***500-word “One Word Prompt” Microfiction Series***
“Aghhhh shit…” scowled Simon as the last slice of toast fell to the floor.
“Three-second rule,” Keely smiled.
“Yeah right,” frowned Simon as he stared at the buttered side embedded into the dusty, dog-hair ridden floor.
Keely had invited Simon to her parents logged cabin for the weekend, about 90 minutes from the city which they lived. As a new couple, it was the first time they had gone away together, and it wasn’t going particularly well.
Keely picked up the toast and threw it in the bin, “I think there’s some pies in the freezer?”
“No thanks,” said Simon, abruptly.
Keely gently approached the kitchen bench. “I guess coffee will have to do for now?”
Boston, Keely’s Australian Shepherd entered the cabin through the back door that was left slightly ajar and made a beeline towards the bin, knocking it over and spilling the rubbish across the floor.
“Boston!!!” said Keely as Boston snatched the toast and trotted outside. She bent down to put the rubbish back into the bin.
“Is that dog always this misbehaved?” said Simon bluntly.
Keely slowly stood up, doing her best to hide her grimace. “He’s still a puppy.”
“He needs to learn some discipline,” said Simon with raised eyebrows.
Keely sighed, grabbed a cloth and proceeded to wipe the floor and clean up the kitchen area. “So, there’s this bakehouse in town that we could grab an egg and bacon roll or something?”
“That’s feral place we went yesterday?”
“Well, there’s the local pub?” said Keely sarcastically.
“And eat lard-soaked crap? No thanks.”
Keely threw the cloth into the kitchen sink and grabbed the water out of the fridge. “What do you suggest, then?” she said sternly.
Simon, seemingly oblivious to Keely’s undertone of frustration, placed his hand under his chin, “Hmmm.”
As he stood there staring into space. Keely’s mind wandered back to two months before when she went on a blind date with Simon. It was set up by a friend she trusted, and although the red-flags were there from the beginning, she was very much sexually attracted to him, and had been in a relationship drought and figured, ‘what the heck’.
Simon grabbed his phone and started tapping into it. “Let’s just go to that roadhouse on the freeway, just before that turnoff to get here.”
“McDonalds?” said Keely quizzically.
Simon looked up, “Do you have a better suggestion?”
Keely, wide-eyed, grabbed the water bottle, refilled it, and put it in the fridge. In that moment, a crashing sound came from the back door.
Keely rushed over, Simon followed. As they approached, they found Boston has knocked down the fly-wire door as he tried to enter.
“Oh, no!” as Keely rushed over.
“I told you,” Simon shook his head.
“Boston, sit! Naughty.” Keely tended to Boston to make sure he was not hurt. When she bent down, she noticed something underneath him. She smirked to herself, it was the piece of toast…shredded with Boston’s teeth marks, ‘Okay…I get it!’