Tuesday, April 1, 2014

A is for . . . AMBIVALENT


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.

*****

AMBIVALENT

He’s hesitant, careful, Bobby’s mother murmurs.

He’s a blockhead, Bobby’s father hollers.

But Bobby just has trouble choosing. Hide in the closet, or sit stone still as his father rants about anything and everything, pummeling Bobby’s skin with beer-splattered curses? Run outside, as his mother always directs, or stay and attempt to shield her from his father’s fists?

Now his father writhes on the kitchen floor. One hand rakes his chest, the other scrabbles over the worn linoleum. His eyes bulge at Bobby.

Call 911 or let his father die?

Bobby smiles. This is an easy one.

*****

34 comments:

  1. OMG. What a challenge you gave yourself a mini story of so few words. Loved it, I will be back for more.

    Thanks for come by for a visit today.
    http://talesofthereborncrafter.blogspot.com/2014/04/things-that-i-have-learned-for-alphabet.html

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  2. Love this! I can tell your theme is going to be a lot of fun to read. Happy A to Z!

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  3. MaryAnn, Dana, and Alex - thanks so much! I'm glad you enjoyed this one.

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  4. Perfect showing of the feeling instead of telling.

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  5. Omgoodness. I love your start to the challenge! Looking forward to your letter B:)

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  6. Love it! "Beer-splattered curses" has to be one of the most amazing turns of a phrase I've read in a long time.

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  7. Excellent flash fiction! Flash fiction should have a powerful ending, and yours does. I'll be back tomorrow for more!

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  8. Susan, Doreen, Jolie - thanks! I hope you'll enjoy the rest of the letters/stories.

    Crystal - it's one of my favorite things about flash fiction - coming up with the strongest, most powerful words/phrases in the tightest of spaces/word counts. :)

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  9. Ooo! It's amazing how powerful 100 short words can be. The super short is something I struggle with, but you've done a great job here.

    I'm looking forward to more as the month goes on!

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  10. Poison!!!

    Okay, I've been reading too much Shakespeare. A "beer splattered" curse upon your Houses!

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  11. Ah!! What a great (and challenging!) choice for A-Z! Loved this little story- short and powerful! Wonderful start I'll be back tomorrow! :)

    (lexie)

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  12. Very intense in such a short space and suits your word very well! Great. I hope to pop in often during the Challenge although I'm not quite back up to speed with blogging yet.

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  13. Charity - I tend to struggle with longer works.

    Jay - ha! :)

    Phoenix - thank you!

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  14. NICE ONE!!!! Love it, Madeline, and wow, what a challenge you've set for yourself. Keep up the great work, baybee!

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  15. Nick - thanks! Take your time getting back up to speed - the posts/stories will be here for awhile. :)

    Cathy - thank you! I don't know what I was thinking though…. :)

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  16. I'm so impressed that you will be sharing a story for each letter. Wow! And this one was such a great start. Always love how dark and surprising your stories are.

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  17. Julie - I tried to have a mix of stories because I know not everyone likes the "dark" as much as I - we? - do. :)

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  18. That's 100 powerful words! Thanks for stopping by my blog--I'll be back to read more of your stories!
    Rebecca at The Ninja Librarian

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  19. Madeline you are SO good at this!
    I love it!
    Will definitely be back for more!

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  20. Hey, fun story. Most would say dark, but I find dark to be fun, so there. Thanx for stopping by my blog earlier today. A to Z, baby! A to Z!!

    See ya 'round the web. All Things Kevyn

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  21. Great atmosphere in that story - I'll be back for more! Have fun in the Challenge :)
    Jemima
    #TeamDamyanti
    Blogging from Alpha to Zulu in April!

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  22. Dark and delicious, Madeline. Well done. I'm looking forward to more of these stories. I find it hard to write short pieces, so I hope I can learn a few things from you.

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  23. Michelle - thank you so much!

    Kevyn - if you like "dark" stories, make sure you come back. The next few are on the "lighter" side but there's definitely some "dark" stuff coming…. :)

    Jemima - thank you!

    Patricia - I enjoy writing flash fiction so much, I just wish I could translate the skills to my novel writing better than I have so far.

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  24. Hey Madeline, Seems like we both have had the sort of a same idea :) Loved your fiction.. there are so many small nuances stuffed into such short sentences. You are a powerful writer. Hope you turn this into a novel one day. And thanks for vising my blog.. I am coming back with the letter B :)

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  25. Great passage! I see a lot of potential in the twisty things that this Bobby character is capable of.

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  26. Elizabeth - thank you!

    Rubina - love the idea of nuances stuffed into short sentences!

    Cynthia - it's usually the quiet ones, isn't it? :)

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  27. Oh wow, powerful indeed. Really super job on this, excellent twist at the end. "Beer-splattered curses" is such a great description. Nice writing. Congrats on reaching your W1S1 goals for March. Looks like you're on your way with April, too.

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  28. Von Rupert - I'm glad you enjoyed this one! Not sure how well I'm going to do with the subbing part of W1S1 for April but it's early in the month yet…. :)

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  29. Wow, I just finished reading all your posts for the #atozchallenge2014 and I'm majorly impressed. You have a flair, a real talent for short (flash) fiction. I'm looking forward to L on Monday!

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