story

Impact, by Bruce Arbuckle

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Her words continue to  ricochet around my mind.

It’s been days since she ambushed me, machine gunning volleys of spiteful fury at me. Each accusation finding its target, bullets of truth thudding painfully into my body, bloodying further my already damaged conscience.

What came next was worse still.

Her wounded eyes shouting out pain and betrayal in explosive quietness.

I stood there in silence until she turned away.

I deserve it all. The anger. The vitriol. The hate.

Her disgust.

I can’t undo what is done.

I can’t expect forgiveness.

Not from her. Not from anyone.

Certainly not from myself.

…

A 100 word story written by Bruce Arbuckle, inspired by the random word prompt “impact”

…

Find me (as HumpbuckleTales) on Mastodon

My drabbles (100-word stories) are always published first on Hive: https://peakd.com/@drabble.club

Read my daily 50 word stories in Humpbuckle Tales or on Hive or on Facebook

Find my 100 word tales right here

Keep on drabblin’!

Bruce Arbuckle (felt.buzz)

Mr Eleven O’Three, by Bruce Arbuckle

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Mr Eleven O’Three sits in the same chair in the hotel lobby every day. He’s smartly dressed: suit, tie, kerchief in his breast pocket. An older gentleman.

“Can I help you?” we inquire. “Are you waiting for someone?”

“No, thank you.”

Mabel offers him coffee – “I think he’s lonely,” she says – but he politely refuses.

At precisely three minutes past eleven he nods goodbye and leaves.

We all have theories about him, some wilder and more ridiculous than others.

One morning, I decide to ask him why he comes.

That’s the day he doesn’t show.

We never see him again.

…

A 100 word story written by Bruce Arbuckle, inspired by the random word prompt “lobby”

…

Find me (as HumpbuckleTales) on Mastodon

My drabbles (100-word stories) are always published first on Hive: https://peakd.com/@drabble.club

Read my daily 50 word stories in Humpbuckle Tales or on Hive or on Facebook

Find my 100 word tales right here

Keep on drabblin’!

Bruce Arbuckle (felt.buzz)

Bring Them Back, by Bruce Arbuckle

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“Just because we can,” the Chief Scientific Officer says. “Doesn’t mean we should.”

“We’ve been looking for intact DNA for so long. We have the ways and means to bring back a species extinct for more than a thousand years. You’ve seen for yourself the specially designed habitat. They can be safely contained.”

The Scientist shifts, uncomfortable in her seat.

“Are we sure? They were extremely dangerous. They laid waste to everything in their path, causing mass extinctions, almost destroying their own galaxy.”

The other smiles.

“We came halfway across the universe to make contact with Homosapians. Let’s do it.”

…

This 100-word story was written by Bruce Arbuckle, inspired by the random word prompt, “extinct”.

I’ll leave it up to your imagination to decide what the secure habitat might be

…

Find me (as HumpbuckleTales) on Mastodon

My drabbles (100-word stories) are always published first on Hive: https://peakd.com/@drabble.club

Read my daily 50 word stories in Humpbuckle Tales or on Hive or on Facebook

Find my 100 word tales right here

Keep on drabblin’!

Bruce Arbuckle (felt.buzz)

The World Ends, As It Always Does, Just Before Teatime, On Friday Afternoon (1), by Bruce Arbuckle

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John returns from a clearance sale, a box of crap in his arms.

Lydia doesn’t need to look inside. She knows it’ll contain a plethora of useless junk. John has a talent for sniffing out purposeless items, paying the highest prices.

“Look what I found!”

He’s like an excited child. She used to find it endearing.

He pulls things from the carton, most of it looks broken.

A shiny cube attracts her attention.

She picks it up. The material is unknown to her.

Almost alien.

She squeezes it, accidentally setting off a chain reaction ending, inevitably, in the Earth’s destruction.

…

This 100-word story was written by Bruce Arbuckle, inspired by the random word prompt “clearance”.

I’ve been toying with the idea of a series of stories about the inevitable end of the world. The World Ends, As It Always Does, Just Before Teatime, On Friday Afternoon. (1) is the first of these. Or the only one. Who knows?

…

Find me (as HumpbuckleTales) on Mastodon

My drabbles (100-word stories) are always published first on Hive: https://peakd.com/@drabble.club

Read my daily 50 word stories in Humpbuckle Tales or on Hive or on Facebook

Find my 100 word tales right here

Keep on drabblin’!

Bruce Arbuckle (felt.buzz)

“wardobe”, by Bruce Arbuckle

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A 100-word story written using a random word prompt : “wardrobe”

It stands at the bottom of the orchard, half-covered in fallen apple blossom.

“C.S. Lewis called,” Jip says. “He wants his wardrobe back.”

“Where’d it come from? Wasn’t there yesterday.”

“Fly-tipping,” Jip says. “Been dumped.”

Ange bites her lip.

“It’s too far from the road. Why would someone drag it here?”

Cautiously – “just case it’s home to a nest of angry squirrels” – Jip opens the door.

Empty.

Except for the small purple card, embossed with a golden question mark, that Jip pockets.

“I’ll shift it after lunch.”

But, returning later with the tractor, Jip can’t find it anywhere.

…

Find me (as HumpbuckleTales) on Mastodon

My drabbles (100-word stories) are always published first on Hive: https://peakd.com/@drabble.club

Read my daily 50 word stories in Humpbuckle Tales or on Hive or on Facebook

Find my 100 word tales right here

Keep on drabblin’!

Bruce Arbuckle (felt.buzz)

Two of my 100-word stories published on FridayFlashFiction today

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I had two stories published on FridayFlashFiction today.

One, The Old Woman and the Sea, I wrote last Friday.

Read the rest of the story : https://www.fridayflashfiction.com/100-word-stories/the-old-woman-and-the-sea-by-bruce-arbuckle

The other, One Last Thing, I wrote this afternoon. I hadn’t expected it to be considered until next week

Read the rest of the story: https://www.fridayflashfiction.com/100-word-stories/one-last-thing-by-bruce-arbuckle

I also published two drabbles in response to a picture/words prompt in the MicroFiction group on facebook. One was written last week but was only authorised today The other was written this week (most of it on Thurday, finished today).

A great start to the weekend!

Keep on drabblin’!

Bruce (felt.buzz) Arbuckle

“trip” : a 100-word story by Bruce Arbuckle. Content warning : emotional abuse

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It was supposed to be the trip of a lifetime.

She sniffs down tears, determined not to let him see her cry again. He feeds off misery: gaining strength as she feels weaker.

He has her money, phone and her passport. But through blurry eyes, she saw where he secreted them.

“I’m going out,” he says, grinning. “Can’t listen to your snivelling any longer.”

She waits – hears the key click in the lock, then his footsteps echoing down the hall – before ripping at the lining of his rucksack. 

Taking her things she climbs out the window and jumps to freedom.

…

Find me (as HumpbuckleTales) on Mastodon

My drabbles (100-word stories) are always published first on Hive: https://peakd.com/@drabble.club

Read my daily 50 word stories in Humpbuckle Tales or on Hive or on Facebook

Find my 100 word tales right here

“bark” : a 100-word story

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Grandma had to be locked in the coal shed last night.

The vicar was over for tea and we – dressed in our Sunday best  even though it was Tuesday – were under strict instructions not to embarrass Mum.

Just after the cream cakes were served Grandma started growling.

I thought it was a joke, at first – even though Grandma never makes jokes – but then she started barking and baring her teeth.

The vicar pretended not to notice, until Grandma bit him on the arm.

Mum had to drag her off the poor man.

He needed ten stitches and a rabies shot.

…

Find me (as HumpbuckleTales) on Mastodon

My drabbles (100-word stories) are always published first on Hive: https://peakd.com/@drabble.club

Read my daily 50 word stories in Humpbuckle Tales or on Hive or on Facebook

Find my 100 word tales right here

“Bones”

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Hooper sighs as another local hard man, all muscles, scars and attitude, strides up the town hall steps. 

Not long ago this man would have occupied a stool in one of the seedier taverns, or a bench in the drunk tank stinking of booze and other people’s blood. 

More likely the former followed a few hours later by the latter.

He nods at the sheriff, who reluctantly hands the man a rifle. 

“Good luck.” 

“I won’t need it.” 

Hooper watches the man leave, holding his weapon like a club. 

Hooper sighs again. 

They’ll be scraping up his bones tomorrow morning. 

…

Find me (as HumpbuckleTales) on Mastodon

Read my daily 50 word stories in Humpbuckle Tales or on Hive or on Facebook

Find my 100 word tales right here

“Conversations Over Coffee: Ian’s Wife”, a 100-word story

BruceLeave a comment

“I just feel with Jeff I can be myself, you know? With Ian-“

“Your husband…”

“Yes. Ian my husband… Are you judging me?”

“Of course, sweetie. What else are best friends for?”

“You never liked Ian, anyway.”

“I’m warming to him, now he’s the injured party. Carry on.”

“With Ian I always feel I’m playing a role: partner, counselor, mother even sometimes.”

“And now: an unfaithful wife.”

“You are judging me!”

“What do you expect? You know what I went through when George left me for that woman.”

“It’s not the same.”

“Perhaps not. But it’s not that different, either.”

…

Find me (as HumpbuckleTales) on Mastodon

Read my daily 50 word stories in Humpbuckle Tales or on Hive or on Facebook

Find my 100 word tales right here