Flash Fiction – Turkey Dinner

Gobble, gobble.

“Look at them, all fattened up and ready to be throttled,” he said to his wife.

“Please honey. I know we eat them but I don’t want to talk about that in front of them,” she replied.

Gobble, gobble.

“Why? It’s not like they understand.”

“I know, but look at them. They are so cute when they’re this fluffy.”

“Cute? Are you crazy? They are the ugliest creatures on the face of the planet.” He shook his head.

Gobble, gobble.

“I know, but we raised them since they were babies. They’ve grown on me. Besides they look better with meat on their bones than when they were scrawny and underfed.”

“Ha! You’re so sentimental. At least all of these will live another year, with Thanksgiving being over.”

Gobble, gobble.

“True. Do you think we should have given one to the new neighbors?” she asked, feeling suddenly guilty.

“Make up your mind woman. I thought you wanted them all to live?”

“That’s not exactly what I said. Being neighborly is more important than my guilt over killing pets. You know they are my favorite food. I just don’t want to think of the live ones as food. Why do you think I always make you choose one and cook it?”

He laughed again and pointed to the large male sitting under a tree reading. The one with the overalls. “Even that one? Can you honestly tell me you enjoy Tom prattling at you day after day?”

Gobble, gobble.

She scowled. “No, that one I don’t mind considering butchering.” Her face brightened. “Want human for Christmas too? Gobble, Gobble.”

The two turkeys turned hungry eyes to next month’s dinner.

***

Farmer Tom jerked awake from his unintended nap on the porch. He sat forward in his rocking chair as he tried to shake off the dream. He glanced around the yard. The turkeys seemed to be doing fine. He looked to the tree where two of the birds stared at him with dark, glittering eyes.

Gobble, gobble.

He rushed into the house and found his wife. “I’m willing to do a vegetarian Christmas if you still want to.”

 

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I wrote this one sitting in my car. I don’t know what the inspiration was. I just started writing and this disturbing story came out lol. I can tell you I despise turkey. On a club sandwich with ham it’s tolerable but I never eat it by itself.

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