Saturday, April 26, 2014

W is for . . . WHALE WATCHING

Welcome to The Blogging from A-Z Challenge April 2014! This year, I’m offering up a story – each one 100 words or fewer - for each letter of the alphabet.

Some are heartfelt, poignant, sweet. Others are…not. 

I hope you enjoy them.

*****

WHALE WATCHING

Cheryl waits on the sagging porch, the cutting spade resting across her thighs. Granddaddy used it to saw off whale blubber. She’s heard he used it for other things, too, but its stains tell no tales, fiction or otherwise.

Dusk descends. Varmints scuttle in the junkyard’s bowels. The trap clatters.

Cheryl smiles at the boys’ panicked cries. She’s sick of their nasty pranks and cruel words – Cheryl the Whale.

At 262 pounds, her flesh slushes loose and sweaty within her clothes as she lumbers across the yard, cutting spade in hand, ready to carry on the family tradition.

*****

28 comments:

  1. That was wicked and twisted. I'm scared for those boys.

    ~Patricia Lynne~
    Story Dam
    Patricia Lynne, YA Author

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  2. Oh my goodness! Love these kind of short stories that leave so much to your imagination!

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  3. Patricia - you should be. :)

    Jeanette, Sophie - thank you!

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  4. Poor whales. I couldn't help but cringe.

    If I were those boys, I'd be very careful.

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  5. I love the line, "her flesh slushes..." I must say, I am enjoying your challenge posts.

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  6. I'm freaked out for the boys. Cheryl the Whale and her family tradition....NO, thank you!

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  7. Eek! You seriously pull that response from me every day. How do you do that? I love it!

    True Heroes from A to Z

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  8. Chrys - I think it's too late for the boys….

    Liza - thanks!

    SK - yeah, that is one scary tradition.

    Crystal - I'm glad it's a good thing. :)

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  9. Susan - I can just see Grissom studying that cutting spade. :)

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  10. Your story reminded me of one of Bryce Courtenay's colourful characters in Tome & Hawk, I think. Sally the Sperm Whale.

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  11. Vengeance is mine. I will repay. And then the cutting blade falls. Good stuff.

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  12. Great post - so much scariness in a few short words! Stephen King, eat your heart out!

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  13. Perfect. Mighty fine work, Madeline.

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  14. I'm with Crystal, I end up saying "Eeek!" every day too. Another scary and super-creepy piece.

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  15. Whoa! Another killer post! (pardon the pun) :) You are amazingly good at these!

    I have so enjoyed reading your stories. I'll miss them when the Challenge is over.

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  16. Oh dear, I don't think what comes next is very pleasant ... The bit about family tradition is chilling.
    Tasha
    Tasha's Thinkings - AtoZ (Vampires)
    FB3X - AtoZ (Erotic Drabbles)

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  17. Julie - another couple creepy ones coming up and one "nicer" one.

    Kristin - ha! And you never know, some of these stories might make into another collection…. :)

    Tasha - yeah, not pleasant at all….

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  18. Eeeps, what a tradition! But then again, just rewards... Yet another good one!! :)

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  19. Yikes. I do not want to cross Cheryl.

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