Ficlets

A Loaded Gun in the Mailbox

In his mailbox there is a hand holding a gun. It’s severed, this hand, just on the elbow side of the wrist, and it has oozed a bit of blood out into the box. The whole thing has gone sort of pale, which makes the revolver in its grip look blacker and shinier.

It’s snub-nosed, this revolver, with a fat cylinder in which he can see the little metal heads of bullets nestled in their shells. The gun is pointing out at him, as if this hand wanted his money.

He looks around him, up and down the street. He closes the mailbox door. He opens it again. There is a hand in there, holding a gun. He reaches towards it, squinting, wincing in preparation of the bang, then chickens out. He stands to one side of the mailbox and leans in front of it. He waves his hand past the barrel of the gun. Reaches into the box again, gives up again.

He goes inside, past his wife, who’s doing dishes, and gets the phone. He dials 911. She asks what’s wrong.

“There’s a hand holding a gun in our mailbox,” he says.

“Finally,” she says.

Comments

Average Reader Rating:

A Loaded Gun in the Mailbox
Seth Miller
Posted 9 days ago

Clever!

I love Ficlet Friday!

I totally dig the whole Looney Tunes/Warner Brothers cartoon angle of his interaction with the gun.

Nice surprise ending as well.
A Loaded Gun in the Mailbox
thebetweenspace
Posted 9 days ago

I really enjoyed this quirky story. The last line maintained the bizarre tone, but I don’t quite get it. Very interesting.
A Loaded Gun in the Mailbox
THX 0477
Posted 9 days ago

Quirky is the right word, but an absolutely hilarious visual, picturing this poor befuddled guy checking and rechecking the severed hand in his mailbox only to mosey back inside and calmly call 911. So fun.
A Loaded Gun in the Mailbox
[pens&feathers]
Posted 9 days ago

Wow, that was wonderful! I agree with THX , that is a great visual.
A Loaded Gun in the Mailbox
Wil Wheaton
Posted 5 days ago

I loved this, Will. In fact, it inspired me to write my first prequel. Thanks for that!
A Loaded Gun in the Mailbox
Melia
Posted 5 days ago

So glad I caught Wil’s blog post about his prequel. I missed this one in the story list and it’s a gem. I really loved the wife’s payoff line – great humour.
A Loaded Gun in the Mailbox
Stovohobo
Posted 5 days ago

That one word was the perfect ending to this one. Pretty funny, and as thebetweenspace said, quirky. An interesting situation to land up in.
A Loaded Gun in the Mailbox
astland
Posted 5 days ago

Well done sir, well done.
A Loaded Gun in the Mailbox
Maleghast
Posted 4 days ago

Love it, really enjoyed the possibilities for prequel and / or sequel that this offers and the central premise is just so ‘off-the-wall’ cool too.

Bravo!
A Loaded Gun in the Mailbox
Rusty Tanton
Posted 3 days ago

I also enjoyed the surprise ending. There are a lot of different directions a prequel could go. About to go read what Wil Wheaton wrote.
A Loaded Gun in the Mailbox
.:band baby:.
Posted 3 days ago

I don’t really get the last line.. Maybe I’m just to tired tonight.. But I love the rest of it. Very odd situation. =)

LoA
A Loaded Gun in the Mailbox
Living In Wonder Land ♠
Posted 1 day ago

Haha this has a sense of hidden humor and the end is such a cliff hanger. It one of those things hat is so wrong yet its so right.
5stars