Fanfare. Here is the world premiere of a flash fiction piece, Members Only. It came in at exactly 100 words. I’m pleased with it. The idea is so simple I hope I haven’t subconsciously stolen it from another writer, particularly Sal Buttaci, who specializes in such work, and has had two collections, Flashing My Shorts and 200 Shorts, published by All Things That Matter Press. He has posted a few 55-word pieces online as well. I’m pretty sure he was my inspiration. Thank you, sir.
“Do you have any last words?”
“I’m sorry for my sins,” said the dark-featured man strapped to the gurney.
Behind the partition, a middle age woman, tears streaming down her face, cried: “Monster!”
After the execution, outside the prison, a young reporter’s hands shook as he lit a cigarette.
“First time?” said an older gentleman.
The younger nodded, throat tight. “Yeah.”
“It’s never easy, even when they deserve it.”
“Would God forgive someone like that?”
“I doubt it. He was probably covering his bases or, more likely, dishing out pain for the last time.”
“I’m confused.”
“Welcome to the club.”
I love indian summer. Everyone is in such a good mood today. My thanks to the woman who purchased four books in Russian as I was setting up shop, and especially to Jeff, a former commodities gypsy, who bought Exchanges. He was one of those trading floor clerks who seemed to change jobs every few months, and might have done so at all four exchanges, searching for the golden grail. He's lived in the Atlantic Towers complex even longer than I have. I also had a visit from Steve, the poet laureate of Sheepshead Bay, who just returned from a month long vacation in India. He says the Taj Mahal is beautiful but not quite as it is in photographs. And Crazy Joe showed up. I told him about the recent Nova program on PBS that supported the JFK single bullet theory. He didn't see it, but assumes it's a continuation of the lies of the cover up.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx
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