avatarEva MacInnes

Summary

Deanna, a skilled pickpocket who can blend into any crowd, struggles with the compulsion to escalate her thefts, leading to her own vanishing act.

Abstract

The narrative "Sleight of Hand" revolves around Deanna, a master pickpocket with a unique ability to become unnoticeable in public, allowing her to effortlessly steal wallets and amass significant sums of money. Despite her success, she is driven by an insatiable desire to outdo herself, leading to riskier endeavors in the subways at all hours. This relentless pursuit of higher stakes culminates in her own mysterious disappearance, suggesting that her talent for being unseen became a literal reality. The story, a drabble of exactly 100 words, is part of the "1 Random Word Drabble Challenge" with the word of the day being "DISAPPEAR," and is authored by Eva MacInnes, who invites readers to engage with her work and offers a platform for further exploration of her writing, including subscriptions and support through donations.

Opinions

  • The author, Eva MacInnes, presents Deanna's story as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked ambition and the potential consequences of living a life of crime.
  • The narrative implies that Deanna's invisibility, while a useful tool for her illicit activities, may also be a metaphor for her disconnection from society and the isolation that can accompany a life of deception.
  • The use of the daily drabble prompt and the inclusion of the word "DISAPPEAR" showcase the author's ability to weave a compelling narrative within the constraints of a specific word count and theme.
  • The invitation for reader responses and the provision of links to more of the author's work indicate a desire to foster a community of engaged readers and to build a rapport with her audience.
  • The suggestion to buy the author an iced latte as a form of support reflects a modern approach to monetizing creative work and engaging with fans in a more personal and immediate way.

DRABBLE | RANDOM | FICTION | FLASH FICTION | FICTION SHORTS

Sleight of Hand

The art of the pickpocket…

Photo by Eddi Aguirre on Unsplash

Deanna could easily make a few thousand dollars in a single afternoon by relieving people of their wallets. No one ever noticed her, she was able to disappear into any crowd. She was practically invisible.

It was a gift she’d had since childhood. And as an adult she realized that she could use it to line her pockets.

But it was never enough. She had to top each score with an even bigger one. She was prowling the subways at all hours. But it was a game that she would never win, because one day Deanna began to disappear altogether.

This daily drabble prompt 1 Random Word Drabble Challenge is by Nancy Oglesby in Fiction Shorts. The word of the day is DISAPPEAR.

Thank you for reading my drabble. I’d love to hear your responses.

You can check out some more of my writing and follow me here. (She, Her) I am a writer, an artist and a freelance editor. I write a little bit of everything, whatever is on my mind at the moment. Get an email when I publish a new story. And you could buy me an iced latte if the mood strikes.

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