Friday Fictioneers: The Exxon Hall of Minerals

Here’s another one of these flash fiction pieces.  The details are here if you’re interested. A hundred words based on this picture.

“They’re wrong for each other.”

This comment was no surprise. She’d been building up to it all during the drive, pulling apart her old friendship the way a bored cat will with a dead bird.

“She’s your best friend, Stella. She’ll still be your best friend.”

Her eyes flashed. “You think that’s what I’m talking about? That I’m losing my friend? Jesus. Typical. You always need to make these things about you.”

He looked past her, toward the bar tucked amongst tall glass cases of brightly-lit crystals.

Who the hell holds a wedding reception at the Exxon Hall of Minerals?

 

26 comments

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  1. kirizar

    Loved everything, but did wonder at the way the girlfriend jumped down her boyfriend’s throat. One comment in particular struck me as telling: “You always need to make these things about you.” It almost makes it sound like their relationship is the one in trouble. She’s projecting what she feels about her own partner, maybe?

  2. storydivamg

    It actually would be a pretty cool place to have a wedding reception–although you might have to strip-search the guests at the end of the evening just to be sure no valuables went missing.

    I like this story, Hardy.

    All my best,
    Marie Gail

  3. sustainabilitea

    I like this comparison, too: “pulling apart her old friendship the way a bored cat will with a dead bird.” I also like imagining having a wedding reception in a hall of minerals, although if people got too drunk, it could be a huge problem!

    janet

  4. Nan Falkner

    Dear J. Hardy, Good story and I think they are both headed for a split. She seems so oddly mad at him for little reason and he is irritated at her. I love the bird and the cat comment – great – just great! Nan :)

  5. lingeringvisions by Dawn

    Love this but I am a little confused as to who said “You always need to make these things about you.” Your punctuation indicates these are Stella’s words but my instinct tells me they have come from her partner.

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