Talent Show Finale

Written for the Daily Flash Fiction Challenge with a word limit of 300.


The prompts: This story must include the words: Listen, tomato and match


Talent Show Finale


“Hey, crater face! You look like the dark side of the moon.”

“Tomato face! I thought I saw you growing in my mom’s garden.”


Margaret kept her eyes forward as she made her way through the obstacle course of cliquish girls that stood between her and seventh grade English. She tried not to listen to the taunts. It wasn’t her fault that acne had taken a rather enthusiastic hold of her complexion.


Day after day, the giggles and whispers followed her through the hallways of middle school. They would echo in her mind throughout her lonely afternoons and nights. It had gotten to the point where she could hear them even when no one was there.


The voices would come through the radio. One minute, music would be playing and then it would morph into: “Tomato head! Crater face! Look at how ugly she is! No one likes you pimple head! Don’t play with her. She may be contagious!”


Her mom pretended not to hear them. She didn’t understand. Little Margaret was just being silly.


One day, Margaret realized that gallons of medicine and tears were not going to change things. She could either close up completely, shutting out everyone, or …


Tuesday afternoon, the school cafeteria was packed. It was time for the annual talent show and every student was either participating or in the audience. Everyone was there, except for Margaret. She had work to do.

Outside, trash cans were pushed in front of exits. Bicycle locks secured some of the doors. On the roof, five gallons of gasoline waited patiently for their turn at talent. The little combustible molecules could do something better than anyone else. They could burn.


“Our next contestant is Exxon Supreme,” Margaret said as she lit the match.


Word count 295


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