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15minuteficlets // Prompt word: congratulations // “Stuck”
Nov. 2nd, 2006 12:05 pmkatiefooleryMy second ficlet for the ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
15minuteficlets community.
Title: Stuck
Fandom: Original
Rating: G/PG
Word count: 566
Word prompt: Congratulations
“Congratulations! You're an idiot,” she sneers. “Why not take a minute or two to revel in how truly stupid you are?”
I say nothing. What can you say in the face of such polished sarcasm? She looks back at me with a strange mixture of derision and expectation in her expression.
“Well?” she says. “Cat got your tongue?” She paces to the wall and back, arms still crossed. “It’s amazing how you can be perfectly quiet now yet when I wanted you to stay silent, you wouldn’t shut up.”
There’s obviously no point in talking. I know she doesn’t want to hear what I have to say; she’s quite happy to rant on and on like this. It’s as though telling me how stupid I am is somehow making her feel better about the whole situation.
Hah! What do I mean, ‘somehow’? Pointing out other people’s flaws always makes her feel better.
Especially when that flaw has left us stuck here in this cell with nothing in the way of furnishing except ourselves.
She turns and stares at the wall and I can see her shoulders shaking slightly. That’s never a good sign. On the other hand, I’m left with a few minutes of silence and I use them to wish that I was stuck in here with someone else. Anyone else. Even Rocco, who likes to try and crack your shoulder as a friendly greeting.
Even that nameless guy who always looks creepily excited whenever you mention death.
Anyone.
Anyone but her and her stupid meaningless words that manage to hurt more than one of Rocco’s friendly greetings.
Someone once said that maybe a kiss would shut her up. But who’d want to kiss something that was capable of such malice and hurt? I’m not even remotely tempted and I never have been. She’s heartless and cold-blooded and way too good at blaming everyone else for everything that goes wrong.
It’s never her fault.
“Idiot,” she whispers, still facing the wall. “We are going to die. Thanks so much for that.”
“We’ll get out of this,” I say, immediately regretting that I opened my mouth at all. She’ll pounce on those words and find something else to ridicule me for.
“Out of a solid cell with two-foot thick steel walls?” she says.
See?
“And how do you propose that, exactly”
Well, what am I supposed to say? That the rest of our team will rescue us? That I’m hiding a blowtorch somewhere on my body? That if I whistle just right, I can break down the molecular structure of the walls?
...maybe a kiss would shut her up...
No way. I’m not thinking about that. No.
No.
If five simple words can result in a storm of scorn, then imagine what a kiss would do.
No way.
She turns around to face me again and slides down until she’s sitting on the floor. I won’t look at the way her hair’s curling around her face. I won’t look at the sudden emptiness in her eyes.
Eyes front, soldier. Be strong.
The walls shake and there’s a sudden muted boom in the distance, then a much closer yell. Sounds like Rocco’s saying hello to someone out there.
Her eyes widen in surprise. “They came for us?”
I grin at the wall above her head. “Congratulations,” I say. “You really suck at having faith in your team.”
Comments and feedback are most appreciated!
15minuteficlets community.Title: Stuck
Fandom: Original
Rating: G/PG
Word count: 566
Word prompt: Congratulations
“Congratulations! You're an idiot,” she sneers. “Why not take a minute or two to revel in how truly stupid you are?”
I say nothing. What can you say in the face of such polished sarcasm? She looks back at me with a strange mixture of derision and expectation in her expression.
“Well?” she says. “Cat got your tongue?” She paces to the wall and back, arms still crossed. “It’s amazing how you can be perfectly quiet now yet when I wanted you to stay silent, you wouldn’t shut up.”
There’s obviously no point in talking. I know she doesn’t want to hear what I have to say; she’s quite happy to rant on and on like this. It’s as though telling me how stupid I am is somehow making her feel better about the whole situation.
Hah! What do I mean, ‘somehow’? Pointing out other people’s flaws always makes her feel better.
Especially when that flaw has left us stuck here in this cell with nothing in the way of furnishing except ourselves.
She turns and stares at the wall and I can see her shoulders shaking slightly. That’s never a good sign. On the other hand, I’m left with a few minutes of silence and I use them to wish that I was stuck in here with someone else. Anyone else. Even Rocco, who likes to try and crack your shoulder as a friendly greeting.
Even that nameless guy who always looks creepily excited whenever you mention death.
Anyone.
Anyone but her and her stupid meaningless words that manage to hurt more than one of Rocco’s friendly greetings.
Someone once said that maybe a kiss would shut her up. But who’d want to kiss something that was capable of such malice and hurt? I’m not even remotely tempted and I never have been. She’s heartless and cold-blooded and way too good at blaming everyone else for everything that goes wrong.
It’s never her fault.
“Idiot,” she whispers, still facing the wall. “We are going to die. Thanks so much for that.”
“We’ll get out of this,” I say, immediately regretting that I opened my mouth at all. She’ll pounce on those words and find something else to ridicule me for.
“Out of a solid cell with two-foot thick steel walls?” she says.
See?
“And how do you propose that, exactly”
Well, what am I supposed to say? That the rest of our team will rescue us? That I’m hiding a blowtorch somewhere on my body? That if I whistle just right, I can break down the molecular structure of the walls?
...maybe a kiss would shut her up...
No way. I’m not thinking about that. No.
No.
If five simple words can result in a storm of scorn, then imagine what a kiss would do.
No way.
She turns around to face me again and slides down until she’s sitting on the floor. I won’t look at the way her hair’s curling around her face. I won’t look at the sudden emptiness in her eyes.
Eyes front, soldier. Be strong.
The walls shake and there’s a sudden muted boom in the distance, then a much closer yell. Sounds like Rocco’s saying hello to someone out there.
Her eyes widen in surprise. “They came for us?”
I grin at the wall above her head. “Congratulations,” I say. “You really suck at having faith in your team.”
Comments and feedback are most appreciated!
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on 2006-11-13 09:56 am (UTC)I love it when people yell out "AND THEN WHAT?????" after reading my stories. That's how I know I've done a half-decent job. :P
I think the "brief glimpse" aspect of these ficlets is what appeals to me the most. No need to bother with all that tedious building-up and plotting - I just go straight for the interesting bits.