Welcome to this week’s installment of many micro stories, ranging in length from 100 words to 500 words.
With each story we hope to deliver a little whimsy into the lives of our readers.
IF THEY HEAR YOU…
“You’re lying and I know it,” Akara accused. “Tell me the truth instead of making things up. You ate the pie.”
“No, I didn’t,” Davath protested. “I swear it. The Mrenh kongveal probably did.”
“That’s ludicrous. Little people don’t exist.”
“Shh. I’m heard tales about them all my life, and from what I’ve been told, they can be terribly mischievous. If they hear you say that…”
The next morning, Akara woke to find her hair tied in knots, holes in her favorite shirt, and her needles and thread were missing. She’d baked fresh bread the day before, and even though it’d be perfect, now it was moldy.
Davath grinned, but wisely decided not to say anything.
It took Akara a good bit of time to untie her hair, after which she did laundry, cleaning, and cooking. She baked extra cakes, and left one out with an apology.
The next morning, she woke to see the bread she’d thrown away lying on the kitchen counter. All traces of mold were gone, and it looked as good as when she’d first baked it. Her sewing supplies were back, too. They were on the kitchen table with her shirt beside them, neatly mended.
Gabriella Balcom lives in Texas and writes fantasy, horror, romance, sci-fi, and more. She’s had 488 works accepted for publication and was nominated for the Washington Science Fiction Association’s Small Press Award. Clarendon House Publications published Gabriella’s multi-genre anthology, On the Wings of Ideas, after one of her stories was voted best in a book. JayZoMon/Dark Myth Company released her romance, Worth Waiting For, which won second place in their 2020 Open Contract Challenge. Black Hare Press published her sci-fi novella, The Return, and Dark Myth Publishing released Gabriella’s horror novella, Down with the Sickness and Other Chilling Tales. Her Facebook author page: https://m.facebook.com/GabriellaBalcom.lonestarauthor
If you enjoyed this drabble you can find it and more in the Hawthorn & Ash 2023 anthology.
Iron Faerie Publishing 