’t know Randy.”

My Short Short for the Day

It had only been moments since the boat capsized but all evidence had been sucked under the white capped waves already.  There was nothing left, nothing except Ralph.  He bobbed in the water, thankful for the life vest.  The only thing keeping him from being sucked under with all the rest of the debris.  What would he do?  How would he survive?  He had no idea which direction to go.  If only he had a compass.  But then again, he had never needed a compass.  True sailors only needed the sun and stars to guide them.  If only he could see some bit of land somewhere, though.  To give him a focus point.  To give him hope.  The icy cold of the ocean chilled him.  Starting to shiver he knew he had to do something.  The sun was heading down and who knows what would be out in the dark.  He could barely see below the surface now, and with the darkness in the air and below, it was too frightening to think about.  His heart began to race.  He had to swim.  But which way?  Which way was to safety? 

“Ralph, come on.  Mom said we’re leaving now.”

You just need to stay calm and think.  I’ve got it.  The sun sets in the west, all good sailors knew that.  Ralph turned his face up to the sun.  Ah, yes, I must go that way.  Triumphantly Ralph began to swim doggy paddling as fast as he could.  Look!  There’s land.  After swimming for hours, he reached the shore.  He flopped onto the sand, smiling in relief.  He had saved himself from the terrors of the ocean.  His story would go down in history as the greatest…

“Ralph.  Move it!”

…the greatest sailor…

“Ralph!”

…of all time!

My Short Short for the Day

Margie stared, mouth open, eyes fixed, legs paralyzed as the ominous cloud rolled towards her.  Her mind was screaming to run but she just couldn’t get her legs to move.  Must run!  She yelled at herself.  Run Margie!  Run!  Suddenly her legs broke free and she moved.  Unfortunately, no matter how hard she tried to run, her legs only moved in slow motion.  Faster Margie or it’ll get us for sure!  She urged her body to move, she demanded, she pleaded but nothing helped.  Her body moved slowly inching forward, refusing to acknowledge the impending doom.

The cloud rolled relentlessly toward her.  She struggled to speed up but to no avail.  She could hear people screaming around her to hurry but she couldn’t.  She tried to crouch and push off like a sprinter.  She tried to leap and jump start her running.  She tried taking smaller steps to get more traction.  But nothing worked. Her legs moved ever so slowly.

The cloud was on her now.  She yelled, cursing her legs and choking on the dirt laden air. She thrashed her arms and bolted upright in bed.  Still coughing she stared into the darkness until the cloud disappeared and her mind refocused.  “I hate those dreams!”  She muttered flopping backwards.  “Stupid slow motion.”

My Short Short for the Day

“Swim fishy, swim!”  The little girl shouted skipping along the snake trail. 

“Hurry up Etta.”  Her mother called.

Etta switched to a run to catch her mom and dad.  Her blond streaked pigtails flapping in the breeze as she pumped her arms back and forth, as fast as she could.  She ran headlong into the back of her dad’s leg. 

“Whoa, careful kiddo.”  Her dad said swinging her up into the air.

“Whee!  I’m a bird!”  Etta sang stretching her arms out.  “Look at me Mom!”

“I see.  You’re flying.”  Her mom smiled up at her.

“Oh, look!  The fishy is flying, too!”  Etta grinned.  “Fly fishy, fly!”

“Silly Etta!  Fish can’t fly.”  Her dad said setting her back on the ground.

“This one can.”  Etta replied pointing up.  “See?!”

Etta’s mom and dad looked up and saw the beautiful blue sky with some puffy, white clouds floating lazily by.  “Sorry Etta, but I don’t see any flying fish.”  Etta’s dad said patting her on the head.

“But it’s right up there.”  Etta’s smile faded.  “Can you see it Mom?”

Etta’s mom squatted down next to her.  “Um, well, that cloud kind of looks like a fish.”

“Hrmph.”  Etta pouted.  “Well, it is up there.  I’m looking right at it.” 

“I’m sure you believe that, dear.”  Etta’s dad said walking away.

“Sorry, fishy.  I guess they can’t see you.  But I do.”  Etta said.  “Have fun flying.”

Etta waved to the fishy and ran off to catch up with her parents.  The fishy flapped its flipper then soared into the deep, blue sky, leaping up and over the fluffy clouds. 

My Short Short for the Day

Ollie raced down the packed dirt path, up the stone steps, weaving in and around the weathered grave markers.  This is awesome!  Ollie loved to run.  He ran across fields, through forests and up and down the leaf strewn pathways of the graveyard.  That was his favorite.  The silence was eerie to some, but not to Ollie.  He felt at peace here, among the ancient stones.  Sometimes he would slow down enough to read the names and dates and try to imagine what life had been like for them.  Once in a while he came across someone who had died very young.  He’d be sad for days after, trying hard not to imagine how the person’s family had felt when they lost their child. 

The wind blew strong bringing tears to his eyes but it didn’t slow him down.  Not today.  No time for reading names or calculating dates.  He was with his best friend Zak and Zak was winning.  That just wouldn’t do.  He knew a shortcut and made a sharp left turn.  He raced down the path, breathing heavy but smiling as he kicked up dust behind him.  Almost there, just a bit further.  He dashed across the invisible line just as Zak crested the hill.

“Aw, man!  You won again Ollie!”  Zak patted Ollie on the back.  “You’re too fast for me, boy.”

Ollie nudged Zak’s hand and Zak gave him a quick scratch behind the ears.  “Good run, boy!  Here you go."

Ollie accepted the biscuit and devoured it in one bite.  He fell in step with Zak, padding along beside him.  Tongue hanging out to the side and a happy grin on his face.  Still the fastest runner around, he thought proudly.

My Short Short for the Day

Ed stumbled down the hallway blinking his eyes rapidly trying to clear away the blurriness.  What was in that drink?  He didn’t think he’d had that much alcohol.  Usually he could hold his own for at least 4 or 5, but tonight, one was enough.  Whew!  Almost there.  He paused for a moment to steady himself.  A couple more rooms and he’d be at his cabin.  The train rocked gently as it sped down the tracks.  He used to love trains as a child.  Watching them.  Building them.  Drawing them.  Chasing them.  But this was his first time riding one.  He’d felt like a kid when he boarded back in San Jose.  Now he felt so old.  Rest.  That’s what he needed.  Just a short nap and he’d feel like his young self again.  Just one more door. 

“So, there you are, my boy!”  The gruff voice came from behind.

Ed leaned his back against the wall and slowly turned his head toward the voice.  He squinted trying to focus but could only see hard, dark eyes staring back at him.  “Do…do I know you?” 

“Sure you do, old chum.  Let’s get into your cabin there and have ourselves a chat.”  A rough hand clenched his arm while the other opened the door. 

Roughly Ed was shoved into the room.  He stumbled and caught his chin on the tiny table by the window.  He saw stars for a moment before the black of night overcame him.

My Short Short for the Day

The cool water soothed her burning muscles.  She couldn’t believe she had run so fast or so far.  Her legs were screaming at her when she finished but now they were soaking in the sparkling, cool water and only whimpering a bit.  She tilted her chin up to the sun and floated on her back, relaxing, releasing the tension, letting go.  She closed her eyes and let her mind drift away while her body bobbed on the surface. 

Suddenly, there was a tingle up her spine followed by a jolt.  The next thing she knew she was being dragged down into the water, deeper and deeper at a speed so fast that everything was blurred.  She held her breath but her lungs were burning now.  Her heart was thundering in her chest as panic flashed through her.  Her mind reeled trying to figure out what was happening. 

Then, it stopped.  She wasn’t moving downwards anymore, she was frozen in place for the shortest of seconds.  Her heart still thundered but she didn’t move.  She focused her eyes but all she saw was clear water ahead.  She struggled to force herself to look down and when she did, there was nothing but the sandy bottom.  Her eyes darted around her but there was nothing unusual.  Her lungs were on fire so she kicked her legs and shot up to the surface. 

She gulped in the fresh air and immediately swam to shore.  Too scared to look around, she focused on the shoreline and blocked everything else from her mind and her sight.  Once on the safety of the beach, she stood and looked out to the water.  She stood still, straining her eyes, then, for an instance, she saw something.  Could it be?  Was it more than just a legend?  But the water here was too shallow for such a creature.  Nothing else could have pulled her under like that, though.  She stared for a long time, trying to catch a glimpse of it but nothing appeared.  Was she imagining it?  Was it real?

Finally, she turned and walked up the beach.  Grammy would know what to do.

My Short Short for the Day

There once was a fish who was fast

Others called him but he would swim past

His fins were so fine

And his scales were divine

Until one day he came in dead last

My Short Short for the Day

“I knew it!”  Callie cheered.

“Hey Honey, I’m home.”  Stan said kicking off his shoes as he closed the front door.  He walked through the kitchen and into the living room trying to unknot his tie.  

“How was your day Dear?”  He asked still struggling with the knot.  After a moment of silence he looked up.

“Callie?”  Stan stared at the empty chair frowning for several moments then shrugged and walked down the hall. 

The ripples in the fish tank slowly subsided, settling into a serene, smooth surface again. 

“Huh.  Must be at Zumba still.”  Stan said successfully removing his tie with a grin and tossing it onto the bed. 

“Maybe I should make dinner?”  Stan wrinkled his nose.  “Nah.  I’m not that hungry.”

Stan turned on the shower, cranking up the hot water, then stepped in.

The water in the fish tank began to sway as ripples spread out from the center.  A flash of light pierced the room, then Callie was back in her chair.  She jumped up from her chair and raced to the bedroom, pounding on the bathroom door.  “Honey, you’ll never believe what just happened!”

“Oh, good.  You’re home.”  Stan yelled back.  “What’s for dinner?”

“Never mind that.  I’ve got to tell you what happened.”  Callie shook with excitement.  “You see, I found some sort of time travel portal or transporter or something.  I don’t know exactly but it was amazing.”

“That’s good Dear.”  Stan yelled back humming to himself.  “So what did you say was for dinner?”

“Nothing.  I’m talking about traveling to another dimension or time.  It’s…it’s incredible.”  Callie started to pace, her mind racing with the possibilities.

“Sounds interesting.”  Stan mumbled as he shut off the water and wrapped a towel around himself.  He peeked out the door.  “So…about dinner…?”

Callie stopped, stared at him, and then stomped out of the room.

“Should we order take out?”  Stan called after her.  “I’m starving.”

My Short Short for the Day

Who are those people?

I don’t know. 

You don’t know?

Nope.

You’ve never looked them up?

I tried but couldn’t find them.

Not even on the internet?

Yeah, I checked everywhere but nothing.

That’s weird.

Yeah.  And kind of creepy.

So how long does it stay like that…where you can see them?

Well, usually it lasts for the whole day.

Today?

Yeah, just for today.

So weird.

Yeah, but it kind of makes sense.  Halloween is all about spooky stuff, right?

True, I guess.  So do they do anything?

No, it never changes.  They always look like that.

It’s kind of sad, you know.  They look so happy and normal.  Then poof, that’s it. They’re gone.

Yup.  Nothing lasts forever.

So deep.  Where’d that come from?

Huh, I don’t know.  It’s true though.  Here one minute, gone the next.  Adios.  That’s all she wrote.

Uh huh.  So true.

My Short Short for the Day

Ned had been waiting for this moment for years.  The planning, the preparing, the packing.  Researching the lightest, most durable equipment.  Testing it out on practice hikes.  Working out any issues so that this moment would be perfect.  Hiking mile after mile in all kinds of weather to toughen himself physically and mentally.  Packing everything precisely, knowing exactly how much each item weighed and how much of each item he would need on his journey.  He was strong, stronger than he’d ever been.  He was tough, ready to take on anything this mountain could throw at him.  He stood staring up at the beautiful snow covered mountain, imagining his triumphant cheer as he reached the top.  His grin spread across his face as his day dream played out.  Nothing could stop him now.  He took a deep breath of the chilly air and lifted his foot to begin his grandest adventure.  But then his stomach made a rumble.  Not one from hunger but rather…uh, oh…he raced off to the restroom...

A short time later, Ned stood proudly at the base of the mountain, a little paler than before but ready to meet the challenge.  He took a not quite so deep breath of the chilly air and raised his foot.  He paused for a moment and smiled in relief but as his foot touched down, the rumble came again…

Another short time later, Ned staggered to the snowy edge of the mountain.  He grasped his walking sticks and stared up at the climb ahead.  He took a deep breath and tried to smile but the rumble hit before he could even raise his foot…

Some time later, Ned dragged himself out of the bathroom, leaning heavily on his walking sticks he made it to the edge of the snow.  He tilted his head, squinting up at the snow covered mountain he struggled to find his grin but just as he was starting to feel the excitement return, so did the rumble.  “Oh, c’mon!”  He threw down his sticks, stomped to the bathroom and slammed the door behind him.