Yup, it’s flash fiction time again! As always, this is based around Laurence Simon’s weekly challenge for the 100 word-stories podcast. It’s a great exercise for writers – writing a good drabble is a lot harder than it appears, but is still a "small" task so you can get around that idea of it being too much work. And then you get a random (and often bizarre) writing prompt to shoehorn you out of writer’s block! Go read the rules for the Weekly Challenge and participate!
The player below should have the audio for this week; if it doesn’t, you can find the audio here to download. You can also read and hear the rest of the entries (and vote for your favorites) at the 100 Word Stories podcast site!
He stares at me, tied and gagged in my basement, and I remember.
The first time I heard my father’s voice in my own laugh. The first time I realized I was turning into my dad.
This — thing, clone, son, whatever — is different.
It stole my mannerisms. It’s a distorted mimicry. This thing doesn’t think. It just pretends. It thrusts itself into the nests of our hearts. Like a cuckoo, it shoves everything else aside to fall to the ground. And then it feeds.
The thing isn’t like me. I see the difference. It’s a funhouse reflection.
Bullets shatter mirrors.