AuthorsDen.com   Join | Login    
Where Authors and Readers come together!

SIGNED BOOKS    AUTHORS    BOOKS    SAMPLE CHAPTERS    AUDIOBOOKS    eBOOKS    STORIES    ARTICLES    POETRY    BLOGS    NEWS    VIDEOS    SUCCESS    TESTIMONIALS

Featured Authors:  Odin odin@aflx.com, iLalita Vasu, iRoxanne Howe-Murphy, iValerie Boggess, iJ and C Wordsmiths, iGary Caplan, iJill Eisnaugle, iD.E.Z. Butler, iMargaret Mullings, iMiller Caldwell, i

  Home > Drama > Stories
Popular: Books, Stories, Articles, Poetry      Authors: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z     
C. E. Barrett

 Follow Me  

· Contact Me
· Books
· Articles
· Poetry
· News
· Stories
· Blog
· 10 Titles
· 16 Reviews
· Save to My Library
· Share with Friends!
·
Member Since: Before 2003

C. E. Barrett, click here to update your pages on AuthorsDen.


Frustration
by C. E. Barrett
Tuesday, July 6, 2004

Not rated by the Author.

       
Recent stories by C. E. Barrett
· Nighttime
· Haunted
           >> View all 3


     Another short-short inspired by the first sentence. I hope you enjoy.

As she stood there holding the broken doorknob, she resigned herself to the possibility that this day wasn't going to get any better. "Aw, crap!" She tried to grab the metal stub that poked its tongue into the room from the door. If she could reattach the knob to the spindle, she would be able to get out of her bedroom and maybe even make it to her new job in time.

The tip of her tongue poked from the corner of her mouth, unnoticed. "Come to Mamma," she murmured to the ridged metal. It wiggled in the door, but seemed to be holding. She put the open end of the knob on the spindle and pushed gently. A thud came from the carpeted hall on the other side of the door. "Damn you!" She held the knob in her hand and stared at the hole in the door where the other part had been. She thudded her head on the door. "Noooooooo. Please let me out! Please. It's the best job everrrrrrrrr." A whining tone had entered her voice. "This so sucks!"

She sat on the edge of the bed for a few minutes, wondering how she was ever going to get out of this stupid bedroom, in the stupid old-fashioned apartment which, until this morning, had been her pride and joy. Her eyes searched the room. There--on the dressing table--a nail file. She bounced from the bed, seized the nail file and dropped to her knees in front of the door. Careful manipulation rewarded her with a faint click and the door swung open.

"Yes!" She pulled it open the rest of the way, flung the nail file at the dresser, and hurried out into the hallway. Her foot came down on the other knob, which rolled away. The movement twisted her ankle and she fell. "DAMMITALLTOHELL!" Pain throbbed up her leg. She almost wept with frustration. The new job in the heart of the city, the big break in the world of business, the realization of her dream--all the hopes were fading fast. She struggled to her feet and hobbled to the living room. What to do? What to do?

She couldn't walk down to the subway station now, that was for sure. She'd have to call in on her first day and plead sick. She hoped they would be understanding. She clicked on the TV, and reached for the phone and her purse with the business card and number of her new boss. The line buzzed and wouldn't connect. She tried again. A busy signal. What the heck? She hung up the phone and stared at the TV. The image made no sense. She stared. Flames billowed from the tower, black smoke filled the sky. Confetti, or so it seemed, swirled in the air. The camera angle changed. What movie was this? She turned up the sound.

"A plane has flown into the north tower of the World Trade Center..." The north tower. Her new job, up on the 98th floor. She stared, eyes wide.

Want to review or comment on this short story?


Need a FREE Reader Membership?


Reviewed by Karen Lynn Vidra, The Texas Tornado 7/7/2004
great write, chris! well done! karen lynn in tx. :D
Reviewed by April Smith 7/7/2004
Wow. It still amazes me that such "little" things can have such a momentous impact on our lives. Great story. April

Free Book Review Program
Select a book to read and review today!

The Throne of Olympus Volume 2 Balance of Power by Peter Jessop

The Throne of Olympus trilogy is a modern-day re-working of the Greek mythological tales of Zeus and his battle against the Titans.  
Member BookAds

Rain of Deception 2: Road to Redemption by Earl Williams

Suspenseful and close to home, Rain of Deception 2 will leave you in Tears. Much like Part 1, this will shocking sequel will keep you on the edge of your fingertips.  
Member BookAds

Rovella Starr by Carol Mitchell

Rovella is a beautiful woman with a cold heart whom blames herself for an unfortunate old family secret that is literally ruining her life. This secret impedes a gorgeous woman from having happiness in her childhood, and throughout her life. Dark sec  
Member BookAds