joeislove's 100-word story for April 15, 2025

joeislove wrote the following micro-story on Hectalex on April 15, 2025. Each story on Hectalex is inspired by a daily visual prompt and must be exactly 100 words.

He was always well-dressed, the man in the stairway. We would pass often, coming and going, and I would notice: his crisply-pressed suit, the neatly brushed hat, his tied knotted in a perfectly symmetrical Plattsburgh. We never spoke, only a slight glance and a cursory nod. And if I noticed once or twice the automatic pistol with the silencer screwed on dangling in the shoulder holster, or occasional blood spots on his otherwise impeccable calfskin gloves, I never said anything. Never would. He was a good neighbor, and what a man does for a living is none of my business.

Want to write flash fiction like this? Join the daily challenge at Hectalex.com and discover how powerful 100 words can be.