June 2024 Flash Lit 8.1 - Dragonfruit

Elliot looked skeptical.  He poked at the seedy fruit with his finger.

“Just try it,” his mom said.  “If you don’t like it, you don’t have to eat it.”

 

The outside of the fruit was pink and scaly.  It did not look friendly.

 

“We all need to try new things sometimes,” Elliot’s mom encouraged.

 

Elliot blinked at her.  His world was full of new things, all the time.  This week he’d had his first swimming lesson, his first play date with Henry, a kid who was going to start kindergarten with him, and his first sesame candy.  He liked the swimming and the candy.

 

But right now, he wanted a familiar banana and then he wanted to watch Sesame Street under his old blue blanket with the worn satin edging.

 

“One bite,” his mom said.

 

Bravely, Elliot stabbed the dragon fruit with his spoon.  He ate a bite of its inside.  It did not taste like dragons.  Elliot was glad.

 

“Banana please,” he said.