“A Simple Request” – Microfiction | Thriller (100 words)

“A Simple Request” microfiction written by Susan Eileen Jizba

I’m very excited that my below short story A SIMPLE REQUEST placed 4th in the NYC Midnight 1st Round of the NYC Midnight 100-word micro-fiction challenge https://www.nycmidnight.com . I’m really looking forward to moving on to the next round.

I wrote this story for this story for the NYC Midnight micro-fiction Challenge in less than 24 hours using 100 words, using the below required elements randomly assigned to me by NYC Midnight.

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Required story elements:

Genre: Suspense/Thriller 

Action: Borrowing a tool

Word: think

Time limit: 24 hours

Word limit: up to 100 words

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Here’s my story:

“A Simple Request”

Written by Susan Eileen Jizba

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It was a simple request, late at night.

I had spoken to the bookmaker minutes before. 

Asking to borrow her awl.

She was making tea, I think.

The awl was in the toolshed, she said.

Her front door was oddly open.  

Her dog cowered under a chair.

Her phone was shattered on the hardwood floor.

Her pot of tea screamed, releasing steam.

A sliver of terror slithered through me.

Outside, the handle of the darkened toolshed was slick and sticky.

The awl attached her severed hand to the wooden door.

Reaching out toward me.

In a desperate plea.

For help.