This may sound silly, but before you study about writing short stories, do some deep research about cast iron skillets. You’ll be surprised what you learn, and it will ultimately make your short story more substantial. Plus, you may discover enough material to write a nice non-fiction piece on skillets. (I feel certain there’s a publication somewhere that might be interested in that.) Here’s a start: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cast-iron_cookware