Write a Short Story. It must be a Complete Story Using Dialog Only.
Herbie, the Worm
by C.J. Heck
“Hey Colin, why are you sad?”
“Hi Grammy. (sniffle) I’m sad ‘cause Jeffy was here.”
“Your friend, Jeffy, from school?”
“Yeah, but he’s not my friend anymore.”
“Col, did you and Jeffy have an argument?”
“Well, sorta. I don’t like him anymore.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
(giving a hug)
“Yeah. I mean NO. (sniff) I don’t want to.”
“Okay. Col, just tell me, did Jeffy hurt you?”
“No, Gram, he didn’t hurt me.”
(sniffle-sniffle)
“Good. I’m glad. That makes me feel better.”
“But Gram, (sniffle) he did something bad and I don’t like him. I showed him the worm I found. He was a good worm. I named him and everything. His name was Herbie and he was my friend.”
(wipes nose on shirt)
“It’s good to have a tiny friend.”
(crying)
“But I don’t have Herbie anymore. Jeffy squished him. I told Jeffy, ‘You can’t squeeze a worm, it will die’, but he didn’t listen to me!”
(sniffle)
“Colin, that IS sad. I would probably cry, too.”
“You would? You would cry, too, Gram?”
“Sure I would. It’s always sad when someone, or something, we care about is gone. We miss them and we’re sad, because we care.”
“Thanks, Grammy.”
“You’re welcome, Colin. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
CJ, thanks for sharing this story. The conversation between Colin and his Grammy feels genuine and touching. Grandparents are always so sweet and gentle.
Cute story about a worm!