Woman’s Best Friend

Copyright C. E. Ayr

The Carrot Ranch Challenge:
In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story inspired by “the old lady and the beast”.

Click here to hear the author read his words:

Woman’s Best Friend

When he hears the bells, he knows she’ll come dancing out the door.

She looks so young at these times, wearing a pretty bright dress and a hat.

She always takes time to speak to him, promising him his heart’s desire on her return.

Then she skips off towards the high steeple which makes the noise.

The door opens.

He struggles to his feet, tail wagging.

But she doesn’t come dancing out.

The men re-emerge, and carry a long narrow box to the black car waiting at the roadside.

His heart breaks, suddenly understanding that she’ll never dance again.

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About ceayr

A Scot who has discovered peace in a small town he calls Medville on the Côte Vermeille, C.E. Ayr has spent a large part of his life in the West of Scotland and a large part elsewhere. His first job was selling programmes at his local football club and he has since tried 73 other career paths, the longest being in IT, with varying degrees of success. He is somewhat nomadic, fairly irresponsible and, according to his darling daughter, a bit random. So, nobody’s perfect.
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17 Responses to Woman’s Best Friend

  1. Charli Mills's avatar Charli Mills says:

    She had a witness to her dwindling dancing days.

  2. Pingback: Dog in a Desert Collection « Carrot Ranch Literary Community

  3. Wonderful imagery for a falsh. Sad, but well done.

  4. Why do you always do that … take our hearts and rip them to little pieces?
    Hmm, because you can, and quite well, too, I might add.
    https://youtu.be/HK8r8MkxUX8

  5. jenne49's avatar jenne49 says:

    Yeah, break my heart too, why don’t you?
    Such emotion in only 99 words.
    I bow to the master.

  6. Liz H's avatar Liz H says:

    Loyalty & steadfast love rewarded: perhaps he’ll follow soon and they’ll dance together!

    • ceayr's avatar ceayr says:

      He is almost as old as I am, Liz, so he won’t be hanging about for long now she’s gone.
      Then, as the intro music says, ‘If dog’s have a heaven…’

  7. Katrin "Kate" McElderry's avatar Katrin "Kate" McElderry says:

    Oh that last line. MY heart breaks…! Great micro story.

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