18 Comments
User's avatar
Phil Rot's avatar

The Trash Man

By Phil Rot (me)

The trash man comes, tin can in hand, his mind imbued with lithium crystal, his eyes sharpened stones of hot, amber bile. He pulls a marmot kidney out of his bin and places it in your hands, saying:

“With 10-10-321 you can save 50% on calls over ten minutes.”

Expand full comment
Lia's avatar

The only copy of my husband's manuscript was on a flash drive, unnoticed and unlabeled in my cluttered desk drawer. After the fire, I became frantic, thinking I'd somehow accidentally thrown it in the trash. I popped the drive into my laptop one day, and the book appeared. A miracle!

Expand full comment
Miguel S.'s avatar

Miracle indeed

Expand full comment
K.M. Bennett's avatar

I strike out with my fingers, stretching and digging with my nails until there's a rip. Light hits me. The air hurts as it enters my lungs. I've drawn someone's attention. Feet careen down the hall as I slough off the black trash bag. Despite it all, I'm still alive.

Expand full comment
Teyani Whitman's avatar

Whoa! Miguel! I didn’t see that one coming!

Expand full comment
Chris J. Franklin's avatar

PROMPT: TRASH

THE DINNER PARTY

He’d fed us well that night.

It was practically a banquet.

“You must’ve spent a fortune”, we said.

“Actually, it cost nothing”, he told us, “You’d be surprised how much perfectly good food Supermarkets throw away in the trash.”

Instantly, we all went pale.

“Now who wants dessert?” he said… 😎

Expand full comment
svndavn's avatar

The pirates threw the trash into the sea.

A cunning thief who’d swiped their jewels and gold.

But a sea fairy fluttered towards him, lifting him out of the thunderous depths. He was a handsome young man and she liked to collect pretty things.

Human trash.

A fairy’s new treasure.

Expand full comment
Logan the Lobotomizer's avatar

“Compactor”

Cries of a girl boomed from the other side of the grime-covered iron door. Moldy walls surrounded Sam. The air tasted like sewage. Bile rose in his throat as he contemplated opening the door. Sam never believed the stories until now. He took a breath, then punched the start button.

Expand full comment
Nick Winney's avatar

nice one! why didnt i think of that!

Expand full comment
Richbee's avatar

Space is for trash. There’s lotsa room. Collection of titanium tiles and digital reflectors power probes; laser fiber optic communications that double speak star forces , the dreams of destruction that fall by the wayside. What goes up comes down billion dollar garbage lost and found.

Expand full comment
Nick Winney's avatar

The moment I set eyes on the little shivering bag o' bones, Louie knew he'd got me.

"Where d'ya find him, son?"

"Just dumped in the trash behind the 7/11...Can we ... keep him?"

The kitten squeaked.

"Do we call him Trash, or Treasure?"

"Trash!" said Louie

"maow" squeaked Trash.

Expand full comment
Chris J. Franklin's avatar

Very nice! 😎

Expand full comment
Miguel S.'s avatar

Cute 🥹

Expand full comment
Nick Winney's avatar

you broke my horror bones with all your sentimentality, i hope you're happy now! 😉

Expand full comment
Scott MacLeod's avatar

I eat four-star restaurant fare every night, gratis. Haven’t paid for an outfit in years. Might get the odd bauble for my efforts.

Speculating I’m a thief? A celeb devouring perks? Nope. Your mind in the gutter? Well, I’m no whore.

I’m a dumpster diver. And a damn good one.

Expand full comment
Miguel S.'s avatar

haha that's a fun take Scott!

Expand full comment
Nick Winney's avatar

clever

Expand full comment
Miguel S.'s avatar

Thank you 😁

Expand full comment