A Fatal Nod
A Competitive Microfiction
The stench of rotten meat wakes her. Desperately, she tries returning to her nightmares, but sleep again mocks her with its flight.
She presses an ear to the wall separating her bedroom from the bathroom.
Splashes. An occasional wail. She whimpers.
Pain lances up the inside of her arm. The track marks no longer faded scars but hundreds of tiny scabs.
Karma. Utter torment every night because he'd drowned after she'd popped a vein and nodded off.
The bathroom door swings open. The toddler standing in the tub is bloated, his pale, marbled skin peeling away from reddened tissue.
“Mommy?”
***
A/N: Thank you so much for reading! This piece was originally submitted to NYC Midnight's "100-Word-Microfiction" competition. I won't know the results until June, but I'd love to hear feedback from you! Comments are always welcome.
About the Creator
Kenny Penn
Thanks for reading! I enjoy writing in various genres, my favorites being horror/thriller and dark/epic fantasies. I'll also occasionally drop a poem or two.
For a list of all my work, and to connect with me, go to www.kennypenn.com
Keep reading
More stories from Kenny Penn and writers in Fiction and other communities.
The Eye Of Ludum
"We shouldn't be here," Elna whispered. Jochen glanced towards her but didn't stop moving forward. Elna's face troubled him more than her words. For an elf, her complexion seemed unusually pale in the torchlight. He knew better than to ignore her words, though. Elna's foresight had saved his skin at least half a dozen times.
By Kenny Pennabout a month ago in Fiction
Seven Captivating Historical Mysteries That Remain Unsolved
1: The Vanishing of Amelia Earhart In 1937, Amelia Earhart, the renowned American aviator, embarked on an ambitious journey to circumnavigate the globe. However, during her attempt to fly from Lae, New Guinea, to Howland Island in the Pacific Ocean, Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, mysteriously disappeared. Despite extensive search efforts, no trace of their aircraft or remains has ever been found, leaving the world to speculate about their fate. Theories range from crashing into the ocean to landing on a remote island and perishing as castaways. The Earhart mystery continues to captivate historians and aviation enthusiasts alike, fueling ongoing debates and expeditions to unravel this enduring enigma.
By Sumit sharaf5 days ago in Fiction
There is a Thin Line Between Tears of Sorrow and Tears of Joy
I remember when my mother passed away. After the tears from the initial shock, our family sat in the living room and shared memories. We talked about her love and compassion toward others, the lessons she taught us about honesty, and how she taught us the importance of respecting ourselves and others. Then we started sharing memories that made us smile and eventually, each of us began to relax and tell stories that made us laugh.
By Brenda Mahler6 days ago in Humor
Comments (20)
Great (and terrifying) imagery! Congrats on Top Story!
Congrats on Top Story!
Urghh! it's HORRIBLE! I LOVE IT!
Love to see some great horror on here!! Amazing work!
Back to say congratulations on your Top Story! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
Wow! This is such a haunting micro, Kenny! You really evoke all the senses with your vivid imagery. It's a disturbing but realistic story. Congrats on the Top Story! 🎉 P.S. Did you make it to the second round in the Short Story Challenge?! I would love to read your story (or stories) if you've posted them here or on the forum!
Chilling and intriguing to say the least 😳 wow Congratulations on top story!
I’m reading it as more shock value than genuine emotion, but you successfully conveyed an entire story in such a tight word count. Congrats on your Top Story.
WOW this grabbed me in the heart, very well done! I was just asking myself what a micro fiction looked like and of course you would deliver!
I enjoy a nice horror piece. Congrats on T.S.!
Horror at its best. because it is a true possibility, unfortunately. Well done, Congratulations
Back to say congrats on TS!!
Hideous. Not yet writing, that's great. The content...well done.
Hehehehehehehe this made me giggle. Thank you so much for this delicious piece! It made my day. All the best for that competition. Keeping my fingers crossed for you 🤞🤞✨️❤️
Wow, Kenny!! So many well placed and well chosen words. Emotions were all there and investment in the scene was immediate for me. Awesome work, good luck!!!
Oh wow Kenny! Sad, horrifying and packed a powerful punch! Great writing.
Oh yowza, horrifyingly haunted.
Chilling….great entry
Holy Ship!
Oh my gosh, Kenny, chilling and evocative and sad and horrifying (and, and, and). I LOVE IT. Fingers crossed for you!! Have you watched the Apple TV show "Servant"? This piece really reminded me of it.