‘Welcome to the city of lost parents - we will take care!’ says the sign.
“I don’t know if we’re doing the right thing. Will they really be happy here?” I ask.
We watch rabbits fester through torn tents. A lady screams and something with curls, a red nose, and lots of white face paint chases her down the street on stilts.
“I already told you, the whistling deer head said they’ll be taken care of. I bet that lady was playing with the clown,” says Greg.
“I don’t know. Perhaps we should just let them go in the country.” I turn to our duct taped parents in the backseat.
Greg shakes his head. “It’s too late.”
The clowns open the passenger doors and snatch our parents away.
_________________
©2010 Jodi MacArthur
Although Jodi MacArthur likes rabbits, she doesn’t prefer the festering kind. Her parents are happy and well kept in the foothills of Mount Rainier. To speak with the whistling deer head, please visit www.jodimacarthur.blogspot.com
Tags: Jodi MacArthur
May 27th, 2010 at 1:24 am
A chilling tale told in 130 words - wow. I don’t know how you do it, but you do it well! Great, as always!
May 27th, 2010 at 5:50 am
Freaky, to say the least. Uh, no more late night tacos for you. Very original, Jodi. That final image is terrifying.
May 27th, 2010 at 6:03 am
There is so much wrong imagery in that story, in so few words. I am in awe, yet again, Jodi.
Whistling deer heads, festering rabbits and evil stilt clowns - yikes!
May 27th, 2010 at 6:04 am
A terrifying senior citizens community, Jodi!
May 27th, 2010 at 8:00 am
This was the literary equivalent of dropping a hot coffee in your lap while driving on the freeway. Over in seconds, but terrifying.
May 27th, 2010 at 10:18 am
Jodi, your ability to say so much so economically is just one example of your skills as a writer.
You conjure atmosphere so effectively and so subtly. This is a great piece which I really enjoyed reading. I also love your touches of humour.
May 27th, 2010 at 10:45 am
Thank you so much everyone. I really appreciate your comments. Can’t tell you how thrilling it is to be able to ‘freak’ out all you horror writers. It would be so great to sit around an October campfire and each of us could share our horror tales. But then again, Flashes In The Dark provides this same kind of atmosphere.
May 27th, 2010 at 12:01 pm
Loving this one for sure, Jodi!
Weirdly wonderful.
Laurel
May 27th, 2010 at 12:05 pm
This was one of those submissions where I sat back in my chair and was just knocked for a loop. Clarity, chills, and only a handful of words: just what horror flash is supposed to be. Good job as always, Jodi
May 27th, 2010 at 12:46 pm
Setting them free in the country. Oh man. I see people do that with pet store pets in the metroparks all the time.
Clowns are always scary. Rabbits are now scary, and duct tape is ALWAYS useful. This was such a smorgasbord for the senses I don’t even know where to begin.
Loved it.
Karen :0)
May 27th, 2010 at 2:20 pm
Whoa, excellent use of clowns & duct tape! hehe!
You can sure pack a punch in a small area!
Excellent micro!
May 27th, 2010 at 4:48 pm
A little long for a drabble, but good nonetheless. Fucking weird clowns on stilts, dead rabbits, and duct-taped old folks. I tell you, if it weren’t for the reassuring words of the whistling deer head I’d have been worried.
May 27th, 2010 at 10:14 pm
But what happened after the clowns took the parents away?? I mean, you like totally forgot to finish your story! What a jip!
(Just kidding–great micro!!)
May 27th, 2010 at 10:15 pm
Since they already said it all, let me just add…
THAT WAS AWESOME!
May 27th, 2010 at 10:39 pm
Sharp super-short, Jodi. Say that ten times fast and it’ll have taken longer than this messed up little tale.
May 27th, 2010 at 10:40 pm
Aw, you sweet people! The whistling deer head is whistling, whistling, whistling away. The rabbits are tucked away in their burrows, but if you look closely, you will see their beady red eyes glinting in the light of the full moon.
We are so glad you came to our lost city.
Do you hear that soft whoosh whoosh and slight honk of clown nose behind you? Don’t look, please don’t. Because what you see will make wish you hadn’t read this story.
May 27th, 2010 at 11:20 pm
I already have a frikkin’ fear of clowns, Jodi. This doesn’t help
May 27th, 2010 at 11:32 pm
Utterly surreal and chilling. Just when I thought you were starting to mellow you go and get all pathological again.
May 28th, 2010 at 4:06 pm
“What a drag it is, getting old.”
Rolling Stones
Always one of my worst fears. Great micro-story!
May 29th, 2010 at 8:53 pm
This is great! Love short flashes, and with all the details yet not, this is perfect!
May 30th, 2010 at 10:28 am
I bet the parents earned their fate. I’m rooting for the clowns. Great flash, Jodi.
May 30th, 2010 at 12:57 pm
SNAP! Nicely dine!
May 30th, 2010 at 9:07 pm
I can hear that damned whistling in my head now…thanks Jodi.
I echo all of the above comments, and am glad I stumbled upon this piece.
May 31st, 2010 at 5:12 pm
Jody, I thought *I* was the only one who listens to whistling deer heads! Thanks for writing this spooky tale.
June 1st, 2010 at 2:18 am
To pack that much imagery and story with so little words is amazing.
June 1st, 2010 at 11:02 pm
Thank you so much for reading and commenting Everyone. (LOL, some of your comments are so funny- and I thought I was the crazy one?)