Assignment: write an ultrashort story
For their first anniversary they went to Hawaii, but then his company went under again, so for their second anniversary they went ice-skating. He drove them to the mall, where they paid seven dollars each for shoes and time on the ice, and three quarters to rent a locker for his wallet and her purse. The mall at that hour -- it was eight-thirty on a Saturday night -- was full mostly of children, and a few teenagers skating rapidly backwards, or turning circles, or showing off how quickly they could come to a stop in the middle of the ice.
She held his hand and laughed at how bad she was. It was forty minutes of going slowly, clinging to the sides and to his hand, before she got brave and skated with him, four loops around the rink before falling.
Wow, that stung, she said, getting up and brushing bits of ice off her pants before they could melt. She missed a few. She was flushed and breathless, laughing at herself, and she was beautiful. He kissed her on the forehead. Again? he asked.
They got a drink first -- This is more of a workout than I'd have imagined, she said -- and then they got back on the ice. She fell again, scraping her palms a little on the ice. He was sympathetic. Don't point your feet inward, he instructed, demonstrating by skating a few feet forward before circling back to her.
She smiled at him. You didn't tell me you were good at this, she complained. I can't keep up. Next time we'll do something I can actually do. But she got up again. He skated across the ice so she could catch up to him, and she did, haltingly, just as a voice on the intercom called out, Couples time! and 'Happy Together' started playing. They both smiled. He let go of her hand so he could hug her, but she fell, skidding a few inches and rubbing her palms raw.
Oh no! he said. He tried to offer his hand, but hers was too chafed. Aw, sweetie, are you okay?
Her eyes were tearing involuntarily, and he felt terrible. I'm fine, she said. She sniffled a little, then she smiled. Roller skating next time? she teased. He pulled her up by the arms, and then kissed her again.
Her hands hurt too much for him to hold them, but she didn't want to stop, so they skated arm in arm, ruddy-faced and smiling, around and around, until their seven dollars wore out.
She held his hand and laughed at how bad she was. It was forty minutes of going slowly, clinging to the sides and to his hand, before she got brave and skated with him, four loops around the rink before falling.
Wow, that stung, she said, getting up and brushing bits of ice off her pants before they could melt. She missed a few. She was flushed and breathless, laughing at herself, and she was beautiful. He kissed her on the forehead. Again? he asked.
They got a drink first -- This is more of a workout than I'd have imagined, she said -- and then they got back on the ice. She fell again, scraping her palms a little on the ice. He was sympathetic. Don't point your feet inward, he instructed, demonstrating by skating a few feet forward before circling back to her.
She smiled at him. You didn't tell me you were good at this, she complained. I can't keep up. Next time we'll do something I can actually do. But she got up again. He skated across the ice so she could catch up to him, and she did, haltingly, just as a voice on the intercom called out, Couples time! and 'Happy Together' started playing. They both smiled. He let go of her hand so he could hug her, but she fell, skidding a few inches and rubbing her palms raw.
Oh no! he said. He tried to offer his hand, but hers was too chafed. Aw, sweetie, are you okay?
Her eyes were tearing involuntarily, and he felt terrible. I'm fine, she said. She sniffled a little, then she smiled. Roller skating next time? she teased. He pulled her up by the arms, and then kissed her again.
Her hands hurt too much for him to hold them, but she didn't want to stop, so they skated arm in arm, ruddy-faced and smiling, around and around, until their seven dollars wore out.
posted by Kelly at
1:06 PM
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