On laundry-drying days, I sat at my table above the metal fire escape, obeying my mother’s commands. Work, work! Sheets billowed like ocean sails.
At bedtime to entertain me she sawed her arms up and down, pretending to be a cricket. Zero zero.
Kids need to play. This idea-sentence flew out of her mouth one day like a colourful insect.
Hide, little mouse! Mother was the cat. She wasted no time faking perplexity, came straight towards me. I dodged sideways and she collapsed. Ow! Ow!
Her knee was never right after that. When it seized up she’d kick madly and say, there, it’s fine.
The hospital consultant described little pillowing moons. One of hers was a torn ribbon. Not fixed, no cure, she lamented after the operation. It will always be troublesome.
micro “She’s Gone” was published by Wigleaf and is included in Best Microfiction 2021. Her flashes and micros have appeared in Twin Pies Literary, 100 Word Story, The Dribble Drabble Review, The Ilanot Review, The Citron Review, New Flash Fiction Review, The Phare, FlashBack Fiction, Café Irreal, and Splonk.
