It’s a taste sensation and a vibrant color — key lime pie. Composed of a graham cracker crust and creamy filling, key lime pie brightens any meal. Small citrus from groves in Florida, key limes are a regional fruit grown in the Florida Keys. Citrus lovers (and those who make key lime pies) claim they are the sweetest of the limes. While it’s not familiar internationally, it is a color you can almost taste it.

Writers took to the prompt brightly going where pies lead.

The following stories are based on the December 5, 2019, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story that includes a key lime pie.

PART I (10-minute read)

Key Lime Pie.0 by christopher lee falcone

In the Beginning, the Earth was without crust or filling.

Then God said: “Let there be Pie.”

And there was Pie.

And the Lord said: “Let there be a division of Pies, between Cream Pies and Pies of Fruit; between Meat Pies, and Pies of Cheese.”

And there became many Pies. And He saw that the Pies were good.

Then, the Devil approached the Throne of Heaven, saying: “Lord, why do you trouble over Pies? For what good is it?”

To where the Lord pitched a key lime pie into the Devil’s eye, saying: “That!”

And the Heavens laughed.

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Tropical Revolution by Faith A. Colburn

Key lime pie tastes of freedom in tropical paradise.

The lime, a citrus hybrid, grows in places like the Florid Keys and the islands of the Caribbean, reminding me of Ernest Hemingway, tucked away in the Keys, writing of the Spanish Civil War, Fidel and Raul Castro, and Che Guevara overthrowing the Batista regime in Cuba. Farther back in time—probably before agronomists developed key limes—the blacks in Haiti rose up in a slave rebellion that freed Haiti from French colonial rule and abolished slavery there.

Do you suppose any of those revolutionaries celebrated with key lime pie?

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Evergreen by Anita Dawes

Beautiful Florida Keys, a string of pearls on warm blue water
So named from the Spanish Cayo, meaning little island
Small sweet key limes said to be the best
Now grown in back gardens, never leaving the islands
As for myself, I know nothing of this famous pie
I have never tasted it, maybe I should give myself a treat
Thing is, I am not known for my cooking
But I know someone who is
I will ask Jaye to cook the family a Key Lime Pie
And having done so, I have to report
Let life be evergreen!

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Just Breathe by Paula Grace

She sat quietly at the window. The heaviness of the news consumed her. All at once, she was both replaying the past and worrying about the future.

“Remember to breathe, Maude.” she heard a voice say from the other room.

Remember to breathe. Just breathe. Inhale. Exhale.

Inhale.

Exhale.

She turned her head to see her friend walking towards her. Key lime pie.

“Here,” she said, “eat something.”

Inhale.

Exhale.

She took the pie and held the delicate china carefully on her lap. It did look good. “Maybe I am hungry?” she thought. She looked at her friend.

“Tea?”

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Key Lime Pie.4 by christopher lee falcone

The professor turned from the board and addressed the class.

“Like so many things in our language, certain sounds can have different meanings, to even encapsulate whole concepts, to the point it defines how you think.” He wrote pi on the board and pointed to the first student, “What’s this mean to you?”

“3.1416.”

“Ah….a mathematician…” Then to the next.

“22/7.”

“An engineer.”

“Funds distributions.”

“An accountant…”

“A sweet delicacy with tea… like key lime pie.”

“Exactly.” Reaching back, he produced a cream pie that he slammed into the student’s face.

“You’ve been served!” He chuckled, wiping his hands.

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Pie R Square by Nancy Brady

Laura was a math teacher; math consumed her life. She always calculated each ingredient in her recipe down to the lowest common denominator.

Her husband’s birthday was tomorrow, March fourteenth, and instead of cake, Daniel wanted pie. Whether blackberry, pumpkin, or lemon meringue, it didn’t matter. He just loved pie.

Laura went to the store to get the fixings. Returning home, she made the crust before assembling the pie filling. She couldn’t calculate the volume of the key limes which frustrated her because they weren’t strictly cylinders, but with the help of her favorite pi, his pie was delicious.

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Key Lime Pie by Sally Cronin

My mother-in-law is coming to dinner tonight with the rest of the family. I am staring at a piece of paper she gave me on her last visit, which provides a step-by-step guide to making the perfect key lime pie. Apparently hers are legendary, and have become a tradition on my husband’s birthday since he was five. Even though we have only been married a few months; I know that his mother will be looking for flaws. Which is why I have made a sherry trifle, a dessert I know my husband loves; a new tradition of our own.

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Key Lime Pie.5 by christopher lee falcone

TV Screen: The bubbly cooking show host raised a pie to chin level, licking her lips. “Oogolie, boogolie….. that’s how we make a key lime pie.” She smiled plastically. He cringed at ‘oogolie boogolie,’ reaching under the pie for support.

‘What if….’ he thought. ‘Naw….’

But his hands didn’t listen: he ground it into her shocked mug, storming off. She wiped herself into a green ghost, flinging pie guts onto the floor.

In the Bar: “… thus ended my Network News career…. now I drive for the pie comp….”

He couldn’t finish: he got hit with a flying cream pie.

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Who Baked? by Ann Edall-Robson

There was nothing modern about the Apple Pie recipes that had been in Liz’s family for generations.

Hanna had said, “No problem.”

Standing in the kitchen shaking her head, Liz could see going to town with Mac had been a big mistake.

No apple pies, no Hanna, only Tal covered in flour, cleaning up, and three large cake dishes filled with…what?

“Where’s Hanna?”

“Barn. Farrier came. ”

“What are these?”

“Key lime pie squares.”

“Where did they come from?”

“I made them.”

Mac started to laugh.

“Looks like you picked the wrong hand for the job this time, Liz.”

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Key Lime Pie by Joanne Fisher

“Whatcha doing?”

“Making a Key Lime Pie.”

“Why?”

“I thought I’d try to make something different.”

“That certainly is different. You never make dessert.”

“Well I do now.”

“I hope it tastes good.”

“Same here. I don’t think they sell key limes here, so I got regular ones.”

“What is a key lime anyway?”

“I really have no idea. I hope these limes will be okay.”

“Well limes are limes.”

“Never was a truer word spoken.”

“There can’t be much difference between a key lime and a regular lime surely?”

“That’s what I’m hoping. And don’t call me Shirley!”

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Sour Puss by Annette Rochelle Aben

“Key limes, schmee limes! I didn’t know there was a difference and now I have to go back to the store!”

Allison was not happy. Her mother asked for 30 key limes for the pie and she bought 30 limes, but they were not key limes. Now she had to not only go back to the store to buy MORE limes, but she also had to take back the ones she lugged home.

Whatever!

Plopping the bag of limes into the basket on her bike, Allison grumbled, “Key limes, schmee limes! Why not just make Grandma a chocolate cake?”

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Sweet and Savory Dessert by Ruchira Khanna

“Could I please have a big slice of key lime pie without whipped cream?”

I skewed my nose, “It would be so tangy without it. How about some vanilla ice-cream on the side, instead?”

“No!” Natalie was loud and clear.

I could still not digest the fact, and snickered at her, “I hope you’re aware that it’s a dessert, not an entree.”

“Mom, why can’t we consider a dessert to be sweet and savory, just like how Life offers us. Happy and not so happy moments in our lives.” my 18-year-old inquired in a severe tone, leaving me speechless.

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Just One Yes by Tracey

“Can I go to Johnney’s house?” “No, I don’t have time to take you.”

“Can I have computer time?” “No, you have math homework.”

“Can I have a snack?” “No, dinner is in less than an hour.”

“Can we have key lime pie on Christmas Eve?” “What? No, we always have pecan pie. It’s tradition.”

All the nos of the day echoed in my head.

“Wait! Yes. Yes we can have key lime pie on Christmas Eve. I love that idea.”

I looked at my son’s beaming smile and just like that my heart didn’t feel quite so tight.

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Makes a Pleasant Change from Christmas Pudding by Anne Goodwin

Every year she gamely tackled Christmas pudding: weeks before in the kitchen; at the table, stomach stuffed, on the day.

She’d do it differently this year.

“It’s green!” whined Grandson.

“There’s no flaming brandy!” groaned his dad.

Spoons clinking on plates, they hardly heard Daughter-in-law cough. Eyes bulging, hands crossed at her throat, her chair fell to the floor as she staggered to her feet. Fortunately, Maiden Aunt was a first aider. She soon Heimliched out a tiny key.

“What the …?”

Such fun hunting for the plum pudding silver sixpence. She’d updated the tradition with key lime pie.

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Key Lime Pie.1 by christopher lee falcone

Me : My next Carrot Ranch story is about key lime pie….I was thinking clowns….

Sis: No clowns ….fangul i clown

Me: Ok… how about this…1890s…Boardroom of Borden Foods, interviewing, “Aunt Sally”, creator of the latest dessert fad…a delicious lime pie with whipped cream…. from the Curry Mansion of Key West, Florida….
Guess where this goes….

Sis: No fucking clowns…

Me: “We’ll call it Key Lime Pie, because no one outside of India is going to want Curry Pie”

A pie flies and hits the chairman, who yells: “Curry, not cherry pie, you buffoon! ”

Sis: i knew it! Fucking clowns…

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Key Lime Pie.6 by christopher lee falcone

The pies were almost gone. Every clown was laughing, covered with whipped cream, filling, pie crusts sticking out of wigs.

The Italian troup manager stormed in, yelling, “Hey! Whatsa matta you? Thosa piesza fora da show! Now theys alla gona!”

“Not this one…” honked Bibo, face crushing the manager with a key lime pie, pan falling to reveal a slimy green ectomonster.

“Whatta you do? You ruina my besta suita!”

Silence, then howling laughter as pies from every direction pelted the flustered showman.

“Now they’re all gone…” piped in Bozo as the manager stormed off, swearing: “…stronzi pagliacci cazzo!”

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Do We Take Her for Granted by Susan Sleggs

“Doesn’t your sister-in-law usually bring you a key-lime pie on your birthday?”

“Yes. She must’ve forgotten.”

“After doing it for more than ten years, probably not. Should we call and ask if everything is all right?”

“Don’t interfere.”

“She’s always doing something for us and your family. I hate to admit, I don’t even remember her kids’ names. That’s awful.”

“Then you call her.”

***

“She did forget because her kids have been having medical problems. She was so happy I inquired and said she was sorry. Maybe we’re the ones who are wrong for not paying more attention.”

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Keepsake by D. Avery

“Ilene, here’s a recipe card pinned inside the cupboard. Is this something special? Keep or toss?”
lene examined the yellowed index card. “It’s just my mother’s key lime pie recipe.”

“Key lime pie?”

“My mother said key lime pie made every occasion special. The funny thing is, none of us really liked it. But she seemed to love making it for us, so we always just ate it and smiled. Bleck. I hope to never eat key lime pie again.”

“Here, I’ll toss it in the trash.”

“No Marge, this is a good recipe. I want to keep this.”

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Memories by Colleen M. Chesebro

“I hate lemon pie.”

Susie pouted; her arms folded across her chest.

“You love Key Lime pie,” her mother reasoned. “It was gran’s favorite. Remember, we decided to celebrate the Winter Solstice as if she was still with us?”

“Not me. If I eat that pie it means gran is really gone.” Tears leaked down the child’s face mimicking the raindrops sliding down the window.

Her mother pulled Susie into her arms in a tight hug.

“Eating Gran’s favorite dessert is our way of honoring her memory.”

Susie sniffed. “I miss her.”

“Me, too. She’s always in our heart.”

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PART II (10-minute read)

New Baby Born Dessert by Kirti Sehgal

“Hi, egg!’’

“Hi Mr. Milk”

“I’m so bored, because Larissa used me only in cakes.”

“Oh! I can suggest you to be used in other dish.”

“Please change into your condensed form.”

“Abra ka Dabra shoooo! See I have changed myself.”

“Now, call the key ingredient from the refrigerator”

Milk misunderstood and calls an ingredient named with ‘Key’

“Come Mr. Milk and Miss Key ingredient. Jump into this bowl.”

The egg also jumps into it. Then a spoon puts all the stuff on a crust.

“Hide, Larissa is coming” All Said

Larissa- Oh! what’s that, a KEY LIME PIE

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The Pie Contest by Norah Colvin
The instructions demanding no sampling until after judging challenged Jack as he proceeded along the tables. With hands clasped behind his back, he read the labels: key lime, desert cherry, lemon myrtle … He paused at his favourite — Christmas pie. A splinter of crust on the cloth spoiled the sumptuous display, he reasoned. Though using the utmost discretion, he was caught and banished to the corner. The harshest possible punishment already dispensed, he grabbed the pie and shoved it into his mouth. Once seated, he thumbed his nose at the other judges who succumbed and followed him into temptation.

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Key Lime Pie.3 by christopher lee falcone

Pies were flying everywhere: cream, fruit, pumpkin, even meat and fish pies. Chuckles got hit square in nose with a banana creme, Zippy on the head with an apple. They got Giggles with a double earshot of cherry and coconut cream, Jangles with a butt shot of chocolate pudding. Lemon merengue was the fate of Schnicklefritz, while Kookoo met his match with meat pies to the mug. Pennywise stopped before he threw….

“Mmm…Key lime pie… my favorite! ”

Then, Buffo the Dwarf snuck underneath and walloped the Dancing Clown with a chin shot, bright green ooze dripping down like blood.

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Sampling by Kerry E.B. Black

Kiesha’s mouth dropped. “Were you hungry, honey?”

Barney shrugged. “It benefited a good cause, and the pies’re from my favorite shop.”

“Yes, but what’re we going to do with all these?”

Barney swallowed a piece of peach and shrugged. “Eat them.”

Kiesha glared, dwarfed by a stack of boxes. “They’ll grow stale before we can eat them all.” She squinted at the boxes. “Why don’t we take some to the shelter?”

Barney plated a piece of lime pie. He spoke around a bite. “Sure.”

“Barney, how’re we taking these to the shelter now? You’ve taken a piece from each!”

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Key Lime Pie by Donna Matthews

“You got cherry pie?” the customer next to me asks the waitress.

“Afraid not hon,” she replies.

“What about apple pie?”

“Sorry hon, how about some key lime pie instead?”

“Key lime pie!? I don’t like key limes! I don’t even know what a key lime is.”

Leaning forward, she whispers, “Have you tried this key lime pie?”

No, and I get so mad when people ask if I’ve tried something. Just cause I don’t know something doesn’t mean I can’t have an opinion about it.”

Eyebrows raised, she tries, “Pecan pie?”

“No, I don’t like those pe-cans either.”

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Key Lime Pie.7 by christopher lee falcone

The foragers weren’t doing well: two got bit, had to be offed. One went crazy, jumped off a roof, then had to be re-offed after turning.

Two remained, fighting hard to raid the bakery.

They found only a single key lime pie.

“What the hell is this, Amos? I hate key lime pie!” Handing it to his partner. “All that fighting over nothing.”

“Wanna see closer, Jake?” He then pie-slammed Jake’s face, deep zombie bites seething on his forearm.

Amos turned zombie, eating face before Jake could off him. Amos wanted Jake’s yummy pink brains, not green pie filling.

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Sisters (from “Lynn Valley”) by Saifun Hassam

It was Saturday morning at the Lynn Valley Farmers Market. The tantalizing aroma of key lime filled Hannah’s restaurant kitchen. Aunt Sarah was baking pies for the Children’s Library fund drive for books.

Sarah remembered wistfully the heady fragrance of lime, lemon, and orange groves in the early mornings in Keyside Quays. She had left Lynn Valley many years ago, to teach at the Keyside Junior College. She met Don, and Keyside became her home.

When Don passed away, Sarah returned to Lynn Valley, to be closer to her sister Bev, and her two favorite nieces, Hannah and Carol.

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The King by H.R.R. Gorman

Aunt Shoo put the final dollop of meringue atop the key lime pie. She placed it back in the oven to bake the meringue top.

I watched through the glass window – small back in those days – at the caramelizing sugar. “Aunt Shoo,” I asked, “What’s a key lime?”

“Well,” Aunt Shoo replied, bending closer to my tender height, “It’s the kind of lime Elvis liked, and it makes the kind of pie Elvis liked, so it has to be the best.”

“Who’s this ‘Elvis’?”

Her face blanched. “Come with me,” she said before leading me upstairs to her shrine.

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Curious Shoes by Charli Mills

Jena Warbeck found new shoes in the cupboard under the sink with her cleaning supplies – organic sage scents and purple dust-cloths. The shoes sat in a wreath of woven willow, soft brown leather and handstitched. She stood up and saw the beings with smeared features watching her from underneath the leaf-barren maple. They wavered like a wet mirage. Jena felt no fear. Only peace like when she relaxed with a cup of peppermint tea. Had they left the curious gift in exchange for nabbing her key lime pie? When they evaporated, a raven flew off with the pie tin.

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Pie Noir by Kelley Farrell

It was a dark and stormy night. He was disheveled and slammed my door, something I hated.

I couldn’t stay mad. He was cool, real cool.

“I need your help. My pie’s been stolen. I’m told you’re the one for the job.”

I nodded and scribbled over my notepad like I was taking notes. “Pie. Got it.”

“It was key lime.”

My mouth watered at the mention of key lime pie. I’d found one earlier that afternoon abandoned on a table outside my favorite coffee shop.

“Will you help me?”

“Of course. But first, do you want some pie?”

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#55 Key Rate Duration by Ruchira Khanna

There was a calm to the evening. Until I remembered I needed to call my Mom back…

“Hi Mom, …No I didn’t have to go to the emergency room. Clara came by. …Yes the traveling vet. …Do you know how hard it is going to be to walk Dawg on a leash for a week or longer? …From his perspective it may seem like I’m punishing him for all the wonderful things he’s helping me to find. ….The latest – a set of old skeleton keys. …What you’re indulging in Key Lime pie? Please describe each trace morsel you’re eating…”

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That Dessert Will Be the Death of Me by Geoff Le Pard

‘What we got, Rog?’

‘Suspicious death. Victim was suffocated. No sign of the perp.’

‘Strangled? Gas? Drowning.’

‘Looks like the last one only…’

‘Only…?’

‘Not the usual sort, you know in water?’

‘Go on.’

‘The forensics guys say his airways were blocked…’

‘Rog, what are you saying…’

‘Biscuits.’

‘You can’t drown in biscuits. That’s complete…’

‘Biscuit crumbs, you know like a cheese cake base.’

‘Not another New York…?’

‘Different topping. They’ve having it tested, but the smell… oh heck, it has to be the Pie Killer.’

‘Vanilla? Chocolate?’

‘Citrus.’

‘Ah ha. So the lime is the key this time?’

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Key Lime Pie.9  by christopher lee falcone

The Outworlders were getting frustrated.

“Take us to the makers of this energy source….” electro-droned the translator. They handed the farmer a key lime pie, admonishing, “Please! Our people suffer.”

“What? Y’all don’t like Auntie May’s famous Key Lime Pie?” He scowled at the skinny aliens. “It’s tart… but it might could put some meat on y’all’s bones.” He chuckled, taking the pie.

“This energy source is composed of our spawn.” Squawked the box. “Cease or we destroy your planet!”

“Cease this, green man!” He jammed the pie square into the alien’s face.

And that’s how Pie Wars started…

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Key Lime Pie.2 by christopher lee falcone

The control room was tense: zero hour was now….

Technicians coordinated, tacticians triangulated, coordinators communicated, while the scowling general paced impatiently.

The Code Word: Key Largo Port.

The general barked, “Get me the commander…”, to a chorus of ‘roger’.

“On my mark, … three… two… one… commence Operation Key Lime Pie!”

“What? “, crackled the comm.

‘What?’, shrugged the staff.

“Are you deaf? I said, commence Operation Key Lime Pie, dammit!”

“Roger.” Sang the personnel.

An arm reached out and shoved a pie into the general’s face, uniform splattered bright green.

“Damn you, colonel Pennywise! That was for the Officers Banquet!”

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Key Lime Pie by FloridaBorne

“You can’t live in Florida without making key lime pie, Sheila!”

“What’s that?”

“Scrape off one teaspoon of the rind, then squeeze out half a cup of key lime juice, throw it into the blender with 2 eggs and a can of sweetened condensed milk, pour that into a Dollar General graham cracker crust, put it into a toaster oven for 15 minutes, and then refrigerate.”

“I prefer hot apple pie,” Sheila said. “Up north, mom heated our house
making pies and roasted chestnuts on the coldest days.”

“Bet you tried to plant a chestnut tree, too,” I mumbled.

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The Key Lime Pie Blues by Bill Engleson

Went to old Key West
Many years ago.
Lovin’ was the best
That I’d ever know.

No matter what I do,
How hard I try,
I can’t shake her
Or her key lime pie.

She took me in
And she fed me well.
Took me to her bed
For quite a spell.

She glowed in the sun,
Sparkled in the sea.
When she was done
There was less of me.

No matter what I do
Or how hard I try,
I can’t shake her
Or her key lime pie.
No, I can’t shake her
Or her key lime pie.

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Outlawed Pies by D. Avery’s Kid

“Kid, we’re not gittin’ writ this time aroun’. D.Avery’s done painted hersef inta a corner procrastinatin’ work deadlines.”

“She’s busy workin’ jist now?”

“Yep.”

“Huh. I’ll have ta step up, though I prefer shovelin’ cow pies ta key lime.

Once upon a time it was a dark and stormy night. The evil king had outlawed pies, except for apple pie made with Northern Spy apples and white flour.

Meanwhile, deep in the forest and far from the swamp, the Key Lime Princess practiced civil disobedience, producing her green pies as peaceful as you please. And carrot cake. The end.

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