This story is part of BlogFestivus: 12 short stories, 12 days, 12 Days of Christmas. An I.Q. of 12 is also extremely helpful but not required. Oh, the stories have to be exactly 144 words in length, too. You know, that’s 12 times 12. (Use a calculator if you need proof.) The real bitch of this challenge is that you have to incorporate the words from the famous “12 Days of Christmas” song, too. Sick stuff, really. You can find more of these unique stories by clicking this link for a complete list of festive BlogFestivus participants.
Turns
by Tom B. Taker
The milking done and the kids to school, Abigail was bouncing in their old Ford pickup for the weekly one-hour drive to town for groceries and supplies. Mostly she felt more like a maid than a wife.
She turned onto the main road and saw a hitchhiker. Without understanding why, she pulled over. She had never done anything like this before.
The young man jogged up to the passenger window and said, “Going to town?”
Abigail nodded and the man scrambled in. “Jacob,” he said, in the way of a greeting.
She noticed he was much better looking than she realized. And his smile was like a ray of sunshine. “Abigail,” she replied.
He had a way about him and they talked in a way she didn’t know was possible.
In town he asked her to turn right instead of left. She considered.
Shouts from the Abyss 
Biblical names, a story left to the imagination. Did she have 7 sisters?
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Biblical? Purely accidental, I assure you. I googled popular girl names and Abigail spoke to me somehow. Jacob I came up with on my own.
She might have sisters. I don’t know. I’m not including the day number in the challenge lest the difficulty gets ramped up so high my head will splode. 🙂
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This is actually kind of romantic. In a cheating whore kind of way, but still romantic. Didn’t know you had it in you.
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The part I struggled with was the children. It didn’t feel right for her to leave them behind, too. As always, though, I said, “The hell with it!” and posted in spite of misgivings. That’s part of my creative process on literally everything I write.
You’re right, though. It was supposed to have an element of romance. I can’t be a jack ass all the time, can I? 🙂
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Bravo. Very well done.
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Thanks!
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Little does Abigail know that Jacob is a serial killer. Amiright?
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LOL! Sometimes my reputation precedes me. I don’t think he was, but you never know!
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Very Bridges of Madison County. Insert me for Abigail and Karl Urban for Jacob.
Yes, I’m still going on about Karl. If you were a girl you would so totally get why. 🙂
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You look like Abigail? Wow, who knew?
I’m already down as being in the Karl Urban club. Here’s hoping his part in the next Star Trek movie is much bigger.
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Yes…much bigger. Huge. Enormous. More than life size. 🙂
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I agree! Very Bridges..insert me for Abbie and the hot Brazilian Barista at my favorite coffee house. I always ask him for an extra hot Brazilian with a sprinkle of cinnamon. I don’t think he takes me seriously.
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Karl Urban kind of got hosed in the first Star Trek movie. He needed more screen time and more impact on the story.
Mrs. Abyss, you can hope for that, but I don’t think you can drive the stick in our old pickup, so here you stay! Mwuahahahaha! Besides, we all know how much you love bland. If you liked spicy I wouldn’t be here.
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and then what and then what…. Nice!
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Hehe! The world may never know. Curse you 144-word limit! 🙂
Thanks!
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