To the Fair

Eddy announced he was fed up with this nonsense. To get to the fair they would have to take two buses and a train, then walk ten blocks. “Bernice, honey, I would rather fall into a pit of alligators. No way am I doing this.”

“Suit yourself, Eddy. I’m going to the fair.”

Eddy sat up in his chair by the computer where he had worked out the logistics. “Well, you’re not going to go. Not on your own.”

“Who says?”

“Bernice, you have the street smarts of a potato. Cut that out, now.”

But Bernice had a tote bag with a bottle of water, some sandwiches and an umbrella. “I’m going to see those newborn piglets, Eddy.” She turned to go.

Eddy pried himself out of the squeaky rolling chair. “It’s two buses, a train and ten blocks, B!”

Bernice could see Eddy was vexed. He was used to Bernice following his lead. If he said they were going to go out, they went out. If he said they were going to stay in, they stayed in. Not this time. The newspaper said wonderful things about the baby animals and she wasn’t missing it.

“Eddy, the Baby Animal Barn is full of new piglets and lambs. You do what you want. I’m going.”

“Fine.” Eddy frowned, but he pulled on his sweater and followed her toward the door.

With Eddy scuffling along behind her, Beatrice went through the doorway, as if stepping through a portal to a new life.

Thank you for reading my 250-word micro-fiction story. I’m not sure if I carried it off, but I wanted to explore the dynamics in a relationship where one person is used to being under the thumb of the other, and finally one day decides to take a stand. Your comments are welcome!

I wrote this story when I ran a weekly micro-fiction writing contest, and I would also often contribute my own piece, just for fun. This story was my piece for the prompt, “portal.”