I have recently finished my rough draft of Skrap, a Kafkaesque short story of a guy that turns into a raccoon. It's in the editing stage and will soon be a part of an anthology. Proceeds will go to charity.
If you check it out, please leave a comment about how it made you feel, what it made you think, or if you think it would stand out amongst other short stories. I could really use some feedback. https://www.goodreads.com/story/show/...
Prologue:
“Don’t!” the boy warned, but it was too late. The spitting and thrashing creature had broken skin. Up to that day, he hadn’t seen anything act in such a way. It burned a hole in his memories, a broken record playing his sisters unbearable wails in the background. He grabbed her by the unscathed arm and dragged her as fast as her nubby little legs could stumble. Trees flew past them like they were heading in the opposite direction. He wished they could all line up and form a wall around the rabid animal behind them. It wasn’t too far to their house. However, no one was home yet. Mama had gone to get groceries and Papa was at work for another hour. The kids knew this would be their only time to adventure. Had they ever been read Red Riding Hood, they might’ve thought twice. When they got back, the boy climbed on top of the counter and pulled out the first aid kit. He had seen his mother wrap their fathers wounds after a bar fight had gotten out of hand as well as when the boy had fallen off his bike. His sisters injury was a bit different though. Once he tried to apply the bandages, she started drooling. At first, he thought maybe she was having an allergic reaction. She had had one before in a restaurant and had to be taken to the hospital. He realized how wrong he was when she fell over, her body twisting every which way, bandages rolling around her body. He stood immobilized and stared as the shock set in. Eventually, his sister ceased her involuntary dance and he placed her head on his lap. He called her name but nothing came of it. So, he sat there confused with his sisters jello-like yet statuesque body on him, her drool leaking through his shorts. That was how his mother found them.
If you check it out, please leave a comment about how it made you feel, what it made you think, or if you think it would stand out amongst other short stories. I could really use some feedback.
https://www.goodreads.com/story/show/...
Prologue:
“Don’t!” the boy warned, but it was too late.
The spitting and thrashing creature had broken skin. Up to that day, he hadn’t seen anything act in such a way. It burned a hole in his memories, a broken record playing his sisters unbearable wails in the background. He grabbed her by the unscathed arm and dragged her as fast as her nubby little legs could stumble. Trees flew past them like they were heading in the opposite direction. He wished they could all line up and form a wall around the rabid animal behind them.
It wasn’t too far to their house. However, no one was home yet. Mama had gone to get groceries and Papa was at work for another hour. The kids knew this would be their only time to adventure. Had they ever been read Red Riding Hood, they might’ve thought twice.
When they got back, the boy climbed on top of the counter and pulled out the first aid kit. He had seen his mother wrap their fathers wounds after a bar fight had gotten out of hand as well as when the boy had fallen off his bike. His sisters injury was a bit different though. Once he tried to apply the bandages, she started drooling.
At first, he thought maybe she was having an allergic reaction. She had had one before in a restaurant and had to be taken to the hospital. He realized how wrong he was when she fell over, her body twisting every which way, bandages rolling around her body. He stood immobilized and stared as the shock set in.
Eventually, his sister ceased her involuntary dance and he placed her head on his lap. He called her name but nothing came of it. So, he sat there confused with his sisters jello-like yet statuesque body on him, her drool leaking through his shorts. That was how his mother found them.