Sue
“Hello folks and welcome! I’m your host Max Maxim and what time is it?” The same fake studio audience recording that had been used for the last twenty years cheered and applauded. “That’s right, it’s time for tomorrow’s weather.” With the pencil thin microphone in his right hand, he walked ten steps to his left. There in the middle of the stage was a wheel standing up right. The wheel was divided into pendant shaped wedges. The wheel itself was black with white lettering on each pendant with a weather pattern on it.
“Yesterday, Connie spun the wheel and we had perfect weather. It was sunny and mild.” Max smiled a wide smile showing off perfect white teeth. “I don’t know about you; I spent the day at the beach.” The fake audience cheered again.
“Sue, come on up.” He motioned wildly for Sue to join him.
It took a full minute for her to join him on stage. “Don’t be scared.” He tried to genuinely comfort her. “We all have to do it, you know.” When she made it inside the camera frame, he spoke softly. “Is this your first spin?” She nodded yes. “Give the wheel a good spin.”
To look at it, the wheel looked heavy and Sue was scared that she wouldn’t be able to get it to go all the way around. The pointer was still sitting on the pendant from last night, sunny and mild. Wouldn’t it be great if she could spin the same wedge?
Max looked at her with great sympathy.
Sue held her breath, closed her eyes and gave the wheel a great spin. It was lighter than she imagined.
The room filled with the sound of the pointer hitting the pegs.
Slower.
Slower.
Slower.
After what felt like an eternity, the clicking stopped. Max took a deep breath, “light snow. There you have it folks, light snow. Break out the boots and sweaters.” The fake audience was now a mixture of cheers and boos as Sue ran from the stage.
Sue ran straight home. As she was running down the street; someone yelled at her, “I hate snow, BITCH!” Did someone throw something at her? She perceived an object whizzing through her peripheral vision.
Her heart was racing as she slammed the door shut, sliding down the door to the floor.
Her mom sank in the floor with her. “Light snow ain’t so bad.”
“Someone threw something at me.” She panted through sobs.
Poetry & More 
Ooh, what a gripping little tale, Chico’s Mom! ❄️ The fake studio audience, the dreaded wheel, poor Sue running home in fear so tense and inventive. That last line left me wanting more! Brilliantly done.
Love & Hugs
Khadija 💕🤗
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Thank you so much. 💕 I’m glad you’re enjoying it. There are five or six parts to this short story.
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Oh, there’s MORE?! 💕 I’m thrilled!
That cliffhanger ending makes perfect sense now you’ve built a whole world here, and Sue’s story is just beginning. I can’t wait to read the rest and see where this vending-machine-wheel dystopia takes us! Thank you for creating something this gripping and original! 🎡
Love & Hugs
Khadija 💕🤗
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