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.
OUR LITTLE SECRET
While cutting some homemade soba noodles, I accidentally sliced off my forefinger.
Reacting quickly, I dropped my hand into the pot of water boiling away on the stove. I hummed as I stirred the water gently and watched the small stream of blood swirl into a pretty chrysanthemum design before dissipating into the bubbles.
When the bleeding stopped, I was pleased to see that the wound had already healed over. Blood I can handle, but exposed bone, na-ah.
I rinsed my severed finger and placed it on a piece of paper towel to dry, then rinsed off the cutting board. All is clean again!
Hmm, but what to do for a new finger? I eyed the soba noodle dough. The color is a bit dark, but a little magic will fix that…
I broke off enough dough to roll out a new finger, comparing the length and shape of the severed one; rolling and kneading until it was perfect.
When I was satisfied with my clever craftsmanship, I held the soba finger against my stub and muttered an effective healing spell. The soba finger attached nicely and adjusted its shade until it matched my skin tone. A new nail grew, and I even discovered fine hairs growing above the new knuckle. Flawless!
I gave the new finger a wiggle to confirm that it was firmly bonded. With a chuckle and a grin, I tossed my old finger into Butterscotch’s bowl. That cat kept all my secrets; he deserved a treat.
We had a little cuddle together later, and he chewed my ear playfully—always the left one.
I think he can still taste the cinnamon cookie dough.
Kelly Matsuura is an avid short story writer, with a focus on fantasy, horror, and literary fiction.
She is the Creator of Insignia Stories (Asian fantasy anthologies) and has had stories published with Black Hare Press, 100-Foot Crow, Iron Fairie Publishing, Wolfsinger Press, Metastellar, and many more.
Kelly lives in Nagoya, Japan with her geeky husband. She loves traveling, knitting, cooking, and of course, reading.
If you enjoyed this story you can find it and more in the Hawthorn & Ash 2023 anthology.
Iron Faerie Publishing 