Always the same
From Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch is this week’s story challenge.
April 18, 2022, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about never ending. You can hyphenate never-ending or write an example of a story that never ends. What is endless and why? Go where the prompt leads!
Always the same
You sit in your car trying to calm your pounding heart. You watch people walking in. You take a breath, pause, release slowly. Over and over.
Your body doesn’t listen. BOOMBOOMBOOMBOOM.
You reassure yourself. Relax, you say, you’re ok. it’s just—
But it doesn’t matter what “it’s just” because it’s always the same. It’s whatever today is and it doesn’t matter.
Breath, pause, release slowly. BOOMBOOMBOOMBOOM.
You start the car, pull out of the spot. BOOMBOOM
BOOM
Boom
boom.
Quiet.
You drive slow. You’re going home. You tell yourself it’s ok. You tell yourself you’ll try next time. Again.
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Michael B. Fishman
Michaelsfishbowl 
Yep. Post-quarantine social skills…
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Or any time social skills.
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BOOMBOOMBOOMBOOM–in my head, I was hearing NCIS New Orleans.
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On Sunday, Michael, I was supposed to go to a large tutoring event and the boom-boom-boom began before I even got into the car. I lingered at the farm and didn’t go, then felt guilty the next two days. Reading your story for the challenge made me feel okay. Well told.
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Thanks Charli. The after-guilt is almost as bad as the pre-booming. I’m glad I was able to help a little.
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The emotion you express is so real. It’s devouring.
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Thank you Norah!
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