fwriction

Today’s story of the day comes via fwriction reader amywhipple’s nomination, and it does not disappoint. A special thanks for the nomination, and to all my readers who continue to offer support and readership. I heart you.

After reading Julie Draper’s “Natural,” published in Smokelong Weekly, I found myself haunted by Draper’s effortless word choice and language cadence. (In addition, the art by Beth Steidle on the page worked terribly well.) I know you’ll enjoy this story, and I hope to hear from more of you as you find stories you think deserve a showcase in story of the day.

from “Natural”:

I did what I could to support her. The night before her first injections, I baked her a cake and iced it with the words “Happy T-Day!” and a blue cartoon syringe. I wrapped and gave her as presents any objects I could find in the apartment that began with “T”: toothpicks, Time magazine, tampons, tahini. The next day at the doctor’s office, I tried to imagine her as a sexy, bearded man while I waited for her to return bearing alcohol swabs and a small, seemingly innocuous jar of testosterone. Her man juice, she called it. That night as we lay in bed, her legs threaded through mine, she told me this was natural, like puberty, and I wanted to believe her. I gave her a close-lipped kiss in the dark.