Tags
Fiction, flash fiction, short stories, short story, story, writing
She was dropping off some rubbish at the tip when she saw it. It was just a pram, standing there between two skips. It looked old and useless; the metal parts were all covered in rust, the material was shabby and damaged, and it looked like the wheels were unlikely to even turn.
Yet there was something compelling about it.
She walked over towards it, not really sure why she was doing so, and laid her hands on the handlebar.
She wheeled it out from between the skips, the wheels creaking and squeaking. One of them didn’t move at all, and pushing it was an effort, but she didn’t notice. She started to wheel it around in a circle.
“Hush little baby, don’t say a word,” she sang softly, looking down into the empty pram. “Mama’s gonna buy you a mocking bird.”
The wheel unstuck suddenly.
“If that mocking bird don’t sing, Mama’s gonna buy you a diamond ring.”
The rust started to recede underneath her hands. She didn’t notice.
“If that diamond ring turns brass, Mama’s gonna buy you a looking glass.”
The holes in the fabric seemed to knit itself back together. The worn patches disappeared, and the wheels stopped squeaking.
“If that looking… glass… gets…”
Her song faltered. Her shoulders dropped with exhaustion. Her skin was pale and clammy, and her hair had lost its shine.
A baby’s giggle emanated from the empty carriage, and as she fell to her knees, it rolled away.
“Gets… broke,” she whispered, falling face first into a puddle.
The pram rolled away, and turned a corner.
© Kari Fay
That is creepy. Stories with kids are always the worst. Very cool concept.
I wish I could entirely claim it as my own; however I was struggling for inspiration and my boyfriend pointed me towards The SCP Foundation, suggested I click on Random and write a story for whatever came up. This is based on SCP-382.
Baby Christine! Very nice…
Thank you. I hadn’t thought about Christine when I was writing it- still I suppose they’re both creepy wheeled things so I see where you coming from!
Enjoyable and short. About the time I was wrapped up in it, it ended, as a good short story should.
Thank you, glad you liked it.
You have managed to capture and convey the horror of motherhood in such a neat little bundle here. Very well done.
I hadn’t actually thought about it being connected to motherhood but now you say that – wow. I guess I really really don’t want kids!
Very surreal, good fantasy at play. You could have driven the story further if you wanted.