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.