12 Violent Vignettes

1. Major Hargadine

Major Hargadine switched the toggles that released the bombs. In less than two minutes he would be ten miles away and ten people would be dead.

2. Coot Killer

It was only a joke, he didn't expect or want to hit anything. However, after flinging the length of rebar, he watched it spin gracefully and directly into the raft of coots. With an abrupt, truncated squawk, one coot expired.

3. At Church

"He deserves it..." justified the boy to himself as he fitted the u-shaped paper clip fragment onto the rubber band. Then, fitting the rubber band between his thumb and index finger, he drew back, aimed at the geek's unsightly, out-stuck ear, drew back and released. At church, you could get away with that kind of behavior.

4. The Dog

The dog, somewhat aware of the danger paused tensely in the middle of the road to let the car pass. As it passed, the driver opened, clipping the dog and sending it tumbling.

5. Sports Pariah

Chubby and uncoordinated, Ryan was always the last one to be picked for sports at school. Taylor, indignant that Dan be placed on his team, tripped Ryan as he ran for the ball.

6. First Hunt

Already fatally injured, the doe lunged madly to escape from the brush that entangled her. The boy watched in awe as his brother raised his rifle, took aim and shot.

7. Four Women

The man administered powerful blows with the broom handle. The little girl screamed and gasped with each impact. Two women watched silently, with resigned faces. Across the dirt street and a few houses down, a missionary said to his partner, ¿"Hagamos algo, Elder"? "No," answered the other, "Mejor no."

8. The Hen and the Train

Confused by the engulfing rumble of the diesel train, the hen dashed across the tracks, crossed back, and crossed again. Half way through a further attempt to cross back, the hen's head and wing were pinched off by the wheels of the train. A passer by watched its mangled body dance between the rolling wheels.

9. Pwnage

The uncle-in-law savagely pwnd his nephew at halo.

10. Across the Snowy Canyon

The hunter fired round after round across a snowy canyon until a cow elk dropped from the fleeing herd. Blood trails indicated that the cow wasn't the only one that was hit.

11. Student Gunman

Compelled by rage and the sheer excitement of his plan, the student sounded his grade school's fire alarm. Then, he ran outside, crossing the playground where his school mates would soon assemble. He hid in a nearby clump of bushes where he had cached a gun.

12. Time Constraints

Time constraints have prevented me from writing a twelfth vignette. So we'll fit the bill by assuming that the vignette died violently somehow.