Bad News

Honorable Mention 9/23/05"Daily Flash Fiction Challenge" 
The prompt: Write a story where a character has to be the messenger of bad news

Bad News
By Doris Ruth Mackey

         Bill and Mary were in the employees’ break room drinking coffee and whispering to each other. Bill said, “We’re as entitled to them as he is.”

         “But, what are we going to say when he gets here?” Mary asked. “He’s going to want to know what happened to them. Someone’s going to have to tell him.”

         “I don’t want that job. Do you want to do it?”

         “Are you kidding? I don’t even want to be in the same building when he finds out.”

         “He has to be told.”

         “I agree, but not by me.”

         “What do you think would happen if we don’t tell him?”

         "Well…you’re not suggesting that we don’t tell him.”

         “Will he be any madder if he finds out later on his own? I say don’t tell him. He’ll find out soon enough.”

         “OK, but I still don’t want to be around when he finds out. Oh no, here he comes.”

         “Hi, Guys,” John said as he reached into the doughnut box. “Hey, where are the cream-filled ones? ”

         Bill’s eyes darted over to Mary. “I’m sorry but Mary and I ate them. I didn’t know they were the only ones.”

         John looked very surprised, “You didn’t eat them? All four of them? You shouldn‘t have eaten them.”

         “Yes, We ate them,” Mary said. Then summoning up her courage she added, “you know you’re not the only one who likes cream-filled doughnuts.”

         “You don’t understand,” said John shaking his head. “You shouldn’t have eaten them. The bakery called to say something was wrong with the cream. There are already five people in the ER because they ate cream-filled ones. I was coming to throw them out.”

283 words