Interruption

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Interruption

The dogs made their usual frenzied protest at his leaving. “This time he’s not coming back,” I told them just before opening the gate for them, even though I knew that all I had to do, really, was to think it. They were his dogs, but they were psychically attuned to my thoughts.

Their “tracking”  brays grew fainter but more frenzied as they vanished behind hill after hill, and finally, when far away—an interrupted cry as a shot rang out.  Then the yelping of one dog. Or was it two?

Was it fear or mourning for a master already forgiven that brought about the brief caesura that followed the gunshot and preceded the wailing––that trio of sounds that have reverberated, in sequence, down through my life since then.

 

For the DVerse Poet’s Pub, we are to write a flash fiction prose piece of no more than 144 words and to incorporate this line from a Robert Frost poem, “When far away an interrupted cry.” 

18 thoughts on “Interruption”

    2. lifelessons Post author

      Actually it leaves the story open to three possibilities. Did he shoot the dog or himself or just shoot to drive the dogs back home? I think the woman’s response suggested the second answer.

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  10. lifelessons Post author

    Thanks, PV. I guess the secret with flash fiction is to write it longer and then cut. This was originally twice as long. Perhaps that’s a good practice for all fiction, though..and poetry as well.

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