1519 {writing prompt}

How about this: Write a story with three characters, two of them with the same first name, but spelled differently. One of these people should cry at some point. The opening and closing sentences have to contain the same words, but in a (slightly) different order. No more than 300 words for the entire story, unless it's exactly 374, in which case it is forgivable.



Porn and Hugs

He just couldn’t get away from porn and hugs. Now that he was alone, all of his asdf’s included the words ‘hug’ or ‘porn’. A fine combination for his current state of mind, he thought. He could write more now that he was alone but he hated being alone. The weakness he felt made him feel like a pussy.

He poured his whiskey into the same dirty glass he’d used since the day Tracy left. He’d been pissing in the sink. His shit lay where he left it; her voice not there to ask him to pick it up.

He refreshed his Gmail account and felt a lilt in his heart when he saw the two bold black lines and a parentheses 2 on the tab. He saw the name “Tracy” on both lines under the ‘from’ column. No, wait, one was Tracy, but the other was Traci with an “i”. Did he know a Traci with an “i”? Did Tracy, newly single, decide to go full tilt in her new identity as ‘available’ and get rid of the ‘y’ thinking it too plain? Was she now Traci with heart over the “i” Traci? A Traci that would give head on the first date or flash her tits for beads?

He double-clicked on the Tracy with a ‘y’ – subject line, Hello.

Hey, was wondering if it was okay if I borrow that tent we used to use. Have a camping thing next weekend. It’s okay if you don’t want to. Just thought I’d ask. Let me know. Thanks, Tracy

“…that tent we used to use…” he muttered. It was the only thing registering in his brain. He saw her in that stupid yellow sunhat, laughing as she used zinc oxide to make his face an Indian warrior’s. You burn white boy, she’d remind him, punctuating her concern with a hug.

He double-clicked on the Traci with an “i” – subject line, Hello.

Lonely? I am too. Horny and alone and waiting for your hard cock….

Ted wasn’t sure if he started crying before or after he X’d out of the email screen. It didn’t matter anyway, he thought, making his way back to his whiskey. It was fitting. Porn and hugs…he just couldn’t get away.