100 Words a Day 334

“There was an audible crack as my ax entered his skull. I hardly noticed the jarring that occurs when your blade enters a man’s skull, having split so many skulls and, at the time, being fortunate enough to be possessed of an ax of exceptional quality. Unfortunately, my ax became lodged in the man’s head. I delivered a thrust kick to his companion with my heavy boot before planting it on the dying man’s chest. I freed it with a grunt, receiving a spattering of brains for my trouble, and turned my attention to the man’s companion who was recovering.”

100 Words a Day 333

Turning away from Joaniffer, who lay naked in his bed, under the silk sheets, disheveled from that morning’s romp, Preston put his hands on the alabaster rail of the balcony and took in the sparkling ocean view. The blue water sparkled in the morning light and the air was crisp. He inhaled deeply, smiling as the cool, salty air filled his lungs. When he couldn’t take any more air in, he exhaled loudly, feeling his muscles relax. The sun warmed his body where it wasn’t covered by his robe and he said to himself:

“Man, it’s good to be rich.”

100 Words a Day 332

They sat on the couch. He took comfort in her silent presence. She put a comforting arm around his shoulder; he reached up and took her hand.

“You know, when I was her age, she once told me she didn’t know what was wrong with me. I was twenty three and living at home and I should have a job. I was in school full time at least.”

He swallowed before continuing, “I’m happy she’s realized that things don’t always turn out the way you think they will, but I wish it hadn’t taken this to teach it to her.”

100 Words a Day 331

The two adolescents fumbled on each other in the dark. She, because she had never undone a belt from the front, and he because he had never even seen a bra strap. After a few false starts, they managed to undress each other with trembling hands and red faces, blessedly hidden by the darkness.

The pair was a frantic tangle of limbs when the boy began searching for his pants pocket. Finding it, he extracted the smooth wrapper and began struggling to open it. Eventually, the girl took the wrapper from his sweaty hands and tried to open it herself.

100 Words a Day 330

People often describe the dance floor as a sea of bodies. It would have to be the choppiest sea ever. As Sara looked down from the balcony, she thought the people undulated far too much to be compared to the sea. They were more like a writhing pit of snakes, intercoiling with each other in a frenzied search for the warmth of another body.

Once in a while, a mouse, innocent and wide-eyed, would wander onto the dance floor and be immediately swarmed by the serpentine mass of flesh. If they were lucky, they escaped with a few bite marks.

100 Words a Day 329

She wore that same skirt she always wore when they had a test. Tim thought it was quite flattering, falling to just above her creamy knees. He had come to class early to get a seat next to her; she always sat in the same seat in the back corner.

As the test went on, he glanced over at her a few times. About half way through, he noticed her skirt creeping up her thigh. At first he was excited, maybe she liked him back. His hopes were instantly deflated when he saw the math formulas written on her leg.

100 Words a Day 328

She tore open the envelope with such force that it left a jagged tear along the length of the paper. It was from her first choice college. Holding the torn pieces, she began scanning the letter’s contents with frantic eyes, hope and worry warring within her.

After a moment she deflated with a sigh. Her arms dropped and shoulders sagged. It was simply a form letter to let her know her application was still on hold.

She threw the paper on the kitchen table in disgust and went upstairs, her feet making irritated scuffings on the floor as she went.