[Write the Story] A Priest Hearing a Unique Confession
Well, I actually loaded this up last Friday…and forgot to hit publish. So…have a story THIS week. Oops.
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Prompt: A Priest Hearing a Unique Confession
Words: Chinese, crustacean, flash, bucket, vessel, notice memoir, brute, docile, cucumber
Story
“Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. It’s been…a while since my last confession.â€
“What would you like to confess, my child?â€
Cassie took a deep breath. “I stole a Shanghai Hairy Crab.â€
“You did what now?†The priest sounded like a n older man. Heaven knew what he was thinking.
“I stole a Shanghai Hairy Crab. You know, a Chinese Mitten Crab?†When the priest didn’t respond, Cassie continued. “It’s a crustacean. They’re a delicacy because they’ve been shipped back to Asia. I had an opportunity to grab some off a shipping vessel, and I just…did it. I saw the bucket and took it.â€
“What? Why?†the priest asked.
“I have no…yeah, that’s not true. I read about it in a memoir. TI was a bucket list thing. They’re supposed to be delicious with cucumber salad.â€
“And was it?â€
“I don’t know. I didn’t actually eat any. They were do docile – for crabs – in the bucket that I felt like a brute eating them.â€
“Then what did you do?â€
“I released them into Taylor Lake.â€
Before the priest could say anything, Cassie noticed a flash of light outside the confessional. “Notice! Cassandra Richardson, you are under arrest for ecological terrorism. Come out with your hands up!â€
Cassie sighed. “It was bound to happen. Thank you, Father.†She could hear the sputtering from the other side of the partition. Well, at least he had a good story.
Word Count: 237
Written: 12/5/19
3 Comments
Prompt: A Priest Hearing a Unique Confession
Words: Chinese, crustacean, flash, bucket, vessel, notice memoir, brute, docile, cucumber
Story:
The man had a desperate, haunted look. “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.”
A string of Chinese words issued from the other side.
“I know you can’t understand me, Father, but it’s the only way I can confess. You see, I’m not a nice man. I’m a brute. I’m only here because I’m about to kick the bucket and nobody’s gonna notice when I’m gone. No funeral service, no stories, no – whatchamacallit – memoir. I’ve been a seaman all my life, never mattered what: whaling vessel, oil tanker, lobsters. They’re kinda docile. Quiet.
Anyway, I wanted to confess. In all those ports I visited, I … I started worshipping crabs. It was a joke at first but then I got into it and tricked others into doing it. You might have heard of it: The Crustacean Cult. It’s gotten so big, now, out of my control. My second in comand declared me a heretic in my own Cult and they’re gonna kill me soon and I am so, so sorry.”
He paused.
“You’re taking this kinda cool, Father. Cool like a cucumber. Anyway, please, can I be forgiven?”
In broken English, the answer came, “Sir. This is … a Popeye’s.”
199 words. Thank you for the fun.
I should’ve asked. Do you mind random commenters adding their own story to the prompt? Or should I keep such flash fic to myself?
It’s great! Thanks for sharing!