Knock, Knock

     Knock, knock.  She coughed, fresh blood peppering her handkerchief.   Bone weary, rankled with pain, her breaths shallow and spare.    Knock, knock.  Persistent knocking, rattling her brains.  Enough!   Flinging open the door, embracing death, welcoming everlasting life.   The valiant warrior succumbs. Sweet relief.

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Choices

     Envious of her physique, I assess my own.  I would kill for her ass.  Sigh.   Elect torture courtesy of a local gym, or find a superb plastic surgeon in New York?  Contemplating my pizza, I resign myself to hereditary genetics.  Life’s choices.

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Sweet Revenge

 

    Vicious nuisance, slaughtering her chickens. Once ensnared, she slaughtered him.  He simmers in a bath of red wine and spices.   Vengeance feels good. Wiping blood that has trickled from her mouth, she licks the spoon.   Revenge tastes sweeter with pinches of salt.

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The Model

   

   Twenty pairs of inquisitive eyes scrutinize as my kimono pools at my feet.  I model.  Damn goose flesh!  Blushing, I avert my eyes.   Rustling newsprint.  Their eyes dissect me inch by unforgiving inch.   Focused.  Determined to capture my essence in two dimensions.

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Freedom

“You left college,

forfeited your marriage,

 your friends,
 and your life…

  to care for me.”  

 Damn tears!  Cancer sucks!

Mama pleaded, grasping my hand.

 “Promise me...

 to live life,
 chase dreams,

 love.
  Experience everything...”

Sighing,
 she relaxed and welcomed eternity with grace.

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The Last Request

Photo Credits: Geetika Gupta 

    

    Would his heart race, then jolt to a stop?

       Would death be excruciatingly painful?  

      Terrifying thoughts plagued him ever since the conviction.  It didn’t matter that he hadn’t killed her, couldn’t kill her. 

No one believed him.   

      Failed appeals, endless testimonies, and the meager evidence: in the end, no one had been convinced.  As far as the world was concerned, he had brutally murdered her.  The mighty hand of justice had failed him. 

      Fast forward to his last request:

watching the sunset while sipping a final glass of wine, resigned, eager for the peace and freedom only death could provide.

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The Flood

Ring!

“Sorry, wrong number.”

“Sofia?”

Silence.

   Her toys lay abandoned. 

Where did she go?

The search, then utter horror.

      Amid a sea of flowing toilet paper, stood my darling toddler, happily drenched, cramming every last roll we possessed into the overflowing toilet.

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The Weekend Gig

From 9 to 5,

 he resides in the far cubicle from the door typing legal briefs and depositions.

  Weeknights, 

John attends Florida A&M Law School. 

 Daily,

 he is Emma’s daddy and Sarah’s husband.  

Weekends,

 he charms Disney’s magical world as Mickey Mouse.

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Sound the Alarm!

Silence.

Except for the tap, tapping, of my keyboard
 and dog snores. 

Suddenly all hell breaks loose, dogs scrambling to the front window barking, growling, howling.

I peer outside.

Nothing stirring.

Perplexed.

What the hell?

"SHUT UP!" 

Probably just a mouse fart.

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Disaster Averted

    
 
  Adjusting the oven temperature to 425 degrees, I discovered my protégé, washing chicken pieces with Dawn dish soap.

“STOP!”

     Horrified, I quickly rescued tonight’s main course from the suds, rinsing each piece with hot water.

  Seasoned and baked, no one will know.

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I Don't Do Coffee

    
 Rounding the corner, bleary eyed, Amanda made a beeline for the coffee pot.  

Damn! Bone dry! Why?  

     In melt down mode, she whirled around to demand an explanation to the unthinkable and spied the new receptionist, Chrissy, 
sipping a Mountain Dew,
 oblivious. 

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Just Write!

Before dashing away to the flight which would take her to a sunny, idyllic beach, Christine imparted a bit of advice.

  She encouraged me to reach for the brass ring.

Write, 

and for God’s sake,

 edit

and proofread

and count your words!

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The Welcome Committee

Checking clipboard and package, the delivery man presses the doorbell.

Bells chime, then loud, vicious barking erupts  followed by thundering feet.

Heart pounding, terrified, he braces for the beast within. 

Rottweiler? Pit bull?

The door opens.

Smiling lady and Chihuahua: sweet relief! 

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The Holiday Feast

A voracious canine shadow harasses as I position steaming vegetable dishes around a platter of succulent turkey.

   Add fine china, gleaming crystal, flatware and starched linens:

 utter perfection!

   Doorbell chimes.

  I hurry to welcome.

  Unnatural silence.

  Perfection transforms to devastation.

 “Marley, NO!”

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The Goal

      Lifelong love of water leads to discovery.  Learning and perfecting God given talent.  Diligently practicing competitive strokes and racing dives.  

     

     Passion fueling the dedication.  Endless laps and countless competitions increase the burning desire for the taste of the ultimate pinnacle: Olympic gold.

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The Matchmaker

Money paid.

Crucial details given. 

Sifting through referrals, I endured numerous frogs on my quest. 

Discouraged, fear consumed me. 

With hope dwindling fast, his credentials magically arrived. 

I couldn’t resist trying again. 

When our eyes met, I glimpsed forever.  

The rest: history.

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