By ShellC This was my very first attempt at microfiction and was for the 2024 NYC Midnight 100-word Microfiction Challenge. My group was given the following prompts, which we had to work into a story of 100 words or less:
Genre: Historical Fiction
Word: “show”
Action: Milking an animal
After considering many options for an appropriate setting, I decided to write about something I know a little and went with a story set in the family of Australia’s most famous bushranger, Ned Kelly.
Ned Kelly’s Sister (Content Warning: Implied SA)
“Show us a smile.”
“No.”
“You know you want to.”
“Leave me alone.”
“Come on.”
“Stop. No. Stop.”
It’s over. Stumble home. Ned can’t know. He’d kill that trooper.
Light the fire. Hiss.
Milk the goat. Slosh.
Make the bread. Thump.
Don’t tell Ned. Don’t tell Dan. Don’t tell Mam. If Ned does anything to the police, he’ll hang.
After all, you’re just a Kelly.