“A Decision”

“When will you make a decision?”



Caught fishing for a cigarette, Wanda stumbled on her crutch. “Oh. Amy.”

Scott, holding the other crutch and the elevator door, teased: “You don’t want to work full time.”

True. After months of this, Amy no longer wanted the promotion to full-time, but increasingly, she needed it. “Wanda—”



Wanda called to the receptionist: “Anybody’s looking for me, I’ll be back soon.”

Amy was still scowling at the elevator when it opened on a man and a boy. “Wanda!”

“Oh, she’s out smoking.”

“I’ll kill her!”

Amy half believed the nasty little man. She could see him pushing Wanda down the steps. Was that the story behind the broken ankle?


”Where?”

Wanda and Scott favored a secluded bench for their smoke breaks. It was difficult to explain how to find the spot, but Amy thought she did a pretty good job.

 

© 2008 by Shannon Anthony

“A Decision” was originally published in The Binnacle—Fifth Annual Ultra Short Competition issue.