The Shortened Life of Maxwell Flye

My mother strikes again!

Preamble:

 

During the summer, I always used to hang out in my parents’ bedroom. My reason? The bed. To me, it was the most satisfactory reading-spot out of anywhere in the house. High-rising, spacious, soft, and glorious. I’d often be found tucked away in there, wrapped up in some book or the other.

 

Now this story comes from one day when I was partaking in my usual afternoon read in the bed, while my mother was in the room’s adjoining bathroom, getting ready to go out. I had just gotten to a particularly interesting place in my book, when all of a sudden I heard an explosion of vexation and promptly witnessed (as far as listening goes) the rather untimely demise of a fly that had made the mistake of wandering into the bathroom where my mother dwelt. [For those of you who don’t know, Mum hates winged pests (as was established in an earlier story)].

 

Having heard what just transpired, what was left for me to do? I’d just found my next inspiration. My writer’s senses tingling, I immediately put down my book and came up with this little story….

********

Shortened Life

(As told from the ghost of one recently departed Maxwell E. Flye)

 

Today hadn't been the best of days.

 

In fact, I could probably say that, to date, this was the worst day I've ever had in my life....

 

For one thing, I had broken up with my fiancee, Zypha, over  a rather stupid issue - she was convinced that the eggs her friend Felece finally laid were mine, to which I adamantly protested. Who on earth would want to flit around with the likes of Felece? She probably has more germs than brains. But I digress.

    

So the break up with my fiancee was the start of a long day of pathetic events. I won't be tedious and list them all, but my little sister's running/flying away, my demotion at work and missing both lunch and dinner were among the tougher ones. I have to admit I was feeling pretty low at this point. And hungry, to boot.

 

Now I found myself in the vast space of the bathroom in the master bedroom, in a desperate search for my sister. It was getting late, and I had searched everywhere else. It was not like Alista to go off like that. I suspected some male drone must have been involved. 

 

I was about to give up on the bathroom and circle the house once more when I smelled it - the sweet fragrance of something I had come across before, but had never gotten the chance to investigate. The scent hit my feelers (nostrils, to humans) and went straight to my empty stomach with an intense urgency. I had to locate the source.

 

I found it quickly. It was the woman. The shorter one. Wherever that scent was coming from, she clearly was the initiator. I observed her quietly, trying to detect where exactly the source of the scent was located, but I was too far away to discern anything of real value. So I moved in closer.

 

 

It was the biggest mistake of my life.

 

Noticing my advance, the woman suddenly erupted into a feral irritation. "Thing, get away from me!" she screamed in disdain, waving her arm in my direction in an attempt to blast me out of her way.

 

SWOOSH! The large mass barely missed me. Mind, the breeze from the assault knocked me off-balance, but I quickly regained my posture, ruffling my wings in indignation. I mean was that really necessary? I was just being curious. Goodness.

 

I had a mind to just forget it and continue the search for my sister, but my curiousity was just screaming to be sated. So I took the risk and approached the woman again. This time more subtly. She would expect me from the right, this time I would go in from the left.

 

Did I say subtle? Subtle my bottom wings. She knew exactly where I was coming from and promptly doubled her efforts to destroy me. Arms waving wildly, she came at me with rage. I just managed to escape this time by the atoms of my wings. At least for the moment. Desparate to escape the mad woman, I dove for the sink. Surely the underside of the faucet would offer me some protection.

 

 I was wrong.

 

 No sooner had I landed on the sink counter did I hear the woman yell "Do not make the mistake of landing!"

 

And then I felt the force of a thousand bricks come crashing down on me. I knew I had been crippled before the pain even started settling in.

 

 "That's where I'll get you!" she finished her sentence and then I heard rather than felt the crushing material fall upon me. White spots began forming. I no longer felt my body. I no longer felt...anything...

 

 I was fading fast.

 

 The last thing I remember was the sound of running water and my body seemingly floating to some unknown destination.

 

 "I'll burn you" were the words of comfort she offered my crushed body.

 

 And then...darkness.

Author's Note

Thoughts?

Reviews

[reflectingus]

This is amazing.
I'm deeply impressed by your idea, and your inspiration, and the names, of course. What interested every single atom in my brain was the way you wrote this story, that is EXACTLY the kind of stuff I love, a joke becomes extra funny when you describe it with big words, like, I loved "Did I say subtle? Subtle my bottom wings" hhaha. I'm so glad you added the preamble, that just made this what it is, this dotingly hot anecdote, every part had my utmost attention, and Mr. Flye, may you rest in peace.
(this is so going in my favorites)

[AK]

Haha! Nice piece, had me hooked on from the beginning. The part with the woman was funny, it is scary how I would have done the same thing,( except kill it of course). Great write!

[Ami N.]

This was a very amusing piece. I really enjoyed how you put it in the fly's perspective. Amazing story.

[Miss Evans]

This is the first piece of writing I've read from you, and I have to say it was very entertaining. The preamble was very nice, and tied it all together as a character telling the story of a character telling a story. It was beautifully written, seamless as far as the sentence flow went, and quite comical as far as the story line.

Bravo!

[Wendy Seames Garner]

You have quite a gift R.G., this was so funny! Will there be another installment?

[patricia]

aw...poor little fly. You are realy developing this story, loved all the relationships you have developed here, and the preamble about the comforting bed was wonderful. This is a great story, your writing is good and tight, flows superbly. Thanks.

[Carmen-Rose McGill]

I loved this just as much as the Mosquiteers! I'm loving the perspective of pests;he stories behind each one and the personification that you put behind them! Good job, again!