I once wrote a microflash that was so dark and needed so many content warnings that I found it really hard to read it back to myself, let alone send it out to other people, so I replaced all the verbs with the word ‘chip’ and all the nouns with the word ‘fish’ and found that multiple stories were revealed. I hope your readings are brighter than the original.
He [chips] me to the [fish], and [chips].
He [chips] his black [fish] and [chips], “I am [Fish], I am [Fish].”
[Fish] will [chip], he [chips] of a slatternly [fish] too. I [chip] safe for now but the [fish] won’t [chip]. [Fish] is so. [Fish] will quietly [chip]. [Fish] will [chip]. Later, [fish] will be [chipped] from the [fish] like mauled [fish] in heavy [fish].
He [chips] noisily from the [fish], blind with [fish] and I [chip] him, [chipping] in a dark [fish]. I could [chip] right now. He [chips] too far-gone. I [chip] my blue [fish], [chipping] the [fish] softly, [chipping] him with his [fish].
Julia Ruth Smith is a teacher, mother and writer of small things. She lives by the sea in Italy. She has recently been published in Sledgehammer Lit, Full House Literary Magazine, Anamorphoseis Mag, Tattie Zine, Skirting Around and others. Exaggerated and emotional, she’s on Twitter @JuliaRuthSmith1 She/her