SPAGHETTI '88...flash fiction!

[kampanaryo_spy]

(I post this here just to "update" this thread that has remained dormant for quite a time now)

In my return flight from Manila to Davao on 2 june 2007, I came across this one-page spread congratulating the 25 Journalism Graduates of Manila Times. The name of one graduate caught my attention, and thus became my muse. Here's her pic:



If this were a writing workshop, the facilitator would say: okay, from this name, write a story. Just that, a name, and nothing more.

this unique name inspired me to write my first flash fiction. According to Wikepedia, flash fiction is fiction characterized by its extreme brevity, as measured by its length in words, without, of course, sacrificing the elements of storytelling. While there is no universally accepted exact word limit, generally most flash-fiction pieces are between 250 and 1,000 words long.

My flash fiction below has 464 words.


Spaghetti ‘88
by k_spy

“Spaghetti’s here,” says the man outside.

In your mind you see her lay on the narrow table the food that she always brings. Until now it eludes you why she does this when she knows you have stopped eating it since the incident. Perhaps it's her way of letting you exorcise your demon.

You met her father on this generation’s luckiest day: 8-8-88! You were at your favorite restaurant when he asked if he could join you. You were actually done but good manners aside, you didn’t want to foist bad luck on him by leaving just when he was about to eat.

His tray carried only spaghetti.

Outside, the Dragon Dance that you came to watch had begun. But then he spoke and time lost its sense.

Soon after that, you dated. And because you hated spaghetti, he made you learn to love it. A year later, you named your daughter after it.


“You hear me? Spaghetti’s waiting for you,” the man outside says.

You glance at the cracked mirror one last time, tuck a wisp of gray hair behind your ear, and head for the hall.

She’s a sight in a white sun dress and you wonder if she would wear white to her debut in September. Or if she would finally wear---after a long while---the smile that reminds you of him.

As you sit, she opens a Tupperware that contains pasta and another that contains the sauce. Something grumbles in the pit of your stomach.

She mixes the pasta and the sauce just as he taught her. Spurts hit your dress but you bother not to wipe them as they blend well with the orange you’re wearing.

She fills two plates with spaghetti. “Here,” she pushes one towards you.

You pick up the fork, jab the spaghetti, and twist it. Then as always, you stop and close your eyes: The knife felt cold in your hand as you watched furtively in the dark. As orgasm gripped him, you raised the knife. But then he turned as though he knew, and the knife brushed past his shoulder, into the mouth of the girl under him.

He rolled out of bed. But the sheets tangled at his feet and he fell to the floor. You lunged and straddled him, then you stabbed him everywhere, twisting the knife each time. Blood squirted on your face but your hand went up and down until you could no longer see.


“Ma, are you alright?”

You open your eyes and see that your knuckles have turned white from gripping the fork.

“It’s been three years," she says, reaching for your hand.

You look at her. And all you can see is the scar on her lips.

[Alibangbang]

K-Spy,

Just read your flash fiction.

Whoooaaaaaaa……. I wonder if I'd get same effect if you’ve narrated it. My poor heart is still racing !!!!!!

Started slow then find its way to morph into a bullet train leaving incest and homicide in its wake oh holy cow!!!

She could’ve wear white sundress on her debut, brides wear white gown still even if they’re no longer you know…..p-u-r-e?

She’s in prison with no regrets to be sure.

Hahahaha….K-Spy, It’s dark, gory, action filled and only 690 words. I reckon what else goes inside that head of yours if not filled with latin at the moment

Thanks for slowing it down again by making Spag forgiving of her mamma.

K-Spy unokaha kon nan August 8, 1988 an paga kaon ni HE pancit instead of pasta este spaghetti? Would you have indulged me with a romantic essay? Then again she would have been named Pancit '88 Pascual.

SALODO CHAP SALODO...

[kampanaryo_spy]

abb,

i never had a doubt that you'd get the 'incest' thing (some of my friends didn't). too bad his addiction to spaghetti extended to his daughter. and you're correct: the setting is a prison, not a lick house as some of my friends thought; and because i've always known you to be very perceptive, am sure you'd still get it even if i didn't qualify the "scar" to be "obscene."

am glad you liked it; actually it's my first attempt at flash fiction.

what if it was pancit not pasta? hahahaha. "what-if" situations are actually what give life to fiction. worse, what if it was pancit luglog?

[gingot]

K-spy! laong pa... "wala ba kayong mga kamay dyan?... hats off! i think you should start publishing your works. gusto ko an ako kopya manuscript pa then imo dayon pirmahan... para authentic gayod. bow ako. i loved it!

[gingot]

k-spy,
can't get eough...
i knew it she was in prison because of the orange uniform she's wearing. what if it is carbonara? her daughter will be named fettucini then...

sequel... ono kaha kon lang-on niya an iya anak never to bring spaghetti anymore. basin kalimtan da niya an yahitabo. or is it the also because of the scar?... abangan....

[Alibangbang]

abb,

i never had a doubt that you'd get the 'incest' thing (some of my friends didn't). too bad his addiction to spaghetti extended to his daughter. and you're correct: the setting is a prison, not a lick house as some of my friends thought; and because i've always known you to be very perceptive, am sure you'd still get it even if i didn't qualify the "scar" to be "obscene."

am glad you liked it; actually it's my first attempt at flash fiction.

what if it was pancit not pasta? hahahaha. "what-if" situations are actually what give life to fiction. worse, what if it was pancit luglog?

K-Spy,

Thank you kindly Sir.

Granting... and she’ll make it big, really big. Soon she’ll be tapped to cover for Tina Monson Palma (if Tina's on assignment) to partner with Angelo Castro Jr.

I dare say, no matter how sad and distressing the day’s news will be, people will smile, if not laugh, when she signs off: “This is --- The World Tonight, I’m Pancit Luglog ‘88 Pascual ... Good night”. Diba?

My good friend the possibilities are endless… keep ‘em coming.

[kampanaryo_spy]

wahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
hahahahahahahahahahaha
you got me there, abb!


gingot,

thank you so, so much for the nice words.
publishing my works? hmmmm, why not?

if her name was Fettucini then i'll make
her father Italian, and he'll be poisoned by
Fettucini's mother so that the froth that
will come out of his mouth will be like white sauce.

let's deconstruct Spag '88 a bit. i went for
a gory climax because i wanted it (the death scene)
to resemble spaghetti, you know, blood being
the sauce and intestines ("until his stomach disgorged his intestines"), giant pasta. that's why the flashback
was triggered by the mere sight of spaghetti
and her twisting the fork was reminiscent of her
twisting the knife as she slaughtered him.

as to the scar, well, it will forever remind them
of their follies, unless of course Spag gets filthy rich
to have dermabrasion. but that's another story.

ok, let's put this all behind us now. i had fun
discussing this with you two. thank you very much.