This piece was written for this week’s 99 word challenge, with ‘nourish’ as the prompt, courtesy of Charli Mills’ Carrot Ranch
As Phoebe drove home with her husband, Spike, safely strapped into the passenger seat, she decided it was time for him to hear some home truths.
‘You know, Spike, in all our married years, never once have you praised anything I’ve done or supported me when it mattered. Frankly, I can’t even recall you being anything remotely like happy, except when you were sounding off about the stupidity of everyone around you.’
Silence.
Phoebe arrived home, unstrapped Spike’s urn, removed the lid and spread his ashes under her rose bushes.
‘Last chance to nourish something, Spike.’
The roses smiled.
Six Crooked Highways 
Not only did the roses smile, but so did I when I reached the end of this piece of flash fiction. A great little tale, Doug. I loved the ending. Well done.
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Thanks, Hugh, much appreciated.
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whoohoo
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I am sure Phoebe smiled too although I have never understood why women put up with men who disrespect them.
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Probably more like grimaced but true. As to the second part of your comment, as a man I’m not touching that with a barge pole. 🙂
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Hahaha.
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Blooms after thorns.
Well done, Sir Doug.
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Thanks, Lady D. 🙂
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An excellent twist!
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Many thanks, Chelsea.
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Great ending Doug. I wasn’t expecting it
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Thanks, Brian
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Catching up slowly Doug. 100 words is bog all to play with and here I see nothing to validate the comment you mentioned. More of that on the email reply.
I think this is solid. We expect the husband to be an actual passenger initially. The merit of the end twist is that’s not entirely true as he’s moved to the clearing at the end of the path (to use a Dark Tower line of Kings). I think the whole point here is to have us thinking exactly that. The twist begins midway when Phoebe feels finally empowered to speak her mind. Met with silence suggests he has no retort too. When we do find he’s in an urn then one can almost feel her relief? Not possible to have a twist without the start methinks.
Mind you if he truly was toxic then maybe the roses wouldn’t best pleased surely 😂
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Thanks, Gary, especially your agreement that the feedback makes no sense. And you’re right about the effect on the roses. In doing some research on another piece, I discovered that created remains should never be scattered anywhere near precious plants because of the toxic effect on Ph levels, high levels of salts etc, which would mean Spike is ruining everything even in death. Methinks a re-write might be necessary. 😉
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Terrible delay getting back Doug. Sincere apologies for that. New direction of “work” involving pub cellars… lockdown, hibernating and trouble shooting has seen a surge of requests. Much quieter now all the beer lines are sleeping soundly.
I did reply to your email with, possibly, a ramble. The feedback you mentioned I’ve gone over many times and still don’t get it. Not one to dwell of methinks for you.
Interesting research too. Does that add a dynamic beyond the grave last word from Spike I wonder. Perhaps not a re-write, but a sequel 😉
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Re-write completed 🙂 https://sixcrookedhighwaysblog.wordpress.com/2020/12/23/spikes-final-resting-place/
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