copyright – Janet Webb
They couldn’t afford it. Not with medical bills piling up and Charles needing constant care. Still, how could they let one child’s needs be ignored? It wasn’t her fault. She shouldn’t have to miss out on life’s happy moments. Keeping the surprise hidden until after dinner would take some effort.
The fire escape was off-limits since the accident. Charles had loved to dangle her dolls over the edge. Her heart pounded. Betsy’s leg detached. Charles cackled. Fury flashed as the doll dropped. Panic attacked as Charles silently followed.
Yes, the fire escape was the perfect place for keeping secrets.
****
Honie Briggs 
Hiya Honie …. for some reason I haven’t been getting emails of your posts!! Shock Horror!
I’ll be checking on why so that my inbox will have Honie bobbing around in it every few days once again.
Lots of depth in this one. I liked the idea it was hidden out there and a positive surprise, then it got darker and deeper. Well done!
What a thrilling, chilling tale! It was so unexpected. You really took this prompt to new depths. Well done!
This story should be passed to all kids who enjoy tormenting their sisters’ dolls, with the warning, DON’T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU!
If she isn’t already a psychopath, and one must wonder, she certainly will be by adulthood.
Dear Honie,
This family certainly put the D in dysfunctional. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Oh my, Honie…
What a powerful piece of writing.
Thank you for sharing.
That pic takes me back to my childhood. Thank you.
Ooh, his sister got her revenge, but apparently he did not roll over on her. i wonder what sh has on him that is more powerful?
This was a really powerful story that took me by surprise. Well done.
Wow, what an unexpected twist! So much for principled parenting …
Great story. A lot squeezed into your 100 words this week!
A chilling example of how things are never quite like they seem. Very disconcerting! (and well written!)
How will all this play out in adulthood I wonder?
an addiction perhaps. substance, sex, shoes – the possibilities are endless – will she process her guilt or repress it? does she confess? make it up to Charles in the afterlife? makes one wonder, doesn’t it?
Starts out as a view of a struggling but loving family, then…wow.
Very well done!
Thank you Jan Brown. There’s always something going on behind the scenes here. Your comment is appreciated.
Ohhh …NICE! Got some good stuff there.
Thanks!
Wow! What a big secret that is. Loved it! I wouldn’t want to be around her when she grew up.
Yep, a big terrible secret to live with every day. I don’t know how she does. A nice party dress might make it better…or worse.
That was a very unexpected twist… I love surprises…
there are always so many terrifically gruesome, blood stained, ghoulish, and tortured tales from this group. I thought I’d take a stab at it, but guilt is about as tortured as I get.
I keep forgetting to mention how much I love the longhorns in your header shot. I love longhorns!!
janet
That shot was on the way home from Fredericksburg. It was so funny. They were all on the ground and when I stepped to the fence, the one stood up as if to say, “What are you looking at?”
That was a honey of a slyly creepy story, Honie! Well done!!
janet
I wonder if she was too guilt ridden to wear that dress or if she had already made a habit of taking advantage of her generous, yet oblivious, parents. Guilt enough to go around.
Fast paced. I liked it. Pushed to the edge, one might say, well done Honie! 🙂
over the edge maybe. 🙂 accidents will happen…
Exactly …! 🙂
Sparse and to the point. Good job, Honie.
100 words is such a challenge. I try to write the first thing that comes to mind when I see the prompt and then work backward to meet the word limit. Thanks, Allan.
That sounds interesting, maybe I will try it sometime.
Yikes – I had to read it a couple of times to take it all in. Well done!
little sister’s got a secret.
creepy – I knew I didn’t like little sisters
trouble makers!
I have to read this one again, darling. I’m not 100% sure you accomplished what you meant to. Or maybe I’m just tired.
it seemed like a fine idea at the time. get some rest. 🙂
Heart stopping thriller. Really liked this one!
maybe could have been sequenced differently, but that’s the story I’m stickin’ with.
Ooh, that’s a ton of story told in those few words. Brilliant spin on the photo, Honie.
Thanks Maddie.
Ouuu, what an evil little twisting story you have told.
seems to be a theme lately