(A writing prompt from Write on Edge: Bubblegum)
Crack
ChewChewChew
Pause
Crack
ChewChewChew
The noise was disgustingly organic and impossible to ignore
especially in the tome-silent atmosphere of the university library.
This was time I’d set aside for studying organic chemistry.
Naturally I was reading a text on psychological aberrations instead (all work
and no play etcetera) but even so I didn’t want distraction.
The girl was too young to be here anyway. She
looked about ten years old, pudgy with straw coloured hair in pigtails.
She had a band aid on her knee on which she’d drawn a piratical skull and
crossbones in blue ink. And she chewed bubblegum. I watched her as
she blew a hideous pink bladder of gum from her mouth, let it pop with a loud
crack and then chewed it liquidly back into her mouth and masticated it into
readiness again.
Ignore her, I decided. I tried to lose myself in
the labyrinth of sociopathy.
Crack
ChewChewChew
I looked again, she was grinning as she chewed. And
blew. And chewed.
Nobody else seemed bothered by her. I knew why.
“Alright,” I said, “If I promise to find out who killed you,
will you leave me in peace?”
“Maybe,” she said.
Crack
ChewChewChew
This was fun, I hate snapping gum!
ReplyDeleteOh yes - quite agree.
DeleteSo fun! And the number one reason I don't care for bubblegum (not the dead people bit, but the noisiness)!
ReplyDeleteBut the dead person bit runs a close second I'm sure :D
DeleteSuper fun twist. I was so busy trying to figure out why a young girl would be in a university library that I didn't even see it coming.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jennifer - glad you liked it
DeleteHa! I was already laughing after the second Crack, ChewChewChew. Smart ghost though, there may be no more annoying sound in all the world. And the "Maybe," was perfect.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you liked things - and that "maybe" could come back to haunt our narrator.
DeleteOH I loved this. Like Ghost Whisperer meets Law & Order. I thought of "Moaning Myrtle" from the Harry Potter series as soon as I realized she's just trying to annoy him, to get under his skin.
ReplyDeletethe twist was wickedly fun.
:)
Thanks Kir, I'm really glad you liked this.
DeleteGreat twist! And I love the language you use to describe how she blew the bubble and sucked it back in. Bravo.
ReplyDeleteI've always found bubblegum bubbles vaguely disturbing, I think that may have come through here
DeleteSOOOO GOOOD! The "bladder of gum" was genius. Captured my feelings about gum exactly.
ReplyDeleteHaha, it sounds as though lots of people react to gum the same as me, I'm so glad. Thanks for the feedback too, I'm pleased you enjoyed things.
DeleteI couldn't believe there was no paranormal activity in this post and Viola - there it was. Good read, crack, chewchewchew.
ReplyDeleteI shall write a normal day at the office next time just to surprise people. Mind you, since my boss is a voudon loa riding a wooden idol in a top hat that may not really work. Glad you liked it.
DeleteThis was fantastic. I love the supernatural twist, the crack, chew, chew, chew, liquidly pulling it back into her mouth. The image it brought was equal parts annoying and somehow endearing.
ReplyDeleteThanks! Really glad you liked it.
DeleteOh no....dead people crack gum? So thought it would be peaceful when dead. Really nice twist there. "I see dead people". Well done!
ReplyDelete"I get irritated by dead people" - that's the way :D Glad you liked it
Delete