Richter Scale 8

I am thrilled that my 100-word micro titled Richter Scale 8 was highly commended in the 2022 National Flash Fiction Day Microfiction Competition. Truly honoured. You can read the other wonderful shortlisted and the winning stories here. I hope you enjoy reading this story.

Half an hour before the earthquake hits, they have lunch, they play in the garden, they water the plants, they walk the dog, they go to sleep, they watch TV and complain there’s nothing there to watch, they gossip, they fight, they don’t call their loved ones, they don’t say I miss you, they don’t say I’m sorry, because even if the dog starts to bark, even if the cat behaves funny and the ants climb out of their tunnels, there is no real way of telling when you only have thirty minutes left. Twenty-nine now.

Photo by Shefali Lincoln on Unsplash.