300

This is my three hundredth post. I feel like I need to do something momentous to mark the occasion, but when I thought about writing a piece of flash fiction to celebrate, all that came to mind was the movie 300. Do you remember when it first came out and everyone was talking about how visually stunning it was? Now, if you watched it, the only thing you'd notice is how epically corny it is. Okay, I shouldn't speak for everyone. There are probably people out there who still like it. Where was I going with this? Right, three hundred. This is post number three hundred and I couldn't be happier. I have 31 followers and hopefully by the time I reach my thousandth post I'll have a hundred. (Although to be frank, I'd much prefer to have a thousand followers. Insert shameless plug here: follow my blog!) So, I was left with my conundrum. How to properly celebrate reaching the big three hundred? I agonized and agonized and finally just decided to do a piece of flash fiction anyway. So, I guess the moral of the story is: the answer to your question is usually the first thing that springs to mind. You can try chasing down a better one, but you'll probably just end up going in circles. Enjoy!

300

She sat back in her chair, closed her eyes and let her head fall back against the wall behind her. The lights overhead caused stars to burst beneath her eyelids like fireworks. She massaged her temples and took slow, deep breaths. With a sigh, she opened her eyes and sat forward, shuffling the sheets of wrinkled paper in front of her into order. 

She leafed through them slowly, her cramped, erratic handwriting filling each page and spilling out into the margins. She'd numbered them as she went; the only sign of order on the crowded pages. She caught snippets as she skimmed along but didn't stop to read her reasons. She knew them all by heart. 

She turned to the last page and ran her finger over the number at the bottom. 300. 300 reasons. She waited, let the quiet press in on her. It was right there in her own handwriting. 300 reasons why she should leave. 300 reasons why this would never work. 300 reasons to get up, take the suitcase waiting by the door and take herself away. She could start somewhere new. This could all by a faded memory. 

She traced the number one more time, felt the impression it made on the paper. 

"Don't be a fool," she whispered. 

She stood up, went to the door and picked up the suitcase. Outside, she pulled the door shut behind her and fit her key into the lock. She stopped. Her suitcase sat quietly on the step beside her, adding nothing. She stood, the sun warm on her back, hand on the key. She couldn't turn it. She couldn't lock the door. 

She pulled the key from the lock slowly and slid it back into her pocket. She picked up her suitcase and went back inside, down the hallway and into the bedroom to unpack her things. She may have had 300 reasons to leave him, but she only needed one to stay. She loved him.

There you have it! I hope you liked it, because it was either this or a list of three hundred reasons why I'm awesome. So, I think I clearly made the right choice. Hopefully, this has inspired you to follow my blog as well as perhaps come find me on twitter, @MelanieKCole. Either way, I appreciate you taking the time to read my scribbles and I always welcome your comments. Thank you for celebrating my three hundredth post with me, may it bring good luck to you all day long.