Word Diet - short stories with less calories

Beginning, Middle, End

The three women scuttled about the kitchen, each busy with their individual tasks for the evening meal. Watching them, you might assume that they were performing a well-rehearsed routine, one repeated many times over the years; but that would be incorrect, for although they were not old, they were certainly not young. In fact, it was very difficult to say just how old they were, but they all appeared to be healthy women of about age 30.

But that ambiguity of age creates a secret, and secrets are mysterious, right?

"At long last, the end of summer is here..." said Belinda the oldest.

"...and we can begin to enjoy cooler weather..." followed Bridget, the middle.

"...as we start preparing for the harvest:" concluded Brenda, the youngest.

The three women always spoke this way, with each, in turn, adding a part to every sentence, thus, completing every thought in sequence. You see, the three women were sisters, more specifically, they were triplets.

Now, you have probably heard of twins who finish each other's sentences, and occasionally married couples (but marriage usually develops a need to have the last word). However, in triplets, this is a very unusual phenomenon. But, as they say, nature knows best, and being very logical, nature worked it all out so that the sisters didn't step on each other's words when speaking, or get in each other's way when working.

Belinda was born first, so she was the beginning.

Bridget was born second, so she was the middle.

Brenda was born last, so she was the end.

Just that simple.

The three sisters sat down to eat. It was a basic table, but they grew or raised everything they needed on their farm. They were mainstays at the town's farmers market, where they sold fruits and vegetables, jams and jellies, and pies to both townies and tourists - naturally, at very different prices!

Locals viewed them as cute, odd, or strange trending toward suspicious; nevertheless, they were an accepted part of the local scene.

"We need to move..." stated Belinda.

"...the car out of the barn..." inserted Bridget.

"...first thing in the morning:" finished Brenda.

They all nodded in agreement.

The car took up valuable storage space that they would need for the harvest. 

"Let's feed Henry..."

"then we can play Spades..."

"...with a nice glass of sherry."

The sisters dumped the meal scraps into a large bowl, then they finished cleaning up and took the bowl downstairs to the cellar. The stairs creaked and shifted as the lone 40-watt bulb swayed while doing its best to keep the darkness at bay.

In the center of the damp cellar was a man chained to a large wooden column. His clothing was torn and he had dirt and dried blood on his face.

"What are you going to do with me?" he croaked.

His plea was met with silent stares.

"ANSWER ME!"

Silent stares.

"ONE OF YOU ANSWER ME DAMN IT!" he screamed in fear and pain.

"Do you want to know the beginning..."

"the middle..."

"or the end?"