He couldn’t afford to be seen.

Ever so quietly, he peered at his target, lying there, unaware of what was to befall her.

Without making a sound, he padded across the room and stood over her. His face was a flurry of emotions: anger, guilt, sadness, but most of all, one took dominance over the rest.

Swift as lightning, he pushed. The whole thing came crashing down. As her scream rent the room, he dashed out and hid himself.

Two pairs of feet came running and rescued her from her flailing predicament. One made soft, cooing noises while the other said, ‘I think this was Hari’s doing.’

“What nonsense!” said the other. “Hari wouldn’t hurt her. She’s his baby sister.”

Hari’s dad responded, ‘Yes, but it was only him and Gopal all along and he may not like the fact that a baby has taken his place today.’

Smouldering in jealousy, Hari nodded his head, while still hidden from view. Three was a bad number!


Written for the fortnight-long blogging challenge, Barathon, 2018

This time, I’m writing flash fiction on the different prompts of each day.

Word count will be a multiple of 11 😉

Today’s Word Count: 165

Today’s prompt: Three’s a crowdhttps://blogarhythmblog.wordpress.com/2018/06/18/barathon-edition-3-bloggers/

6 thoughts on “Three is a bad number

  1. Ah, sibling rivalry. While I can’t claim to know much about it, I have seen it in action many times.
    Nicely done, Shailaja, as always. Good to know that your fiction hat is still well-placed.

  2. Ah the jealousy that follows the realization that your parents have a new baby now! Though I felt like this would only be an issue when Baby#2 arrives, and after that one learns to share. Apparently not.

  3. A little jealousy tend to be born along with the arrival of a new baby. I am sure they will get along fine in a while. Good one, Shailaja.

  4. Oops! That’s slightly more than sibling rivalry. Hope the little girl was unhurt.
    I liked this one and my mind was working to guess the twist here. Well done, Shailaja on the prompt.

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