
I’m excited to share that my story “The Poppet” received a 1st place Honorable Mention in the 2nd round of the NYC Midnight 100-word micro-fiction challenge https://www.nycmidnight.com .
I wrote this micro-fiction story in less than 24 hours using 100 words, using the below required elements randomly assigned by NYC Midnight.
The required elements assigned to me in NYC Midnight micro-fiction challenge were:
Genre: Horror
Action: An egg hatching
Word: confuse
Time limit: 24 hours
Word limit: up to 100 words
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The Poppet
Written by Susan Eileen Jizba
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For a lighthearted prank
I sewed my sister a small doll, a poppet
Without telling her
Stitched from a discarded shirt
Stuffed with soil and strands of her black hair
I buried it in the backyard
Under the blood moon
I was confused to find the doll
Sitting on the porch swing in the morning
Suddenly pregnant
Staring directly at me
The doll screamed
Pushing out
Soil
Black hair
And a shriveled egg
Twitching and shuddering
I screamed in pain as it sliced itself open
Inside were thick strands of blond hair
Wrapped around a severed finger
They were mine