We go in different directions down the imperturbable street.
–Gwendolyn Brooks
A pair of mourning doves wheels away, startled when the keychain lands near them.
“Don’t be a child. You have custody of Merlot,” Gillian says.
Harold had never hated himself as much as he did right now. Why had he ignored the red flags fluttering the day they’d met all those years ago?
Earlier that morning, Judge Mordor had awarded Gillian the house, property, stables, and the Mercedes. Harold kept custody of Merlot, Preakness winner and stud at the top of genetic wanted charts.
Gillian studies her French manicured nails and says, “It’s nothing personal, Harold. I just don’t love you anymore.”
Had she ever really loved him?
The knife slips silently between her ribs. She dies in his arms.
Throat tight, eyes closed, Harold’s baritone croons his favorite Gwendolyn Brooks’ poem,
“We go in different directions down the imperturbable street.”
Merril D. Smith is today’s host for dVerse. Merril says:
write a piece of flash fiction with a beginning, middle, and end [using the quote by Gwendolyn Brooks.] Or you can write nonfiction, perhaps a memoir type thing, if you choose. But it must be prose, and it must be succinct—no more than 144 words.
Tough break up. Was it murder or suicide.? Hey you didn’t give a guarantee of either. Why doesn’t dVerse want verse this time?
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Prosery is a feature dVerse has every so often on Monday, where we write a fiction story. It’s the only time no verse.
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Thanks. Somehow I’d never once noticed it before~
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It sounds to me like Gillian underestimated Harold… no opportunity to enjoy the properties she had won. I think Harold thought that it was very personal.
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You’ve grasped the story as I intended it, Bjorn. Thank you. Yes, yes, and yes.
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Wow, that was sudden. I agree, Harold took this very personally. They obviously were mismatched from the start.
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Thank you for your comments, Merril.
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You’re welcome!
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A sad ending. I am sure someone will continue to take care of Merlot. The impersonal and imperturbable go together well in this.
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Thank you for your comments, Frank.
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Interesting twist( no pun intended) at the end.
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Thanks, Sadje.
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My pleasure
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As things did not go has Harold planned… Harold planned things differently.
Well done, Lisa.
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Well said, Dale! Thanks for reading and commenting.
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My pleasure! 🙂
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Why did he have to kill her, there is no love there, possession resonated. i didnt like that ending
Happy Monday
Much💖love
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It’s a tough ending, I know. Thanks for reading and commenting, Gillena.
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a gruesome rendition of DV …
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Yeah, he should have seen it coming. Too bad she didn’t.
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Indeed.
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No love lost there. (K)
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Beautiful, loved reading it.
Looking forward for more
😊
And one more thing
This is the link of my new poem.
Do check .
I hope you like it
https://savouringlucidity.wordpress.com/2020/06/07/empire/#more-145
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I like the way you incorporated the prompt line, Lisa, and the way you started the story with a pair of mourning doves. It seems that Gillian didn’t really know Harold, who has regrets, having ignored the red flags. Gillian got her just desserts. Nothing personal, indeed.
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Kim I appreciate your view and comment, thank you!
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Wow! A wonderful story. Looks like Harold had a twisted mind (pun definitely intended!).
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I think “it’s complicated” fits this tragic relationship. Thanks for reading, Neel 🙂
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This was such a delightful surprise!
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LOL thanks, Linda!
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Maybe imperturbable is the most dangerous expression we can wear or emotion we can feel.
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Yes, something a sociopath or psychopath possesses all of the time. In my poem, I looked at the inperturbable street as the cycle of life and death.
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Wicked!
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This is a rather sad story, but I love the rhythm of the words, like a poem in a story.
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Thank you, Autumn. Glad you enjoyed it.
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Woo… that ended dramatically. I like the description Lisa…one of the best ones you have had. It was elegant.
I’m catching up tonight.
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Thank you, Max.
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