Tuesday, April 15, 2014

M is for . . . MASK

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.


*****

MASK

Mama always makes me wear a mask. She says I’m ugly as the sin that made me, says I’ll be handsome enough to go without one when hell freezes over, when pigs fly.

When I leap from our roof, I am hiding a smile inside my pig mask.

*****

28 comments:

  1. Oh wow this may be the most heartbreaking story yet. :(

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  2. Julie - it made me sad when I wrote it.

    Alex - I'll take that as a compliment. :)

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  3. Wow. Your last few postings have made me sad. :(

    I don't know if this piece is about the physical ugliness or just the ugliness the mom plants inside, but it reminded me of the movie Mask, with Cher and Eric Stoltz. Did you see it? It's the opposite of this. A loving mother who tries to help her deformed son have a normal life. It's inspiring, but so sad. I'd definitely recommend it if you haven't seen it.

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    1. I saw that movie and I loved it!!!
      Deb@ http://debioneille.blogspot.com

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  4. Susan - definitely.

    Suzi - I loved that movie! So, so good.

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  5. Wow. That last line gets you because you're hoping he can fly, but know it's more than likely impossible and the outcome will be sad.

    ~Patricia Lynne~
    Story Dam
    Patricia Lynne, YA Author

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  6. That is so heartbreaking. No mother should ever say those things to a child and no child should ever hear them.

    All of your stories, even though they are sad, are really good!

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  7. Great story, but that mother needs a slap alongside the head. I hope you write about her when we get to R's, for revenge. :-)
    Deb@ http://debioneille.blogspot.com

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  8. Madeline, this is heart-wrenching and also twisted.

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  9. Patricia, Chrys, Debi, Rachna - thank you all for reading and commenting!

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  10. Awww... :( This is good and sad, Madeline.

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  11. Your work is so (deliciously) dark. Each one of your stories has enough meat to become a novel.

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  12. Patricia S - I love that description = "deliciously dark." :)

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  13. It was dark, but good! Enjoyed the blog. I laughed so hard when I read your blog title. I believe we share the same sense of humor!

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  14. Oh my goodness you have a dark bent to your mind! Wickedly dark!

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  15. That mother is a total b-word. I feel bad for her daughter, having to kill herself in order to find freedom. I guess we can only hope the mother feels horrible for what she's done. Nice one, Madeline.

    By the way, one of my non-blogger friends discovered your stories and said how much she enjoys them. Thought I'd pass that along!

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  16. I feel so guilty for loving this one!

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  17. Wow, so sad! These snippet stories are so very good! :)

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  18. Helen - it was really the tortoises' idea…. :)

    Lisa - I'll take "wickedly dark" any day!

    Cathy - thank you for letting me know that! I'm thrilled to hear people are enjoying my work. :)

    Jay - I know! Sometimes I think there's something just a little off with me for liking - and writing! - some of the things I do.

    Phoenix, Sophie - um, if this made you sad, watch out for "N,"

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  19. Your stories are wonderful. I've said it before, but now I can say that your blog is by far and away my favorite A to Z blog that I've stumbled upon so far. I'm so curious how long it takes you to find all the perfect words you use. How long do you work on each story? How many revisions? How do you know when you've hit on the right topic for a story and do you come up with the topic first, (mask) or the tragic story first? So glad we're only halfway thru!

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  20. Nine - thank you so much! The process varies from story to story, and sometimes starts with an idea or an image. For "Mask," I actually saw a child - I'm guessing it was a child - wearing a pig mask waving out the window of a car. It had happened awhile ago but I made a note of it and it found its way here, in this form. :)

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  21. Oh wow. I'll say it again, you are incredibly talented with the way you can evoke emotions from the reader in only three sentences. Amazing. It's a gift, a wonderful, beautiful gift.

    So sad for the poor boy who never knew the love of a good mother. Patricia is right, all of your stories have the potential to become a novel. Something to think about.... :)

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  22. Kristin - thank you so much. I really appreciate you reading and commenting - and such nice comments. :)

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  23. One of the darkest things I've read in a long while.

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