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Bullet Mark is a short piece of flash fiction written by Alison Little, exploring the quiet violence of memory, scars, and what remains after impact. This evocative short story uses spare, lyrical language to trace the journey of a single bullet and the permanent mark it leaves behind, making it ideal for readers searching for contemporary flash fiction about trauma, survival, and lasting damage.
My pair has a bullet mark in it.
It was shot a long time ago.
The scar is small—the entrance wound. Neat. Almost polite. If I turned the pair around, I would see the truth of it: the ruin, the wide and torn exit, where the bullet finally lost its patience.
It slipped in with needle-point precision, then wandered. Curved. Hesitated. It wound itself through the soft interior, scrunching the flesh, churning against the hard, quiet core, as if searching for something worth destroying.
The exit came full throttle.
It took as much of the pair with it as it could carry.
What remains is a mouth that never closes—a memory punched clean through time, and left behind for life.
Recommended for readers & writers
The Bullet, a memoir by Tom Lee, explores many of the same themes as this piece in greater depth.
Tom Lee
The Creative Writing Masterclass is an excellent starting point for anyone looking to develop their skills in flash fiction.
If you enjoyed the mood and tone of Bullet Mark, Supergrass – Kiss of Life features the track “Bullet” along with many others that invite reflection.
Kiss of Life
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