Flash Fiction Friday: More

Flash Friday Fiction: 

150 words +/- 10 words, Challenge to use a famous author w/inspiration of picture

 “More”

Two hands come together urgently making the sign, “More.”

“His name is E-R-B or Erb,” the director said. “He was Tarzan. He’s smart. Learned to sign by watching us teach others; that’s when he became E-R-B.”

In the background, repeatedly, finger tips come together, “More, more.”

“I get it, Extra Rare Brain, E-R-B!” the assistant giggled.

“Nope, an English major cleaning his cage called him E-R-B for Edgar Rice Burroughs. Said Burroughs wrote “Tarzan of the Apes” and was better than his peers. The name became Erb during the marijuana experiments.” 

Erb beats on the door. “More, more?”

The director continues, “Erb has addiction problems: drinking, smoking, drugs, sugar. He’s better at bad habits than we are. He’s smart and that made him important to our breeding program. Now, he needs that too.”

“Couldn’t that be done artificially?”

“More! More! More,” Erb’s hands scream!

The old man answers with remorse, “My old friend would still scream . . . .”