Domestic

Photo of a washing machine in use.Luke started to howl as Mum click-clicked the washing machine. “He’ll be all nice and fresh!” she cried in her bright and ruthless voice. Like when she’d kidnapped my cloth rabbit stuffed with her old stockings. Churned in boiling water and spun around, rabbit was so terrified he wet himself. Things went into her laundry basket as themselves and came out flattened.

Pushing aside the baby bouncer, I shouted, “You’re cruel and nasty. And a bad mother.”

My head was about to fly off and land on a shelf, still shouting bad mother, when she let go of my shoulders.

 

 

Frances Gapper’s flashes have been published in The Citron Review, New Flash Fiction Review, Meniscus, Cafe Irreal, Wigleaf, Fictive Dream, Ellipsis, Spontaneity, Silver Apples and Spelk.

Photo Credit: Sunghwan Yoon

3 Responses to “Domestic”

  1. detour says:

    tense – things will never be nice and fresh again

  2. detour says:

    tense moment – nice and fresh no more

  3. Barbara says:

    Absolutely hair-raising. Well done.

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