100 Word Story: Locked Up

Because Randolph has his jaw wired shut, he is forced to refuse the kind offer of a ham and cheese sandwich. He tries to ask for a milkshake or a protein shake, even better, but the words between his clenched teeth are flat and flavorless. The lady brings him a carton of chocolate milk with a straw. He unwraps the straw and opens the carton. The milk tastes like tables and the sawdust the janitor would spread on the lunchroom floor when a sick kid came to school. The lady brings him a second carton even though he didn’t ask.