tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4971640284385334352023-11-16T06:27:20.617-06:00J.F. Juzwik's BlogA place where writers who love crime fiction and horror can discuss different facets of writing, and the various components that make up a story. Readers are more than welcome too. Let's discuss what you like to see in these tales of mystery, suspense and terror. Included also will be news about upcoming contests, links to great crime, noir, and horror tales, and a review or two.Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275503653927579472noreply@blogger.comBlogger319125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-497164028438533435.post-36221217957363362642022-05-02T17:05:00.001-05:002022-05-02T17:26:23.935-05:00The Removal Man by R. J. Parker - A Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7WWUlruM6XC8k0TCRAvv4dJQ792_e93lpx79UnUpsp-KAvyOUJW9N4m5SpCDpEFHGipf_AJvsnn_xC4UGrrY5Fkrc-11nGWZ6tmT8xbk4CTp05ymfZJMGfCR8Xgp2UGpo3aDxWELVipE58jO4BUzTVDORYbV_m9O7rISDER_t4Cxvry9JcNXGqbJq/s218/The%20Removal%20Man%20Cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="218" data-original-width="143" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7WWUlruM6XC8k0TCRAvv4dJQ792_e93lpx79UnUpsp-KAvyOUJW9N4m5SpCDpEFHGipf_AJvsnn_xC4UGrrY5Fkrc-11nGWZ6tmT8xbk4CTp05ymfZJMGfCR8Xgp2UGpo3aDxWELVipE58jO4BUzTVDORYbV_m9O7rISDER_t4Cxvry9JcNXGqbJq/w206-h314/The%20Removal%20Man%20Cover.jpg" width="206" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Moving into a new house is a very exciting experience. You
plan how each room will be furnished, and where you will store all of your personal
treasures. Your goal is to do everything you can to make this home all your
very own. But, while you’re choosing which wallpaper pattern you would like to
hang in the family room, do you ever wonder about the people who have lived in
this house before you? No? You’ll be sorry.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<p class="MsoNormal">Rose and her son Noah are currently in the process of moving
out of their home. Their belongings and all their memories of living in this
house are packed away now. The moving company has already removed the large
items, and the rest are sealed up in stacks of boxes. Life took a turn for them
both, and the time has come to leave the past behind and look toward a new
future for them both.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Noah wants to spend their last night camping outside in the yard
– something he’s always enjoyed. Rose relaxes with some wine in the house and
comfortably drifts off to sleep. She awakens to Noah banging on the window for
her to let him in the house because someone is out there in the yard. Rose
looks around outside and reassures him there’s no one out there. Then she
realizes that the ‘someone’ is inside the house.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">She and Noah go to the border wall at the property’s edge,
planning to climb over to escape the threat. As she reaches for her son, he is
suddenly pulled underground, and so begins the nightmare. Rose and Noah end up
in a fight for their lives on this night. But, where is Noah now, who took him,
and why?</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Removal Man will leave you breathless with every turn of
the page. R. J. Parker has crafted a dark tale of hope and loss, of trust and
betrayal, and of life and death. You will fight to survive alongside Rose and Noah,
but stay close – don’t let them get out of sight. You definitely don’t want to
have to face this night alone.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">You can find The Removal Man <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Removal-Man-absolutely-gripping-suspense-ebook/dp/B08QVG1KXG/ref=sr_1_1?crid=CILJA3ZS23GL&keywords=the+removal+man+book&qid=1651528974&sprefix=%2Caps%2C327&sr=8-1" target="_blank">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></p></div><p><br /> </p>Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275503653927579472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-497164028438533435.post-45721790059844501552021-07-15T16:47:00.002-05:002021-07-15T16:49:31.609-05:00Murder is Our Business (Turner Hahn and Frank Morales Case Files Book 1) by B.R. Stateham - A Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmSAOQ3V6Zfh46VaJAacqZ9SVyNotRS-M2fp-8unCPI8DWYOJGwG9mcGAFnToBfVIdCy_7SafxQGfy3x6CHbSeAHt_q4tLS8eXXUOE4l_lNzPtChf6e4zEbNaDrHNcUJdwywm-qhXvt-Y/s218/murder+is+our+business.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="218" data-original-width="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmSAOQ3V6Zfh46VaJAacqZ9SVyNotRS-M2fp-8unCPI8DWYOJGwG9mcGAFnToBfVIdCy_7SafxQGfy3x6CHbSeAHt_q4tLS8eXXUOE4l_lNzPtChf6e4zEbNaDrHNcUJdwywm-qhXvt-Y/s0/murder+is+our+business.jpg" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>Turner Hahn and Frank Morales are two detectives who work out of the South Side Precinct in the Homicide Division. Turner resembles a movie star from the days when Hollywood was golden, and Frank? Well, let's just say that Stephen King would be Frank's creator's biggest fan. He is scary big, he is intentionally or unintentionally intimidating (depending on the circumstances), and he is brilliant. He is also the perfect partner for Turner, whose dashing good looks and analytical aptitude blend seamlessly with the monolith that is Frank.</p><p>Murder is Our Business provides a peek into their case files. There are ten stories that range from twisted to diabolical, and everything in between. As you make your way through their accounts of crime and retribution, you will share their experiences with a bit of beauty and the beast, a little bait and switch action, and deplorably dysfunctional families. Turner and Frank have also witnessed first hand when the best laid plans go violently awry, and last but not least, when dead guys refuse to remain dead.</p><p>Murder is Our Business is quite the delightfully macabre bill of fare. B.R. Stateham brings his characters to life so vividly that whether they are on the side of right or on the side of wrong, you feel their determination, their drive, their frustrations, and even their triumphs. Join Turner Hahn and Frank Morales as they travel down this path of dark and haunting memories. You can get your Kindle copy <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Business-Turner-Frank-Morales-ebook/dp/B097DD3S5V/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=murder+is+our+business&qid=1626385039&sr=8-2" target="_blank">here</a> and your Paperback copy <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Business-Turner-Frank-Morales/dp/4867509957/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=murder+is+our+business&qid=1626385181&sr=8-1" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275503653927579472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-497164028438533435.post-3352994533097342882021-03-18T18:01:00.003-05:002021-03-18T20:38:53.749-05:00The Good Neighbor by R. J. Parker - A Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbe87EOJgSDxMOruT6bhos4F9K1rskmlnHsdx8gOzLXpIt9OdMJGSO60s_kMmybhPV1YSRlEJNohuRWAzBaGRdR5miPW7ignRQzgGf3gUA9Cwm5r13zWGH53cNHAaLbLBDMFfxDwuusYo/s500/Good+Neighbor+Cover+Photo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="328" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbe87EOJgSDxMOruT6bhos4F9K1rskmlnHsdx8gOzLXpIt9OdMJGSO60s_kMmybhPV1YSRlEJNohuRWAzBaGRdR5miPW7ignRQzgGf3gUA9Cwm5r13zWGH53cNHAaLbLBDMFfxDwuusYo/s320/Good+Neighbor+Cover+Photo.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal">Residing in a small community creates its own atmosphere of
comfort and security. Having neighbors makes each one of us feel as if we’re
one part of thew hole picture of the neighborhood. We aren’t necessarily able
to get to know all our neighbors, or perhaps, any, but the fact that they are nearby
implies a safe haven in case those closest to us are not available in our time
of need. That was how Leah Talbot felt one evening when she struck a deer on
her way home. When she tried to get back on the road, her car ended up in a
ditch. Unfortunately, her situation got even worse because her cell phone’s
battery was dead, the night was cold and rainy, and her only option was to walk
all the way to the village.</p><p class="MsoNormal">As she began her trek, she noticed a light on up ahead. She
knew there was a house past the gate, but had never met the occupant.
Certainly, whoever lived there would assist her; after all, that’s what
neighbors do, right? She reached the house, knocked on the door, a man answered,
and invited her in. He introduced himself as Martin Tate, and was very
accommodating to Leah. He let her use his phone to try to reach her husband,
and called a tow truck to help getting her car to the repair shop. The call to
her husband went to voicemail, so she decided to go back to her car and wait
for the tow. The driver would take her home. She thanked the man for his help, and
left.</p><p class="MsoNormal">The next morning, Leah decided to visit Martin Tate to offer
her thanks again, and give him a bottle of wine to show her appreciation. When
she pulled up to the house, however, she saw crime scene tape and police cars.
She was informed by law enforcement that the occupant of the house had been
murdered. She was horrified that the gentle man who was so gracious the
previous night had been killed. Confusion and fear overcame the horror when she
was informed the victim was the sole occupant of the house – a woman. As
disturbing as the situation had become, she realized last night’s encounter
with Martin Tate was only the beginning when she received a text from him.
Should she tell the police, or do a little investigating on her own? Was he a
friend or a relative of the murdered woman, or was he the one who killed her?</p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal">Parker’s chapters are short, crisp, and fresh. You will
never see what’s coming until you turn the page, and believe me, you will want
to continue turning page after page. The Good Neighbor will keep you breathless
from beginning to end, and even beyond. One important tip for you though: If
you ever feel the need to knock on your neighbor’s door, make sure you know who
is on the other side of that door. You can get The Good Neighbor <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Good-Neighbor-absolutely-gripping-thriller-ebook/dp/B08NSV8Z4D/ref=sr_1_2?crid=190DX0B9F7CUF&dchild=1&keywords=the+good+neighbor+rj+parker&qid=1616108396&sprefix=the+good+neighbor+by+r+j+par%2Caps%2C202&sr=8-2" target="_blank">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275503653927579472noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-497164028438533435.post-2122891776068283742020-11-29T22:48:00.001-06:002020-11-29T22:48:41.053-06:00Roland of the High Crags by B. R. Stateham - A Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGjl5kwz6Dv75xVOWxAjiIEYSvlGPf0ohyphenhyphenG0CPYnfLQsKep0VyxWZjnMChauKP2w5uqPu7cJN4BkmeLKL9cBLJcaTmlpGHURGEWcTyt0wK8JPjPJvplHk5Ul9PJmKyyJ4YzZ96h7fzpzE/s499/Roland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="328" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGjl5kwz6Dv75xVOWxAjiIEYSvlGPf0ohyphenhyphenG0CPYnfLQsKep0VyxWZjnMChauKP2w5uqPu7cJN4BkmeLKL9cBLJcaTmlpGHURGEWcTyt0wK8JPjPJvplHk5Ul9PJmKyyJ4YzZ96h7fzpzE/s320/Roland.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Roland of the High Crags. A Bretan monk. A warrior. A
wizard. Once honored. Now, disgraced. An apostate. A traitor to his faith.
Loathed and reviled. Yet, he continues with all that is in him to try to
eradicate Evil from his world and all others. Evil taunts him, stalks him, and
hunts him. Roland responds in kind, with all the cunning, strength, and
determination he possesses. One wintry night at the Bretan Monastery, he is
awakened from his sleep by a dreadful vision. The Fates were planning to task
him with a sacred duty.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The First Clan – the Dragon Clan, has risen again, set on
fulfilling their prophecy; that is, to destroy mankind, and any and all who
stand in their way. The Abbot of the Bretan Monastery knows the First Clan’s
army is close and that they plan to attack and destroy all within. He also
knows Roland has the ability to find out how many have joined their deadly
cause, as well as the First Clan’s strengths and weaknesses. Those at the
Monastery must prepare to defend themselves and their holy sanctuary. Roland
takes on this duty to seek out this ancient Evil.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">On his journey, Roland sees the destruction that the Dragon
Clan have left in their wake. His heart is heavy seeing the last castle of the
Dragon Clan Anktooth overcome with flames, and bodies of the dead. He had tried
to assist them in their fight, but the First Clan continued to prevail. Baron
Anktooth summons Roland and entrusts him to protect his granddaughter, Ursala,
who is a female dragon child and a Pearl Princess. He also asks Roland to help
to raise an opposing army to help with the fight against the First Clan.
Roland, the dragon child, and three others who join them on this quest, begin
their journey.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Roland of the High Crags is a story about love and loss, joy
and pain, trust and betrayal. Stateham’s vivid descriptions of characters,
locations, and settings flood the senses. The smoke from the campfires stings
your eyes, and fills them with tears. The cries and screams of the enslaved and
tortured assault your ears. Your heart fills with joy and contentment while you
enjoy the laughter of a child. You will accompany Roland and his party on their
quest, and share their triumphs and their tragedies. Won’t you join them as
they continue to try to rid all worlds of Evil? You can find them <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Roland-High-Crags-B-Stateham/dp/B08P1H48F1/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=roland+of+the+high+crags&qid=1606711462&sr=8-1" target="_blank">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></p><br /><p></p>Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275503653927579472noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-497164028438533435.post-71895038404590467572020-07-22T23:44:00.000-05:002020-07-22T23:44:38.475-05:00While You Slept by R J Parker - A Review<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl6VwpQJUFGfSg_tbBMbgRXV3ztGgC-HIQzRpha9oxqKe9bfnqnDrP6Y4NRU3wBv2zPF3jTZGDDunqdvwlr1avhMe1SJPsEEbUpnO3zTOAqgTktp-5J4OYtxl0i97ja7R8ibvFLWwJg_k/s500/While+You+Slept.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="328" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl6VwpQJUFGfSg_tbBMbgRXV3ztGgC-HIQzRpha9oxqKe9bfnqnDrP6Y4NRU3wBv2zPF3jTZGDDunqdvwlr1avhMe1SJPsEEbUpnO3zTOAqgTktp-5J4OYtxl0i97ja7R8ibvFLWwJg_k/s320/While+You+Slept.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>It was going to be just another ordinary day. Same old, same old, for Lily Russell, a recently divorced single mother with a young daughter named Maisie. Lily had custody of Maisie, and a restraining order against her ex-husband Ewan. She wanted their lives to go on - go on as smoothly and safely as possible. That goal was easily achieved by installing an alarm system complete with cameras around her home and property. The alarm system was also equipped with a speaker, which she planned to use to scare away a flock of pigeons that frequently congregated on her garden wall. The system was linked to her phone, and she would be alerted should anyone trespass. On this day, Maisie was at school and Lily was at work. Just another ordinary day. Ordinary, until the motion detector in her garden signaled an intruder. When she pulled up the image on her phone, her blood ran cold.</div><div><br /></div><div>The camera showed a man standing in her garden, and he was wearing a cut-out mask of her daughter Maisie's face. She didn't know what to think, and activated the microphone and told the intruder to leave - to get off her property. She also told him that the police were on their way. He didn't move an inch, but simply waved to the camera. Her co-worker was calling the police, and while Lily watched, the intruder climbed over her garden wall and disappeared. Her daughter's face. He was wearing a mask in the image of her daughter's face. She immediately called her child's school to verify that the girl was still there and safe, and told the staff member that there was a family emergency and that she would be picking Maisie up right away. She hoped the police would be at her house when she and her daughter arrived home. What is happening? A mask of her daughter's face.</div><div><br /></div><div>The police were there when Lily and Maisie arrived home, and the officer verified the house and property were safe. Remembering what she had seen, that was small comfort for Lily, but doors were locked, alarms were set, and after Maisie was tucked in for the night, she decided to have a glass of wine to relax before going to bed. When she awoke the next morning, she felt a bit ill. She reasoned that was likely due to the wine. While moving through the house however, she encountered locked doors. What was going on? She went to get her keys where she had left them the night before, but they were nowhere to be found. Her phone showed a missed call from an unknown number, and then rang again from that same number. When she answered it, a man asked her if she felt safe, told her to check her app, and then he hung up. The image in her phone was the man still wearing the mask of her daughter's face, and he was in her kitchen. He also had Lily's keys in his hand.</div><div><br /></div><div>She's able to get into the kitchen, and he is gone, but so is reality. When she looks out the window, what she should have seen was her back yard and garden. What she saw instead was rubble and rocks from a demonished building, and it appeared that she was approximately 200 feet above the ground. She realizes that she and her daughter are in an exact replica of her home, right down to the cabinet and drawer contents. There is plenty of food and drink for them both, and duplicates of all their clothes. The only difference is that there is no way out. How is this possible? Who would do such a thing? She has no outgoing phone service, but her captor calls her to ask if she needs anything, yet yields no clues as to his purpose or identity.Lily and Maisie are now in the middle of a nightmare. All they can do now is eat, sleep, and try to stay alive. Lily must keep her child safe and calm, while trying to find a way out.</div><div><br /></div><div>Does their captor watch them? Does he listen to them? Where exactly are they? Does her ex-husband have anything to do with this? If not, who would place her and her child in such a dangerous situation? Follow along with Lily and Maisie as they fight to survive through each day and night, not knowing who is behind this twisted scenario or most importantly, why this is happening. R. J. Parker delivers an intense thriller that will keep you guessing right up to the end, which is just as shocking as the start. This tale of fear, confusion, and desparation makes for great bedtime reading. Sleep tight...</div><div><br /></div><div>While You Slept will be available July 24, 2020. You can get your copy <a href="https://www.amazon.com/While-You-Slept-R-Parker-ebook/dp/B07X9XFPZ5/ref=sr_1_2?crid=P3L14GRV1Y3E&dchild=1&keywords=while+you+slept+rj+parker&qid=1595478180&sprefix=while+you+slept%2Caps%2C181&sr=8-2" target="_blank">here</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275503653927579472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-497164028438533435.post-11507017435652582002019-10-16T21:37:00.001-05:002019-10-16T21:37:48.892-05:00The Dinner Party by R J Parker - A Review<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhblyPnVGasWA2pw7b4zuCkUqlyf65XWi8RiyJ2vVfilbRIWh9z4TBK1fmx38LI26igVg9RJTqufjQXfpaDvku0G6dh8TO-29IePJBVTxfFbV2hJ720tAUIwr5-Hipdkw6byJJffGdYzCs/s1600/Dinner+Party.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="218" data-original-width="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhblyPnVGasWA2pw7b4zuCkUqlyf65XWi8RiyJ2vVfilbRIWh9z4TBK1fmx38LI26igVg9RJTqufjQXfpaDvku0G6dh8TO-29IePJBVTxfFbV2hJ720tAUIwr5-Hipdkw6byJJffGdYzCs/s1600/Dinner+Party.jpg" /></a></div>
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Eight friends – four couples, get together one evening for
some food, some wine, and some conversation. This is not the first time they
have gathered for a dinner party. They have known each other for years, and are
comfortable with each other’s company. This evening however, something new will
be added. A game. A game they will all play. It is a game based on trust. What
better game to play with friends, right? Wrong. Unfortunately, for those
involved, this game is also full of secrets and betrayal. While this was not
the first time they got together, it most certainly will be the last.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Their game of trust was supposed to alleviate guilt, and
bring peace and forgiveness. Instead, it brought fear and division. Secrets
that were never meant to be shared hang over them all like shrouds. The game
didn’t bring them closer; it brought them death. One by one, they begin to die.
Game over? Not a chance. R. J. Parker has effectively delivered to his readers
the dinner party from Hell. You are introduced to the characters, and feel like
you are getting to know them. Before long however, you realize that you didn’t
know any of them at all. The surprises never stop coming, and neither do the
nightmares. The Dinner Party is loaded with twists and turns, lies and deception,
and will take you to the edge over and over again. Make sure you have plenty of
time when you begin reading, because it’s impossible to put this thriller down.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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You can purchase Dinner Party <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dinner-Party-addictive-psychological-thriller-ebook/dp/B07Q1KMDJH/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+dinner+party+by+rj+parker&qid=1571279755&sr=8-1" target="_blank">here</a> or <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dinner-Party-addictive-psychological-thriller-ebook/dp/B07Q1KMDJH/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=The+dinner+party+by+r+j+parker&qid=1571279833&sr=8-1" target="_blank">here</a>. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275503653927579472noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-497164028438533435.post-86373604139393933592019-09-20T11:01:00.000-05:002019-09-20T11:01:21.247-05:00Flash Fiction Friday, Week 38 - Perfection<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The prompt this week was as follows: The genre was fantasy,
the setting was an antique shop, and the item was a gold fish. Love begins in
many ways, and for my character Sarah, it started with a peek into a glass
bowl.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Perfection<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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“Janice, I’ve enjoyed our lunch, but before you drop me off
at home, could we stop in at that antique shop by the mall? I want to see if
they have anything new.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“New? Sarah, everything in there is junk. It’s all cracked, dusty,
and…”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Come on, you know what I meant. I love the knick knacks I’ve
found there. Besides, it’s okay if they’re flawed. Something doesn’t have to be
perfect to be loved. All it takes…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sarah stopped, and turned away to look out the car window.
She had been born with deformed legs, and wore braces that enabled her to walk.
A childhood disease had left her blind in one eye. She had never dated, and
even her own parents had been ashamed to be seen with her in public.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Sarah, we’ll stop there. You take your time. I don’t need
anything, so I’ll wait in the car. There’s no hurry, hon.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
***<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sarah was surprised to see a young man behind the counter.
The elderly lady who ran the stop was very unpleasant and always seemed angry,
but Sarah was used to her. She was concerned, and asked about her.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“My grandmother passed away,” he said. “I’m here to close
the shop. I have my own business out of state, and there’s no other family to
keep this going. Everything is half off, Miss. See anything you like?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sarah noticed the goldfish on the counter. It looked pitiful
with only one eye, twisted fins, and malformed tail.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Is the goldfish for sale?” Poor thing, she thought, it
needs someone to love it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“That thing?” The young man handed the bowl to Sarah. “It
was behind the counter. I was going to dump it in the river. You can have it.
Anything else for you?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Not today, but thank you. This is all I need.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
***<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You bought an ugly fish, Sarah? How much did they cheat you
out of for that?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“He was free, Janice, and he’s not ugly. He’s flawed – like me.
I can’t explain it, but he needs me, and I need him too.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“As long as you’re happy, dear. I’ll drop you off at home
now.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
***<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sarah put fresh water in the fish’s bowl and sprinkled some
food on top that the man in the shop had given her. She placed the bowl on the
kitchen counter, and cautioned her cat Tangerine.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Tange, this is our new friend. You leave him alone because
he’s not very strong. I’m going to get a book from the living room, and then
you and I will go sit in the back yard.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When she heard the crash, Sarah ran into the kitchen. She
saw that her cat had gotten on the counter and knocked the fish bowl on the
floor. Tangerine was standing over the fish, nibbling at its tail.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“No! Get away!” Sarah shouted and clapped her hands to get
the cat away from the fish. She couldn’t bear the thought of her poor little
fish coming to such a brutal end. She opened the back door and Tangerine ran out
into the yard. She picked up the fish, and quickly got a bowl from the cupboard
and filled it with water. She hoped it wasn’t too late to save her beloved
fish.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Please don’t die,” she said quietly. “I need you to be all
right. I love you.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All of a sudden, the fish disappeared from her hand, and a tall
young man appeared in front of her. He was missing one arm, and his back was
hunched. She looked up at his face, and thought he had the most beautiful eyes
she had ever seen. She felt faint.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Do not fear me, dear lady. I am Simon, and you have said
the words to break my curse. You told me you loved me, and broke the spell. You
see, the old woman in the shop was a witch. Ages ago, she wanted us to marry,
but I loved another. She had an ugly soul and caused my beloved to fall ill and
die. She then approached me again, and I told her I could never marry anyone with
a hateful heart. She put a spell on me, and turned me into a deformed goldfish.
She said now, no one would ever love me. Then she laughed, and said if some
poor soul did, the spell would be broken. She had added that as a cruel joke,
knowing in her black heart it would never happen.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“She kept me behind the counter to make sure I’d never find
a caring home. When she died, the Heavens blessed me because her grandson
brought me out of hiding, and you, my lovely one, took me and saved me.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I am not lovely at all. I am crippled, and half blind.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Your heart and soul are pure and kind, and you are filled
with love. I knew these things the first time I saw you through the glass in
the shop. I also knew I loved you then too. Time had stopped for me while
cursed, but all is back in order now. You and I will grow old together, my
precious, and a perfect future awaits.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275503653927579472noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-497164028438533435.post-8591310084331272582019-09-13T12:26:00.000-05:002019-09-13T12:31:06.616-05:00Flash Fiction Friday, Week 37 - School Days<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The prompt this week was about the start of school, and
sending someone (or something?) to school. We were to write from the viewpoint
of the sender, not the sendee. Those first days can be exciting or traumatic or
even both, and not just for the kids!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>School Days</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>MONDAY<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Today is my daughter Mara’s first day of school. Of course,
that’s a big deal for her, but it’s an even bigger deal for me. I’m the one who
has to stay home and worry all day about her. Why, you ask? Let me explain. When
I sent her to nursery school, she had a great time with all the kids. In kindergarten,
she was with the same group of children, and had a wonderful year. First, second,
and third grades were a dream come true, because living in a small town, that
same group of children stayed together year after year, and Mara was able to
maintain all her friendships. Then, in the middle of fourth grade, it all came
apart.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My husband is in the Army. Now, do you see the problem? He
was transferred to a new city in a new state, so a new school was on the
horizon. She would have to continue fourth grade in a different school in the
company of strangers, and would be miserable for the rest of her life. Those weren’t
my feelings, they were Mara’s, so I tried to be as upbeat as I could as I
walked her to the bus. I had offered to drive her to school on the first day,
or even for the first week, but she would have no part of that. According to my
daughter, her life was going to end anyway, but having Mommy drop her off in
front of the other kids would cause it to end sooner. I walked her to the bus;
then, went home and cried.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>TUESDAY<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Monday night went badly. Mara got off the bus, went in the
house, and locked herself in her room. I thought I’d attempt to communicate
pre-bus this morning.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Mara, how did school go yesterday? Did you meet anyone new?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Teacher told the class I was new, told them my name, and
asked them to show me around. Why didn’t she just kill me then and there?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Honey, she was just trying to make you feel welcome, and to
involve the other kids.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I threw up on the bus on the way home.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mara got on the bus, and I went home and cried.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>WEDNESDAY<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We got the silent treatment again Tuesday night. I thought about
calling her teacher, but remembered my own mother doing just that. The next
day, my teacher announced to my class that my mommy called her because she was
worried, and that she wanted the kids to be friends with me. It was several
months before the kids stopped laughing at me, so I decided to let time work
its magic. Walking to the bus this morning, I tried again.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“How was school yesterday? Did you have a lot of homework
last night? You went to bed quite late.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Teacher gave us a lot. I had to read a whole chapter. Susie
and Kevin said she does that a lot.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Susie and Kevin? Mara got on the bus, and I went home and
cried.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>THURSDAY<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Wednesday night, Mara had dinner in the dining room with her
father and me, and then went to her room to do her homework. Her bedroom door
wasn’t slammed or even closed. It stayed open all night.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We chatted on the way to the bus this morning.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“What does your teacher have planned for today, Mara?
Anything special?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Susie and Kevin and Molly and Tim said Thursdays are easy.
We get to read form our favorite book and say what we liked about it. Here
comes my bus. Bye.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Susie and Kevin AND Molly and Tim? Mara got on the bus, and I
went home and cried.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>FRIDAY<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thursday night, we all had dinner together and even played
some board games. Mara went on and on about Brian and Mary and Josie and… I
cried myself to sleep Thursday night. My husband kept asking me what was wrong,
and I told him everything was right. He was confused, but I said I would
explain later.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This morning’s walk to the bus left me concerned. Mara had quite
a serious air about her. She wasn’t angry or upset; she just seemed extremely
determined.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Honey, is something wrong? Do you feel all right? Is
something bothering you?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I’m okay, but this new girl started yesterday. She just moved
here and had to start school in the middle of the year. Teacher told us all she
was new and all that stuff, you know, so the new girl felt abarr…ebarr…umbarrassed.
So, at recess, I took her over by the fence and told her teacher was just
trying to make her feel welcome, and avol…evolve the other kids. I was just
trying to figure out how I’m going to get her into some stuff today cause I
told her me and my friends would show her around.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Wow. Buckle up, folks. It’s a good thing I carry tissues in
my coat pocket…<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275503653927579472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-497164028438533435.post-24739214752971492492019-09-06T10:22:00.003-05:002019-09-06T10:22:38.026-05:00Flash Fiction Friday, Week 36 - The Good Life<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The prompt this week was to write about a needy pet. The pet
is adorable, but wants a lot of attention. We couldn’t use a dog or a cat,
which would have been great for me since I have the neediest puppy on the
planet. Poor baby cries and follows me from room to room. I couldn’t use him
though. We had to pick a random one from a list of ten mythical creatures. The number
given to me was 9, and that meant my pet was a banshee. This was tough because
I did some research on banshees, and I couldn’t figure out how to work one in
as a pet, much less a needy one. Sorry, but I went another way with my story. I
still put in the banshee, but in this case, instead of being the needy one, she
sort of fills a need.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Good Life<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Help! Cassie! Save me!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Cassie knew she should never have let her sister come and
stay with her. Virginia has always been a drama queen, a snob, and frankly, a
real pain. Her daily crises were the reason Cassie left the condo they shared
in the city, and motivated her to buy the cottage in the tiny village 50 miles
away. After Cassie moved out, her sister decided to do some renovations, which
meant she’d have to stay in a hotel for the week. Of course, that would never
do, since, according to Virginia, there was no way any hotel in the entire
county could be suitable for her. Cassie was surprised when her sister asked to
come stay with her since she regarded cottages in the country lower than skid
row accommodations. But, Cassie thought, beggars can’t be choosers, and since a
hotel was out of the question, and her sister didn’t really have any friends to
speak of, the cottage in the country would have to do.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Virginia had complained from the second she stepped through
the front door, and now, at midnight, she was screaming at the top of her
lungs. Cassie heard the moaning and groaning begin outside, and realized she
had forgotten to let her sister know about the weird fairy that walked around
the cottage from midnight to six, crying and whining. Funny how that slipped
her mind. It’s amazing, she thought, how one can get used to almost anything.
She went out to the living room where Virginia was sleeping on the couch.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Cassie, thank goodness you’re here. There’s some strange
woman wandering around outside, making these horrible noises. Plus, she must be
at least eight feet tall too. What kind of place is this? I’ll never understand
why you would want to live out in the country. I told you only weirdos live out
in the country.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Virginia, this is a very nice place. It’s clean and safe,
and the people in the village are great. There’s just one thing about this
place that I forgot to tell you about. It’s my banshee.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Your what?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Banshee. I have one. She came with the cottage. She’s like
a fairy, only, not cutsie like Tinkerbell. She’s dressed in a black shroud, and
does nothing but cry. The real estate agent told me about her, and I know it
sounds crazy, but having a cursed spirit that haunted the place made me want to
buy this place even more. Every night from around midnight to six, she circles
the place and wails. I have no idea where she is during the day, but you can
set the clock by her every night.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“What?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I know it’s nuts. See, the legend is that banshees come and
cry and make all these sorrowful sounds to warn that someone within is going to
die.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Oh my God! Cassie! We’ve got to…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Calm down. No one is going to die. I told you, she’s
cursed. The story is that when the cottage was first built, the man of the
house was very ill. The banshee showed up and started doing her thing, but the
man completely recovered. Turns out, he never was that sick to begin with, so they
couldn’t figure out why she was there.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“She probably came to kill him, just like she’s going to
kill…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Stop. Banshee’s don’t kill people. They have no powers to
do anything. She just messed up and had shown up at the wrong place. Someone
else nearby died later that night, and I guess the head banshee cursed her to
remain here forever, whining and sobbing, but doing it all for nothing. Weird,
huh?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Weird doesn’t cover it, Cassie. How can you stay here? I
was never comfortable here to begin with, but now? There is no way I can remain
here. I’ll just have to lower my standards and find a hotel.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Gee, so sorry to see you go.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Very funny, Cassie. But, seriously, aren’t you afraid?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Of what? She never does anything but make awful noises all
night. I’ve reached a point where I can’t sleep until I hear her. The only time
she really gets to me is if I decide to watch a late movie. Then all that noise
outside keeps me from falling asleep. Wanna hear something freaky? When that
happens, I open the door, ask her in, and give her some hot tea.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You actually come in contact with that…that…that…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Banshee. I don’t know her name, but she responds when I
talk to her. She doesn’t speak, but when I say something, she stops crying and
looks at me. Anyhow, the first time I asked her in, she walked in here and
stood in the corner. I brought her some tea, and while she drank it, I told her
about my day, and there was no criticism and no judgment. When I was done, she put
the cup down, walked out, and started moaning again. Wild, right?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“This is too much for anyone to take. I know it’s late, but can
I get a taxi out here? I’m going back to the city and find somewhere to stay.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Sure. I’ll get you the one from the village. The driver’s always
looking for work. A trip to the city will get him some big bucks. Tip him good
though, Virginia. Mr. Hopper’s an older man and can’t work as much as he needs
to anymore.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You certainly have changed, Cassie. You invite the death
fairy in for tea, and you worry about a has-been cabbie. You belong out here
with the nothings.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Always good to spend time with you, Virginia. I’ll call Mr.
Hopper so he can warm up his cab. It’s getting late, and it gets really cold in
the early morning hours. My death fairy could probably use a hot drink. Us ‘nothings’
do love our hot tea and a chat.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275503653927579472noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-497164028438533435.post-46092334695905382752019-08-29T23:05:00.001-05:002019-08-29T23:05:26.587-05:00Flash Fiction Friday, Week 35 - A Real Home<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The prompt this week was to do zombies, but with a twist.
Mine’s just trying to find his way…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>A Real Home<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Young man, excuse me for bothering you. I normally avoid
speaking to strangers, but I have something I must say to you. I take this
Greyhound to Harpers Gate every summer to spend time with my grandchildren. The
journey is usually unpleasant because the other passengers complain about this
or that, and children run the aisle. You, however, have been upbeat during the
entire trip, and since our departure from Winden Falls, you have had the most
endearing smile. May I pry, and ask why?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Thank you, ma’am, for your kind words. I was born in Harpers
Gate, but have been away for a long time. I felt like I needed to come home
again. I have no family left there, but there is a lady…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Satisfy an old lady’s curiosity. Is she a past love?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“She is, but we haven’t seen each other in years. Her family
moved away long ago, and we both married others. I heard she was divorced, and
I…well, I’m single now too. Things are a bit different though, seeing as how I’m…uh…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“An accident? I know I’m pressing, but never be ashamed of
stitches and scars. You’re a fine-looking young man, even though you are a bit on
the pale side.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I am that. It was a kind of accident, yes. Goodness, here
we are at the terminal. It was wonderful talking with you.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You too, dear. Wishing you all the luck with your love.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
***<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Welcome to Daly’s Five and Dime. What can I get for you?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Is Suzanne working today?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“At the ice cream counter at the back.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p>***</o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Suzanne?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yes, sir. What can I… Oh my God! Richie? It can’t be! I
heard you had been murd… I mean, that your wife and her boyfriend kill…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“It’s true. They did murder me, but that’s not all. This is
hard to explain, but try to understand. They found an old voodoo priest to
bring me back as a zombie so I’d suffer even more. But he was forgetful and
messed up. He did bring me back, but I can think, talk, and I don’t walk like I’m
right out of a horror movie. I got them both though. They were there when I was
brought back and I pretended to be oblivious to everything. They told the cops
I’d been killed by a robber, and talked about where they’d hidden the hammer
they beat me with and where they hid their bloody clothes. I got the evidence
and delivered it on the police department’s doorstep – literally. I’m not a
vengeful person, but they had to be held accountable.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Of course, Richie.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“There’s one other way I’m different from others of my kind.
I can still love, and I still love you. We went our separate ways, but you were
my first love.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“And you were mine, Richie. I married Jim, but it didn’t
work out. My heart has always belonged to you. Now, we can be together at last.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You make me so happy. But, you’re not shocked that I’m a
zombie? What about the townspeople? What if they find out?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I’m not, and they would accept you without question.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“How is that possible?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Remember old Mr. Hornsby that used to run the drug store?
He’d give all the kids free candy and pop?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“He was wonderful. Don’t tell me he’s still working.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“No, he’s retired. But, one night on his way home from the
store, he was bitten by what we learned later was a werewolf, and how he’s one.
The widow Mrs. Milner is a vampire. That happened when she went to New York
City on vacation alone. Sally Greene is a broom-riding witch, and… See? They
all come here, Richie, to settle down, and they are accepted for who they are,
not shunned and hunted for what they’ve become. Now that you’ve come back, I’ll
just ask Judy Milner to bite me so you and I can be together forever.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Suzanne, This is more than I could have ever hoped for. I’m
so glad I came back. I really am home.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275503653927579472noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-497164028438533435.post-54103799317007607122019-08-29T23:04:00.003-05:002019-08-29T23:04:17.793-05:00Flash Fiction Friday, Week 34 -Story coming soon!Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275503653927579472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-497164028438533435.post-18985751851632928222019-08-16T09:44:00.002-05:002019-08-16T09:44:48.062-05:00Flash Fiction Friday, Week 33 - Finding Sarah<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The prompt this week was to use a specific location in our
story: a cottage. Also, we were to pick a random song (one of the top two from
the link provided) as our inspiration. One of the top two songs that came up
for me was The Search by Nathan Feuerstein (known as NF). The following verse
was my inspiration:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yeah started thinkin’ maybe I should move out<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You know pack my cart take a new route<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Clean up my yard get the noose out<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hang up my heart let it air out”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Finding Sarah<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The cottage was perfect. It was in the middle of nowhere,
and no one knew where Sarah and her husband, James, went for the weekend. She’d
rented it under an assumed name and paid cash. James had been hesitant to go
off the grid, but she’d put on her ‘beg’ face and he’d relented. How he loved
her ‘beg’ face, especially after he’d hit or punched her. This weekend would be
different though. She’d done the driving so James could relax with a thermos full
of his favorite gourmet coffee. The sedatives she’d added had dissolved nicely.
When James awoke, he found himself tied to a chair in the living room of a
strange house.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“What the… Where…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“We’re at the cottage I rented for us. Isn’t it lovely? It’s
clean, and has lace curtains on the windows, comfortable furniture, no
neighbors, and…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“What is going on? You think this is funny? You can be sure
I’ll show you just how funny I think this is. You’d better listen to me. Untie
me this second, and maybe your punishment won’t be too…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“No, James. You’d better listen to me. I’m going to give you
a choice. You can either sit there and listen to everything I have to say, or I
can make a deep cut somewhere on your body with this carving knife I brought
with me, leave the door wide open, and let the bears finish you off.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You have lost your mind.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You’ve got that right. Now, shut up, and listen. We’ve been
married for eight years, and during those eight years, you have broken my arm,
my nose, my wrist, my ankle, and knocked out several of my teeth. I put up with
it be…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You know as well as I do that was because you were
completely disrespect…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sarah walked over to James and slid the dull side of the
carving knife down his cheek. James closed his eyes, and leaned as far back in
the chair as he could.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Please,” he whispered. Sarah noticed tears forming in the
corners of his eyes.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Did I hear ‘please’? I didn’t think you were familiar with
the word.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Don’t hurt me, Sarah. I’ll listen. Go ahead and say what
you have to say. Put the knife down. If you damage my face, my female clients
won’t…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“That’s what you’re worried about? Your looks? What are you
saying? That your rich old lady clients won’t let you invest their money if
you’re no longer a pretty boy? You sonofabitch!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sarah stuck the pointed end of the knife into James’ left
cheek until a drop of blood formed.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“There. Now you’re not perfect anymore. Now will you shut up
or do I have to…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Okay, okay, I’ll listen. But when this is over…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“When this is over, what?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Nothing.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“That’s what I thought, Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah. The
reason I put up with all your bullshit was because I watched my father do the
same things to my mother, and she took it all, right up until the day she died.
Why? Because that’s a woman’s lot in life. That’s what she told me over and
over. Well, that may have been her lot in life, but it’s not mine. I’m finished
with your moods, with your cruelty, with your abuse… I’m finished with you. I’m
walking away from you, from our marriage, from our life together. You know what
else? You’re not going to do anything to stop me.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“There is no fucking way you’re going to… You know my
money’s tied up in…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I knew money would be your first worry. I don’t want a
penny from you. In fact, I want nothing from you, except the assurance that I
will never see or hear from you again. I have a letter for you to sign that
confirm your understanding of that condition.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You’re going to force me to do something? Now, that’s
funny. If I refuse to sign?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You believe I just sat at home all day praying for my Lord
and Master to come home? I printed files from your computer, and I wrote down
your clients’ contact information. You’ve been screwing your partners and your
clients for years, and from what I’ve seen, I know of at least three government
agencies that would be interested in your overseas transactions.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“What? You wouldn’t dare…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Wanna bet? Here’s what’s going to happen. You’ll sign what
I put in front of you and I’ll walk away. I’ll let somebody know you’re here though.
If you ever try to find me or bother me again, I go public.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I never thought you were the kind to…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“What? The kind to think for myself? I know you didn’t, you
bastard. Now sign.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sarah handed James a pen and put the paper in his lap. She
saw him hesitate, so she brought the knife closer to his face. He quickly
signed the letter.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“By the way, do what you want with my things in the
apartment. I don’t want any of it. I’m going to start fresh.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“And my car?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Your precious car will be at the airport. Goodbye, James.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Uh huh.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sarah put the carving knife back in her handbag and walked
outside into the sunlight, closing the door behind her. She planned to dispose
of the knife in a dumpster later. She could hear James cussing and struggling
to free himself from the chair. I’ll call someone about him from the airport,
she thought. There’s time. Hopefully, he’ll wet himself all over his Armani suit.
Driving away from the cabin, Sarah knew she had found more than just the cash in James’ overnight case. She’d found something else too: a part of her
that she believed had been lost long ago, and for this new go-round with life,
it would be more than enough.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275503653927579472noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-497164028438533435.post-70072757811912691082019-08-08T22:03:00.000-05:002019-08-08T22:12:41.478-05:00Flash Fiction Friday, Week 32 - The Visitor<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The prompt this week was one used by Furious Fiction for
August. They provided six pairs of adjectives, all to be included in your
story. Also, you had to make sure that one of the pairs was included in your
first sentence. Their limit is 500 words, and I couldn’t quite make that work
this time, so I went with the 1,000 words. Maybe the September prompt from
Furious Fiction will be one I can do right by.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The list of pairs is as follows:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Shiny, silver<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Cold and greasy<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Scratched and weather-worn<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sweet and pungent<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ink-stained<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Shrill, piercing <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Visitor<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Sheriff, how can you swallow that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">cold and greasy</b> crap from Doug’s? Just because we’re on a stakeout,
that doesn’t mean we can't eat decent. I could have gone and grabbed us a couple
of burgers from Cassie’s.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Ray, I know you won’t eat from Doug’s, so I picked up a
chicken plate for you from the Deli.” <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Donnie opened his bag, and immediately, a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">sweet and pungent</b> smell filled the car.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You should eat that outside. Whoa! I wanna go home. Why do
I have to be here to watch this thing? Why can’t you watch it?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ray Donelson had worn that badge for the past three years,
and Donnie asked himself daily why he kept him on. The man was completely unprofessional,
and everything he was, and did, reflected badly on his position and on his
boss. His hat had a torn brim and was worn backwards, there were huge circular
stains under the armpits of his wrinkled uniform shirt, and the pocket on his
shirt and both pants’ pockets were <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ink-stained</b>.
It was obvious to Donnie that the man didn’t give two cents about the way he
presented himself, either as a law enforcement officer or as a man. He’d let
Ray go, but no one else in town had any interest in the job. I guess beggars can’t
be choosers, Donnie thought.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“We’re watching it in case it moves or something comes out
of it. Think of it, Ray, we would be the first people on Earth to make contact with
a space creature. Don’t you understand how important that would be?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">shiny, silver</b>
flying saucer landing on Ebb’s south forty, was the biggest thing that ever
happened in Hixon Falls or in Donnie’s life. Ray wanted to pass the buck to the
Army, and maybe Donnie would tell them after he made contact. Some general
would take all the credit, and Donnie’s shining moment would become a blurb on
the back page of some supermarket tabloid. No. This was his find and his chance
for fame. Too, maybe his wife might even look at him with a bit less contempt
in her eyes.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I do, but what if some six-eyed squid crawls out of it? I
don’t like the two of us all alone out here. What if nothing ever comes out?
How long do we have to wait?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Rather be at Dodge’s Bar and Grill feeling up that new
waitress? Donnie knew if anything did happen, Ray would fold, and he would have
to face it on his own. Just as well, he thought. I’m the only professional
here, and if there’s any credit to be earned, it should be mine. He stared at
the craft and wondered how far it had traveled. The bottom half looked <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">scratched and weather-worn</b>, but how was
that possible? Was there any kind of weather in outer space? Maybe those dents
were from their world. Did it rain there? Did they have hailstorms? Did they… A
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">shrill, piercing</b> sound snapped
Donnie back to the moment. He got out of the car and moved toward the ship. Ray
was frozen with fear. As they both watched, an opening appeared in the center,
and a ramp began to descend outward from it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Sheriff, get back in the car. We need to get out of here. What
if they vaporize us with…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Stop it, Ray. Nobody’s getting vaporized. Come out here with
me. Let’s show them we aren’t afraid.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Okay, but I don’t think we should get too close because…
Oh, God! Look! Something’s coming out!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A figure in a spacesuit emerged from the ship and started
down the ramp. It was about three feet tall, and shaped like a man, with a
head, two arms, and two legs. The gloved hands however, showed only two long
fingers, and the visor on its head was tinted, so no face was visible. One hand
held an object that resembled a small green I-pad. It offered the object to
Ray. The other hand reached out to Donnie.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“What should I do? Should I take it? What if it blows up?”
Ray was terrified.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Take it,” Donnie said calmly. “It’s probably some kind of
gift. See if there’s a message on it.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He offered his hand to the creature, who immediately looped
both of its fingers around his hand and began to pull him up the ramp.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“It wants me to come inside, Ray. It trusts me. Wait here. I
won’t be long.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Don’t go in there. Let me get some help. You don’t know
what it’s… Come back! This thing’s flashing and beeping. I think there is some
kind of message on it. Wait until we figure it out. Please! Wait! Donnie, give
me your hand!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ray tried to grab his boss’ arm, but it was too late. The
creature had moved quickly and pulled Donnie inside. The ramp had been drawn
back and the opening had clanged shut. That shrill, piercing sound assaulted
Ray’s ears again. All at once, the ship began to spin, and flames and smoke
shot out from the bottom. The craft rose a few yards slowly, then quickly
darted out of sight into the night sky. The object in Ray’s hands began to glow
gold, and letters began to form on the small screen.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“It <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i> a message,”
Ray said, his eyes filling with tears, and his voice breaking. “Oh God, Donnie
That’s why they came. I need to… Wait... Who can… Donnie? Oh, please, God... Please… No…” <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275503653927579472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-497164028438533435.post-86198553188712175282019-07-28T18:50:00.001-05:002019-07-28T22:49:28.764-05:00Flash Fiction Friday, Week 31 - It's Gonna Be A Really Bad Day<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The prompt this week was heat – lots of it. Heat in a random
location, with a random object. We were given six choices of location and six
choices of things. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<b>Location: </b> <b>Thing: </b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
Awards dinner Press-on
nails<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
Dark lake Onion
rings<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
Car wash Remote
controlled drone<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
Parking garage Box
of animal crackers<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
Village plaza Plastic
fork<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
Quiet suburb Folded
sheet of paper<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I rolled a 3 and a 4, which was a location of car wash, and
my thing was a box of animal crackers. What a combo! I decided to have fun with
these, and I hope my little tale makes you smile too.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>It’s Gonna Be A Really Bad Day<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Of all the days for aliens to pick to invade and deep fry Earth,
why the hell did they have to pick today? Saturdays are my day to catch up on
all the household type nonsense I put off during the week. Since the wife ran
away with the mailman – I know, it’s the classic stand-up comic’s line – I was
left with this five-story house and credit card bills. The house was always
more than we could handle financially, and those credit accounts in my name
that she maxed out just add insult to injury. I wonder if these tentacled space
goons have incinerated my house yet. Surely those blood-suckers at the bank
wouldn’t expect me to finish paying off my mortgage, would they?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Currently, I’m solely responsible for all of it. I do the
cooking, the dishes, the laundry, the shopping, the vacuuming… I don’t want you
to think I expected my wife to do everything on her own. I helped her with the
housework when I got home from my job and on my days off. I believe that
marriage is a partnership; although, my scrubbing the kitchen floor while she
was linking up in the sack with our mail carrier is not exactly what I had in
mind when I described our relationship at a 50-50 level.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Work is a nightmare, with all the young studs climbing over
close-to-retirement me on their way to the executive suites, and for the
reasons I’ve listed, home’s no picnic either. The time I most look forward to
each and every week is the 15 minutes or so I spend here at the car wash. I can
sit back and relax while my car is pulled through on the track and chow down on
my favorite snack of animal crackers. Weird? Maybe, but spending those few
minutes with the water sloshing all around and the zero taste of tiny tigers
and giraffes bring back memories of a happy childhood. Now, these bug-eyed bastards
from outer space have ruined it. Why do these kinds of things always happen to
me?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I can hear people screaming outside, and buildings exploding.
Their heat rays are sure doing the trick, especially in here. The water’s so
hot, it’s melting my windows. The contents of my box of animal crackers look
like they just came out of the oven. As my SUV caught on the track and started
moving inside, I saw the ships coming down closer and closer, and all of a
sudden, streams of what looked like liquid fire began raining down. The hits seemed
random though; it appeared as if they deliberately chose not to wipe everyone out
in one swoop. They’re probably planning to use survivors as lunch meat on their
sandwiches for the trip home. Then again, perhaps, this will become their new
home, and those same survivors would be lined up as the entrees in some grand buffet.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Who knows where they came from or why they came here. In the
overall scheme of things, it doesn’t really matter much. Obviously, we have no
defense available against them, so why fret about it. I’m going to continue to
enjoy my animal crackers that are pretty hot right now, and wait out the melt.
I have to admit that in these last moments, I’m going to try to find some
comfort by imagining my ex and her mailbag-toting boy-toy ending up as hors d’oeuvres.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275503653927579472noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-497164028438533435.post-12969356433690322019-07-27T09:15:00.000-05:002019-07-27T09:15:25.554-05:00Flash Fiction Friday, Week 30 - Be Careful What You Wish For...<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The prompt this week was as follows: “It’s a birthday, with
a cake, and candles. Someone makes a wish and there are consequences.” ‘I wish
I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight.’ Do you? Really?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR…<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Happy Birthday, David. I’m so happy we were able to
surprise you.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Aunt Josie, you’re such a sneak. You ask me over to check
through some documents, and all the while, you’ve had a party planned.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As if I couldn’t figure out what the old gal was up to since
she does the same thing every year.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Your birthday is two days away. That’s why the party is
early. We wanted to fool you for real this year. You’re not an easy man to
fool.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Old man, since you always schedule my ‘surprise’ birthday
party two days before my actual birthday, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to
figure it out.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I hope not, Uncle Seth. But having a party early sure did
the trick. I never suspected a thing. My goodness, you’ve even got what’s left
of our family here. Uncle Mike and Aunt Geraldine, and even cousins Harry and Suzanne.
Millicent? So nice of you to come too, and you’ve brought your fiancé Bernard
along. That’s yet another surprise.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I can’t believe that bitch showed up with her bastard of a
boyfriend.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“David, you know I wouldn’t miss this. I’ve known you all my
life, and Bernard thinks the world of you, don’t you, Bernard?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Of course, Millicent. Positively. The world.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That warms my heart, Bernard, you ass. If only I could shut
you up permanently…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You’re too kind. Well, let’s get this party started. I see
a cake with candles on the table. Aunt Josie, you make the best cakes in the
world, and that’s where I want to start. Somebody get my candles lit so I can make
my wish. I already know what it’s going to be.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I sure do. I’ve known what to wish for since day before
yesterday. I’m not into witchcraft or voodoo, but by all that is holy, I pray
that my birthday cake wish comes true. It has to. Uncle Seth said I’m not an
easy man to fool, and up until day before yesterday, I thought that too. I was
lunching at the Windview downtown, and who slides into the booth next to mine
but Millicent and her sister, Louise. They didn’t see me, and I overheard them
chatting about Millie’s upcoming wedding. She talked about how anxious she was
for the wedding to occur so she could spend her life with her one true love. I
couldn’t stand to hear any more and made my escape.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All the way home, I couldn’t believe how I’ve been played by
that bitch. She and I have been lovers for many years, and often spoke of marriage.
Millie’s father had a problem with his business though, and she was determined
to help save it before we began our lives together. Bernard and his company purchased
small companies, shut them down, and screwed the employees out of any benefits
or compensation. Apparently, Bernard wanted to marry Millie, and told her
father that he would sign a note confirming his intention to leave her father’s
company alone if he would arrange the marriage. Millie had overheard this
conversation, and also heard her father tell him that it would be a cold day in
Hell before he would do that to his daughter. Millie knew her father would be
ruined, so took it upon herself to pretend to love Bernard and accept his
proposal. It was supposed to be a ruse to help her father. Her one true love
was not supposed to be Bernard. Her one true love was supposed to be me.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“All right, David. It’s time. Blow out these candles and
make your wish.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Oh, I’m ready, Uncle Mike. I am more than ready.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Done. Now, I wait. I’ll hear about it because the families
are so close, Millie will call one of them, or she might even call me directly.
There’s no way out for her either since she takes marriage vows very seriously;
you know, that for better or worse crap. She won’t walk away from her one true
love. She won’t live happily ever after either. I made sure of that. You see,
my wish was that once their wedding was over, on Sunday evening, that her one
true love would lose the ability to speak. Permanently. It would make his and
Millie’s married life a bit dull, but it also would save the world from Bernard’s
cruelty. He could still have his minions continue to ruin lives, but how long
would that last? Sooner or later – hopefully, sooner, his power would fade and
he’d end up like those he destroyed. And Millie right along with him.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Come on, wish. Her one true love. Ha!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
*****<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well, I’ll be damned, my wish came true. When I said ‘I’ll
be damned’, I meant that. You see, Millie and the Jerk King got married Sunday morning,
had their reception, and arrived at their honeymoon hotel in the evening.
Shortly thereafter, Millie came to see me at my apartment. As soon as I opened
the door, she rushed in, threw her arms around me, and told me everything was
taken care of. Bernard had signed the agreement to never bother her father’s business
right after their I do’s. She played along until they got to their hotel, and
it was there that she told him she was divorcing him. She had already hired an
attorney to draw up the papers, and she had them in her overnight bag. She told
him he’d better sign them and let her walk away clean or she’d go to the press
with his blackmail scheme. He couldn’t sign them fast enough.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She then told me she was happy the wedding was over so she
could spend the rest of her life with her one true love, and that her one true
love was me. Me. I started to tell her about how I had misunderstood what she
said in the restaurant, and all about the wish I’d made, but…<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275503653927579472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-497164028438533435.post-54390889251298047802019-07-19T07:41:00.003-05:002019-07-19T07:41:16.784-05:00Flash Fiction Friday, Week 29 - The Mystery<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The prompt this week was to use the genre of mystery, the
location of a surveillance vehicle, and include a helmet. I don’t know if my
story qualifies exactly as a mystery, but hopefully, I’ve muddied the waters
enough to surprise you.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Mystery<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I still don’t understand why you feel you need to be here in
the car with me. I do surveillance all the time. It’s part of the job.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“It’s no reflection on you, Mr. Russell. My employer wouldn’t
have hired you if he didn’t feel you were qualified.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“That’s all very flattering, but again, why are you watching
this woman with me?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“My employer simply requires ample documentation. We shall
both take photographs and document her comings and goings. One can take over
for the other when using the restroom, etc. I am only here to assist – not to
hinder.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I guess it will be okay. I’m just used to working alone. I‘m
curious though. Does your boss really believe this lady murdered her husband? I
mean, she’s your employer’s sister-in-law.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Without question. This woman killed his brother, and he is
determined to gather enough evidence to bring her to justice. That is where you
come in. My employer also believes she had an accomplice – a lover, who
assisted her. He must also be made to pay for what was done.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Of course, Well, she’s going out now so we’ll follow. She’s
probably going to dinner since it’s 7. She eats out all the time. Must be nice
to be so rich.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yes. I’m certain it would be.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“How did her husband die?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“He was beaten to death with a crowbar. There were witnesses
who said it was a man on a motorcycle. No identification was possible since he
wore a mask and a helmet. You also possess a motorcycle, don’t you, Mr.
Russell?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Well, yeah, I do, but lots of people have them. I suppose whoever
killed him is kind of like a mystery, right?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yes. A mystery it remains.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“This one’s awful, but usually, I like mysteries, don’t you?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Not particularly, Mr. Russell. Not particularly.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
*****<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I was right. Dinner at the Pelican Club again. I wonder why
she always sits by the window. She does the same thing at home; I mean, she
never draws her drapes. At least we can see that she is always alone.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Perhaps that’s the point.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“What point?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“None really, Mr. Russell. Let’s just observe and wait.
Perhaps we can use this opportunity to have dinner ourselves. Why don’t you get
us some burgers and drinks at that fast food place down the street. I will keep
my eyes on the woman, and update my employer in the meantime.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Great idea, although, for some reason in this area, cell
service is kind of sketchy. Hope you get through. Be right back.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
*****<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Sir, Day 3’s activities are exactly the same. Yes. For
both. Always by the window. Exactly the same times. Phone reports confirm? Yes,
sir. Tonight. Without fail.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
*****<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I guess she’s in for the night. Wait. What’s that? It looks
like there’s someone in there with her. Oh my God! He’s grabbing her and
putting a bag over her head. We need to… What the hell are you doing? Let go of
my arm. Sondra needs help. She…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Sondra? Are you accustomed to referring to your subjects by
their familiar name?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“No, I just… I mean… Look! That man is… What the… What did
you just stick me with?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“A clever little drug, Mr. Russell. It takes some time for
death to occur, and the entire process is quite unpleasant, I am told.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Why? God, I can’t bre… My head hur…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“As I said previously, it will take some time, Mr. Russell,
so I am able to explain. My employer knows you were his sister-in-law’s lover
who helped to murder her husband. That is why he hired you. He needed to keep
tabs on you while awaiting critical information. Both your phones have been monitored,
and when out of my sight, you have been in communication with her. My employer
was waiting for the final report about your 2 am meeting today. The video was
quite clear. You both laughed about what you had done, and planned to simply
wait out his brother’s suspicions. You see, we had another PI following you and
the lady. Turns out, he is extremely well qualified.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“The pain… You don’t know… She was the one who… They’ll know
it was him who…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“No, Mr. Russell, no one will know because you and the lady
will disappear. It should make for fascinating tabloid fodder. We will make the
media aware of the rich widow and local private investigator vanishing, and the
connection between the two of you will be established. You know, it may even ultimately
be made into one of those made-for-television films, and yours and her whereabouts
would most likely be considered a mystery. But, that would be all right with
you, Mr. Russell, wouldn’t it? I mean, you do like mysteries, right?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275503653927579472noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-497164028438533435.post-20018979485931118522019-07-12T09:52:00.003-05:002019-07-12T09:52:35.380-05:00Flash Fiction Friday, Week 28 - The Long Sleep<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The prompt this week was as follows: Our story must take
place on a train, it must include something frozen, and it must include three
3-word sentences in a row. I had fun putting this one together. I hope you
enjoy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Long Sleep<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I do love train rides, don’t you, Phyllis?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“This is my first time being on a train overnight, and it is
very enjoyable. I do have to say though, Sarah, that it certainly is tiring. Ever
since I had that hot chocolate, it gets harder and harder to keep my eyes open.
It must be the way the car moves over the tracks – it’s so soothing.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sure is bitch, especially with a couple of benzos dissolved
in your cocoa.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Phyllis, I knew you’d enjoy yourself. I know it’s not the most
pleasant of reasons for this trip, but having a dear friend like you with me
helps me to get through this.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I can’t believe we’re bringing your husband home from the
hospital in such a state. I’ve heard about this sort of thing, but I never knew
anyone who actually had it done to themselves.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“David’s been a supporter of arrangements like this for
years. He always told me to call Dr. Jim if he was ever in a situation like
this, and the doctor would take care of everything.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“But being frozen? It’s so extreme. Why do this?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You knew this was going to happen, you two-faced whore.
David told you all about his plans during your last midnight romp.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Well, he did give our family doctor a chance, but old Dr.
Mitchell couldn’t figure out what the problem was. David felt sick to his
stomach, dizzy, aches all over… The hospital ran tons of tests, but couldn’t
find anything. David believes he’s contracted some exotic disease, so to stop
its progression, he let Dr. Jim put him in a kind of hibernation. Dr. Jim took
samples and when he figures out what’s wrong, David will be defrosted. Ha! My
husband’s frozen and will ultimately be defrosted. How weird is that!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s fascinating how many symptoms you can mimic with a
combination of untraceable medications.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I can’t believe the railroad let you bring him on this run;
I mean, this is a passenger train, not cargo.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I’ve got medical documentation. He’s got the adjacent car
all to himself. He’s in a locked cylinder, and a cooling gas keeps running
through it to keep him cold. It’s wild. You can’t see him in there – it looks
like a purple cloud. All the controls are on the outside, so everything can be
monitored. That gas container keeps recycling, so I don’t have to do anything.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Amazing. Oh, sorry, I have to go again. Would you please
order me another coffee, Sarah? I need to use the Ladies.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“No problem, Phyllis. One coffee coming up.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And your last dose of trancs. Time to move you to your final
seat for the rest of this trip. You won’t die blind though. I’ll make sure you
know why.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Okay now?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yes. Fine.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Good. Let’s go back there and I’ll show you how David’s
spending the foreseeable future.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Is it scary, Sarah? I don’t think I could take a scare.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Phyllis, I told you. You can’t see him in the cylinder
because of the gas. It just looks like a big glass tube with gauges, buttons,
and a lock on the side.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Why is it locked?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“For the occupant’s protection, of course. You wouldn’t want
anyone opening it up willy-nilly if you were in there, would you?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Absolutely not. Okay. Let’s go.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Wait. Did I just hear the conductor call out Batesville? I
didn’t know this train made stops.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Only one, then straight on to Harper. It will be dark soon
and everyone will be going to their sleeping quarters after supper.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
*****<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Here he is, Phyllis, right behind these rows of seats.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I need to sit down for a second, Sarah. I feel peculiar.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Not for long, dear friend. Yep. Dear friend, who has been
having an affair with my husband.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“What are you…oh, I’m diz…why…key…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I’m unlocking my no-good cheating bastard of a husband’s
current bed so you can join him.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I don’t…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Shut up and listen. Let me help you walk over here, you
slug, and I’ll put you in here nice and cozy on top of David. You should feel
right at home now.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Please…Sar…I…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You’ll be out cold soon. Out cold. Now, that’s the funniest
thing I’ve heard all day.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“No, Sar…Pl…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Locked up tight. Some of that gas escaped and David’s
probably not going to survive this trip. But that’s okay since neither will his
paramour. I’m going back to my seat and order dinner.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
*****<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Miss, will your lady friend be joining you for your evening
meal? Should I bring two orders?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“No, Conductor. She got off at the last stop. Some kind of emergency.
Actually, you don’t need to ever give her another thought because I certainly
won’t.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275503653927579472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-497164028438533435.post-47455614153091867812019-07-10T06:52:00.001-05:002019-07-10T06:52:33.326-05:00Flash Fiction Friday, Week 27 - The Shoebox<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The prompt this week was the following scenario: “You’ve
bought an old chest of drawers and discover a piece of paper stuck inside. What
is written on that piece of paper?” I’m not sure why I had a hard time with
this one, but each time I rewrote it, it became more and more sappy. Hopefully,
this version rises far above that.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Shoebox<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Have you figured out those numbers on that paper yet?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yes. These coordinates are so specific, I can narrow the
location down to a small area in a little town not far from here. This is so
exciting. I can’t wait to see what’s there.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You’re kidding, right? You don’t really plan on actually
going there, do you? Ridiculous.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Why is everything ridiculous to you? I pick up a chest of
drawers at an estate sale, and there’s a piece of paper stuck between the base
and the bottom drawer. On that paper are detailed map coordinates that lead to
a real place. I am curious about the reasons behind it since it hints at a
possible adventure.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Grow up, Daniel. If you keep going on about it, I won’t
drive you there. Why can’t you just wait until the cast is off your leg and
then drive yourself?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“’Danny’, and my cast won’t be off for another five weeks,
Marci, and I don’t want to wait that long. This will also give us a chance to
get to know each other a little more. After all, we haven’t seen each other in
over 20 years. I would like to get to know my little sister.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“All right, we’ll go, but I still say the whole thing is
ridiculous.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My sister, Marceline. Not a bad person really; she’s just
cold and cynical. There’s reasons though. When our parents split, I went with Dad
and Marci went with Mom. I loved my parents, but that was the worst decision
any couple could ever make. Dad filled my life with love and hope. Mom filled
Marci’s life with suspicion and bitterness. Our parents have both passed now,
and sis and I reconnected. It’s a struggle, but I’ll turn her around – fingers crossed.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
*****<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Here we are at 34 degrees, 57 minutes, and 42 seconds North,
and 89 degrees, 49 minutes, and 46 seconds West. Isn’t this fantastic?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yes. Wow. Here we are. We’re in a nowhere town, in a field
behind a nowhere diner, standing in front of a tree. Again. Wow.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Marci, look. There’s an old treehouse up there. I bet kids
had fun in there.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“My grandfather built it for my father and his friends. There
were three of them that were always together. There was Billy, Ada, and my dad,
Jack. I’m sorry you don’t like my restaurant, Miss, but my grandfather built
this too, my dad ran it after he died, and now I run the place. I have a son who
will take over after I…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Sorry. I meant no harm. It’s just that…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“It’s okay, Miss. It’s quite a mystery about the
coordinates. My father had a note with the same coordinates taped to the bottom
of his dresser. When I found it, I thought it meant the treehouse, but I couldn’t
figure out why he’d hide it. Plus, this tree is in our backyard where he grew
up so why figure out the coordinates. Just a kid thing?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I’m not sure either. This is so weird because the estate
sale was for a lady named Adelaide Cooper, and she was your dad’s friend, Ada.
She married and moved away, but still kept the note.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yes, and even crazier, Billy Sandridge’s daughter contacted
me after he died. She found the same note in his papers, and since he grew up
here, she wanted to understand what it meant. Of course, the coordinates led
her here, but we found no answers at that time. She left the note with me, and
I still have his and Dad’s.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“What if it’s not the treehouse, but something buried near
the tree? The ground all looks flat, but maybe right under the ladder at the
base? May I, Mr. Jansen?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“It’s Ray, Danny, and please do.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“What is that?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“A shoebox, Marci, and there’s writing on the lid. It says ‘We
were here’ and it’s signed Billy, Jack, and Ada. Inside there’s a bracelet, a
baseball card, and a GI Joe wristwatch.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“What does it all mean, Daniel?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“’Danny’, and it looks like the kids made a kind of time
capsule; you know, for someone in the future to find. It signifies their
friendship and their strong bond with each other. They even put a favorite item
of theirs in here too. Always friends, always together, always…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“They must have been very close. I’ll bet they were never lonely.
I’ll bet they felt… Put it all back the way it was. It’s important that it go
back. It’s…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Don’t cry, Marci. I’ll put it back, and someday maybe other
kids will find it. I believe that’s what Billy, Jack, and Ada would want. Other
kids would understand what it all means. Kids know what it means to be so…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Is it too late for us, Daniel? Too late for us to try to be
close like those kids?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“’Danny’. Of course not, Marci. It’s never too late to try. You
know what? I’ve got a shoebox and a football.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“And I’ve got a high school class ring.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“It’s a start, sis. It’s a start. Ray, are you still serving
breakfast? What do you think, Marci?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I think breakfast at this charming diner would be perfect,
Danny.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275503653927579472noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-497164028438533435.post-57999845806599845902019-06-28T08:11:00.001-05:002019-06-28T08:11:42.256-05:00Flash Fiction Friday, Week 26 - Simple Raymond<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The prompt this week was a particular scenario: “You’re in
prison and your partner is visiting for the first time. Write the conversation
you have.” In my story, the convict’s partner is his partner in crime. Please
enjoy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Simple Raymond<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“What the…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Hi, Gerald. I know you’re upset, but please try to
understand. What I did was…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“When they told me I had a visitor, I thought my old ma was
finally able to raise bus fare. But you? What makes you think I’d ever want to
look at your lying, back-stabbing… Guard! Take me back to…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Ger, wait, please let me explain. That’s why I came to see
you today. It was hard too. You know how I get when I am in close spaces, and
this prison is made up of so many small and cramped rooms. I am feeling very
uncomfortable right now.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I’m sorry this isn’t fun for you, Raymond. I mean, the
purpose of a prison is to make its residents and their visitors feel all
snuggly buggly.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Thank you for your concern, Ger. I’ll be all right. I just
need to keep taking deep…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“What the hell is wrong with you? You’re uncomfortable? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m the one who got convicted and sentenced to
do a dime, not you. Did it ever occur to you that I might be a little
uncomfortable too? After all, a 6 by 9 room with bars and a metal bowl for a
toilet is my home for the next ten years. What explanation could there be for
you betraying me like that?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘Ger, I had to testify against you. You know I wouldn’t be
able to stand being locked up. When I told the cops you came in and forced me
to open the safe, they said I was lucky to be alive. They said robbers usually kill
witnesses and…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Raymond! Tune back in to reality. You weren’t a witness. We
both were in on it to rob the gas station. Remember the plan? You send the
other clerk out for dinner, open the safe, take out the payroll pack, we clean
out the registers, and drive away. Easy peasy. Once we cross the border, we’re
home free. The plan was perfect, but you screwed it up.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“How many times do I have to say sorry? I was just as
startled as you were when the alarm went off. I thought I had turned it off,
but I was remembering when I turned it off last Friday morn…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Raymond, why are you here? I thought you were going to
explain why you betrayed me.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Ger, I wish you wouldn’t look at it that way. If it was a
real betrayal, I wouldn’t be here to console you.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Console me? I swear, you are out of your…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Listen. Please. There are two reasons why I’m here, and
they will both make you feel better about this whole situation. First of all, just
think about how it all turned out. I’m on the outside and I’m not cooped up. I
would be very unhappy if I was cooped up. You’re my friend, and I know how
important it is to you that I am happy.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“That is one of my personal goals in life.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I know, Ger. You have always…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“What horrible thing did I do in a past life that’s causing
me to be punished in this one?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“What do you mean, Ger?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Nothing. What’s the other reason?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“The money. Remember how when the cops surrounded the
building, and you were trying to figure a way out through the vents in the
ceiling the led to the roof?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yeah, so?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I hid our bag of money behind some tiles in the corner. After
we reopened, I checked, and it was still there. I couldn’t believe it wasn’t
found when the cops went through everything.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“They never did ask me about the money. I always wondered
why.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“That’s because I told them there was another member of your
gang that drove up and you tossed them the bag and they drove away just as the
cops arrived.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Another member of my… What’s the point of talking to you?
What does it matter if you have the money? I’m locked up and you can’t spend
it. That would attract attention.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“It’s a good thing, Ger. When I get paid, I take a couple of
twenties out of the bag and deposit them with my paycheck. I told the teller I
got a second job with a Mom and Pop store and they pay me in cash.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I know I’m going to regret asking, but how is that a good
thing?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I’m going to keep depositing that stolen money, and when
you get out, we’ll take it out and go someplace nice.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You really think that we… Never mind. Great plan, Raymond.
My time’s up and I have to go back. Do come again, okay? The next ten years
promises to be pretty dull, and you’ll be good for a laugh or two.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Of course, Ger. I’ll keep you posted on the interest we’re
earning too.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Lucky me. Guard? I am so ready to go back now.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
*****<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“How’d it go, sweetie?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Perfection. Gerald bought it hook, line, and sinker. We’ll
be in a villa in Rio by the time it dawns on him it was all bull. If he snitches
to the law, they’ll think he’s making up a story to get out sooner. If he tries
to put a hit on me with one of his people, they’ll never find us. I’ve got passports
for us with new names. The haul from the Texaco, along with my other side
deals, will keep us in champagne for years to come.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“It’s wild how he believed all this time that between the
two of you, he was the one with the brains.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Isn’t it? Every town’s the same, babe. Side deals are
always on, but I always need a sucker to clean out somebody’s payroll. The
first time Gerald pulled in for a fill-up, I knew I had found my fall guy for this
caper.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You used Simple Raymond this time, right, honey?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Simple Raymond it was, doll. One of my faves…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275503653927579472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-497164028438533435.post-13500710441399724032019-06-21T11:34:00.001-05:002019-06-21T11:34:28.576-05:00Flash Fiction Friday, Week 25 - The Last Pickup<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The challenge this week was to write about a dumpster. That
wasn’t all though. We were also supposed to include five random words from a
random word generator. I got some doozies! They were: Grape, soda, protect, realize,
and consider. I highlighted those.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Last Pickup<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hey. It’s good to finally see somebody. I’ve been alone here
for what feels like forever. Have you got a minute? I won’t take up much of
your time. I really won’t because I don’t have much time before… Wait. I don’t
want to get ahead of myself. Let me tell you my story from the beginning. The
way you’re looking at me, I’m certain you have many questions. By the time I’m
finished, I guarantee, they’ll all be answered. When I am done though, if you
don’t mind, I have one question for you. It’s very important to me to be able
to get another opinion from someone who can look at this situation objectively.
Ready? Okay.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Consider</b> this. Oh, I forgot. Sorry. My name is Two-Tone
Tony. No, that’s not the one my old mama put on me, but it’s the one I go by.
You can call me Two-Tone. Where did that come from? Some kids when they’re
growing up, they’re watching cartoons, but not me. No. I was a different kind
of kid. I watched every gangster movie that I could find. Yes, I said
gangsters. I thought they were the luckiest guys on the planet. They were
always dressed in expensive suits, had diamond pinkie rings, gorgeous dames on
their arms, and special shoes.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Special shoes, you ask? Yes. They always had on shoes that
cost more than my Pops earned in a month. And the shine? It was like they were
walking around with mirrors on their feet. I made up my mind that if I were
ever that loaded, I would wear shoes like they did. Mine wouldn’t be just one
color though; mine would be two, like black and brown, or beige and tan – you get
the idea. Mama gave me the Tony part, and the people in our neighborhood added
the Two-Tone part. I knew with that handle, I could get what the gangsters had.
The money, the dames, and most of all, the respect. That was the biggest draw
for me. The respect.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You don’t call it respect? What do you think it was? Fear?
You’re probably right about that. All right, maybe everybody in the
neighborhood was afraid of them. But I still believe you can throw respect in
there, because respect was what I had for every one of them. When I got older,
I <b>realize</b>d that I had real gangsters right in my own neighborhood. I saw
what they did and what they had, and I wanted to be one of them. Big Belly Bob ran
our neighborhood, and my old mama would invite him in for coffee when he walked
through his territory. I asked her why she gave him cakes and lit candles for
him in church, and she said it was out of respect. See? Respect.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fast forward to now. I ended up working for Big Belly Bob.
Don’t get the wrong idea about him. There’s no ‘shakes-like-a-bowl-full-of-jelly’
about Bob. He’s no Santa. He’s big, he’s tough, and he’s as hard as they come.
But, if you do what you’re supposed to, you get paid, and his guys <b>protect</b>
your family. Good deal, right? I used to think so, but thinking about how much
green he was raking in, I began to want more. Now, mine was not a job where you
get reviewed and then get a raise every year. I got paid what Big Belly Bob
wanted to pay me, and not a penny more. It was okay with me at the start, but
over time, it started bothering me that he was sitting back and taking it all
in, while I was the one out there doing all the work.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was a collector. Folks owed Big Belly Bob money every week.
I collected it on Saturday mornings from everybody on my route, tallied it up,
and laid it all at Triple B’s feet. Literally. That’s the way he liked it. We
all had to do that. Sound like harassment of your employees? Yep. But, remember,
we had no HR Department to complain to. Anyway, not making a cent more than
when I started, I felt unappreciated and took a little bit of cash from each
case I picked up one Saturday. I brought them to Triple B, handed him the tally
sheets that I had made up, and went on my way. A couple of hours later, his
guys paid me a visit and asked where’s the cash I took? Of course, I said, what?
I wouldn’t… That’s as far as I got. Turned out that lately, Bob’s been
double-checking counts against what folks owed, what they said they paid and… You
get the picture.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, here’s my question. I’ve worked for Bob for years, and I
was honest and loyal, and never said a harsh word to or about him. Yes, I
skimmed a bit of his cash off the top, but it was only one time, and I was
never going to do it again. If you were Bob and you found out what I did, would
you put the hit on me? You would? Wait a minute. Remember the bit about honest
and loyal. Now, I’ll ask again. Would you order a hit? Yes? Huh… <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thanks for listening, but you probably have somewhere to be.
Besides, the garbage truck’s coming to pick up this dumpster I’m hog-tied in.
The driver won’t see me fall in the back because it’s all done automatic, you
see. I’ll be in the middle of the landfill by supper time – me and the can of <b>grape</b>
<b>soda</b> somebody rudely tossed in. I hear the truck coming. What? Thanks for
your concern, but don’t worry about me. I knew the score when I took the job.
One thing upsets me though. I’ve got new shoes on. Got them this morning. Navy
and sky. Classy. Expensive. Now they’re all sticky with grape soda…<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275503653927579472noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-497164028438533435.post-45547779052463670232019-06-14T11:44:00.000-05:002019-06-15T14:27:33.677-05:00Flash Fiction Friday, Week 24 - The Road Ahead<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiOqaxAevQ0F0wlzx3kLuRa5Ht3zyx9rRcUyO_bWl2oDscsWLi1CXqQoR4b5jx5nMTActbPNtA0KxB-WbgB9BfY5gwPBGCQZ6hvR96iSNlrP0-5fhJ7ANYsxYmKQxE-UsP9j0yD8qI7eI/s1600/Place+for+F3+Story.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="758" data-original-width="1347" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiOqaxAevQ0F0wlzx3kLuRa5Ht3zyx9rRcUyO_bWl2oDscsWLi1CXqQoR4b5jx5nMTActbPNtA0KxB-WbgB9BfY5gwPBGCQZ6hvR96iSNlrP0-5fhJ7ANYsxYmKQxE-UsP9j0yD8qI7eI/s400/Place+for+F3+Story.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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This week's prompt was to click on <a href="https://randomstreetview.com/" target="_blank">Random Street View</a> to get a snapshot of a random place, and build our story around the view we get. This is the view I got, and it inspired me to look ahead at what could be, rather than at what was. My story is a bit over the 1,000 word mark. It's 1,106 actually, but I snipped it down as far as I could and I'm going to let it stand. I hope you enjoy it.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Road Ahead<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Where am I going? I can’t say. It isn’t that I don’t want to
say, it’s that I don’t know. What’s more, I don’t care. As I look out my
window, all I see are empty fields that border a long, and even emptier, road.
This bus only goes by our farm every month or so – sometimes several months go
by. There’s only one other farm out this way for miles besides Jack’s and mine,
and somehow, Greyhound knows none of us are ever going anywhere, so why waste
the gas? Today though, it not only came by, it stopped. The driver saw me
running toward the road. I was still pretty close to the house, so I was lucky
the driver saw me at all. I started waving my Bible – that’s all I was
carrying, and he pulled over, and opened the door. I wanted to kiss him for it,
but I didn’t. How could he possibly understand? How could he possibly know he saved
me?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I should have started at the beginning. This morning… I know
what you’re thinking. You’re only going back that far? I thought you said you’d
start at the beginning. Well, there’s no need to go back any farther since all
my mornings are exactly the same, and have been exactly the same for the past
eleven years. I’m supposed to get up before the sun, go feed the chickens, and
collect eggs from the coop. Then, I’m supposed to make breakfast. I’m supposed
to make eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, toast, coffee, and then I’m supposed
to… Wait. Something doesn’t sound quite right to me. Does it sound quite right
to you? I never said what I do every morning. I said what I’m supposed to do
every morning. Jack told me right from the start that there’s things I’m
supposed to do every day. If I don’t do them, I’m supposed to be punished. Wow.
I’m saying ‘supposed to’ a lot, aren’t I? See the problem?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I knew how it would be from when I walked out of the church.
Jack and me didn’t go for any honeymoon because Jack said that was a waste. Now
that I was a wife, I didn’t need to be going on any fancy vacations where folks
did for me. Now that I was a wife, it was me that should be doing. You may be asking
yourself, why would you go along with an arrangement like that? I went along because
that’s the way of the world; at least, that what I believed. Growing up, my
mama did for my father each and every day until he buried her. Then, I did for
him each and every day until Jack took me away from that life. Of course, my
new life as a wife was to do for Jack each and every day until he buried me. If
I ever had a daughter, then she would… See the problem?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s funny how we get caught up. Me, my mama, her mama before
her, and her mama… You might be thinking I’ve just gone along and only woke up five
minutes ago. No. I’ve been planning my escape for a long time, but my warden
was always right with me. He was always watching, always checking, always… But,
you know, there’s a few minutes each day where you’ve got a few seconds to
yourself, and that’s all I needed. I was never allowed to leave the farm. It
wasn’t my job to go to town. Jack went, and did the shopping, and sometimes, he’d
have beers with his friends at the tavern. It wouldn’t have done me any good to
go to town since I didn’t have any friends to go to a tavern with anyway.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whenever he left, I’d go through everything to find the
money he hid. He told me he had money, but I wasn’t supposed to touch it. ‘Supposed
to’. I’m really hating those words now. Anyhow, I found where he hid it and took
some. Not a lot. I didn’t want him to notice because my punishment would have
been really bad. My daily punishment was bad, but not really bad. A few slaps,
and sometimes, I got punched to the floor, but I always managed to get up. If I
didn’t cry, he’d stop. That’s a good thing, right? Back to the money, I hid
what I found in my Bible. I knew it was safe there because Jack wouldn’t put
his hands on the Good Book. Personally, I believe if he did, he’d burst into
flames. Ha! Oh no. Did Jack hear me laugh? I can’t let him hear… Wait. He’s
back at the house, so HA! I’d better stop. The other folks on this bus are staring
at the woman with the messy hair, bloody cheek, wearing a dress torn at the
shoulder, carrying a Bible…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve gone off the track, but I thought you needed some
background. So, today? Jack went to town, so I was looking to take a bit more
cash and then I’d be ready to find a way to leave. Turns out, Jack lied about going
to town. I wasn’t paying attention – I slipped up, and he came in and caught me.
I braced myself for a punch – that’s probably what I deserved for that, but he
grabbed his shotgun and pointed it at me. He told me today was my last and pulled
the trigger. That surprised me. If I got buried, who he’d get to feed the
chickens, collect the eggs, cook his… I’m worrying about how Jack would get by
after he buried me. See the problem?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The shotgun didn’t fire, and Jack started to cry. Cry. I
felt bad for him. I almost went over and put my arms around him for comfort. I
mean, that’s what I’m supposed to… No. What I was supposed to do was grab my
Bible and run like Hell toward the road, and that’s what I did. Cars never come
by out here, and town is miles away, but I figured I’d run until I dropped. If
today was going to be my last, it would my last on my terms – not Jack’s. Like
I said at the start, I saw the Greyhound and started waving. The driver
stopped, I got on, paid to get to the terminal in the next county, and from
there? I have no clue. I have no other clothes either. Or skills. Or friends.
Or family… All I’ve got is me, my Bible, and a few more twenties. See the
problem? Me either!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275503653927579472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-497164028438533435.post-6773710820729547632019-06-07T10:31:00.001-05:002019-06-07T10:32:18.915-05:00Flash Fiction Friday, Week 23 - A Family Affair<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: black;">The prompt this week was to
write a wedding story, and include the traditional ‘something old, something
new, something borrowed, something blue’. Genre, gender, and species were our
choice, and I took those choices quite literally. I strayed from tradition a
bit, but the basics are still there. Come join Ralph and Charlena on their
happy day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>A Family Affair</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I’m worried, Marceline. Ralph is a smart boy, but I wonder
if he’s thought this through.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Gerald, our Ralph may be young, but he’s not a boy anymore.
He’s a young man, and a smart one at that. I agree this seems like a risky
decision on his part, but he loves the girl, and Charlena is lovely. You
remember, don’t you, we took a risk too, and our parents were concerned, but
haven’t we been perfectly happy all these years?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Of course, my pet. But ours was a different situation. Our
parents were hesitant to give us their blessing just because we were young. But
our Ralph and this girl? She is so different from every other young lady he’s
been involved with. And her parents? We have absolutely nothing in common with
them, and yet, we’re all going to be in the same family.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Gerald, I can’t believe what I’m hearing. I never in my
entire life thought that you were that kind.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“What kind?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You know what I mean. The kind that looks down on others.
Yes, they’re different from us, and they come from a different part of the
world and a completely different culture, but that doesn’t mean they’re beneath
us socially.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Oh my goodness, Marceline. You know me better than that. Of
course, they’re not beneath us socially. It’s just that their ways are
different from ours, and I’m wondering how we will all adjust to each other.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Things have a way of working themselves out, Gerald. The
children love each other, and we love our son and they love their daughter. If
those two can adjust to each other, so can all of us. Now, Grandpa Roman, he’s
a whole other issue. He’s having a hard time with this wedding, and that’s why
I included him in it. He seems a bit more open to the idea now.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“That was a good idea, Marceline. You know my grandfather.
He always feels left out of things, and when he feels that way, he’s against
whatever the event is. But being directly in the wedding, he’ll be the first
one to toast the couple.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I’m glad my other idea worked so well too. Charlena’s mom,
Rachelle, was beside herself with all the planning, and my volunteering to help
lessened the tension between us.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I hope they know what a good man our Ralph is.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“They know, Gerald. It’s just they also look at us and see a
different culture, but they’re making an effort and we should too. Oh, look at
the time. We’ve got to go. We can’t be late for our son’s wedding. I just need
to gather up the somethings I promised to bring. Rachelle really appreciated my
taking that over.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Marceline, you decided not to follow tradition?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I thought I’d be different. I discussed it with Rachelle,
and she loved what I planned.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Great. Let’s head over to the hall. Why are you crying?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“My baby’s getting married today.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I know, dear. He’s my baby too.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
***<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Hi, Rachelle and Jack. Ready for a wedding?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Hi, Marceline and Gerald. I can’t believe our kids are all
grown up and going on their own. You two have been so gracious about this whole
situation., I know how hard it’s been for you to get used to us.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Rachelle, we’ve all had to adjust. We’ll find a way to get
along, as long as we remember that we’re all one family now.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“True. We need to take care of each other. So, tell me about
your somethings. Tradition is the bride wears the somethings, but I like your
take on it much more. We’ll make this our family’s new tradition.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Excellent idea, Rachelle. I thought my somethings would go
nicely up front: two next to your daughter and two next to our son. First, we
have something old, and that’s Grandpa Roman. He’s Gerald’s grandfather, and no
one knows how old he really is. He’s literally been around forever. Next, we
have something new. She’s a young hitchhiker Gerald picked up this morning, so
she’s quite fresh. We’ve kept her bound and gagged so our neighbors wouldn’t be
bothered. We can all share her at the reception as part of our meal.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yummy. Who’s next?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“We have something borrowed. That was a challenge, but I think
I made the perfect choice. My Uncle Frederick keeps a young man that he uses as
a midnight snack. Uncle Freddy said we could borrow him for a couple of hours,
but I need to bring him right home after the ceremony.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I understand completely. And the last something?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Something blue. We’ll have to get photos quickly of that
one. Gerald snatched him from the city morgue’s freezer, and his cheeks and
hands are a lovely aquamarine. We’ve kept him in our home deep freeze, but it’s
warm in here so he probably will thaw soon and lose his color.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Does he have to be returned too?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“No, but we have no use for the dead, so you and yours are
welcome to him.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You’re a peach, Marceline. Let’s start the music and get
this wedding going.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Your daughter is so lovely, Rachelle. When she turns, I’ll
bet she keeps that delicate look.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“She does, Marceline. Even her fangs are long and slender.
Your son, Ralph, is so handsome. Does he spend much of the day in his coffin?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Not much. We’re weaker in the daylight, but the sun does no
damage.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Wonderful. All is in place, and here comes Charlena with her
dad. I’m going to cry, Marceline.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Me too, Rachelle.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
***<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“We are gathered here this evening to join together these
two young people in marriage. It warms my cold heart to see a vamp and a lycan
begin their lives together. After the reception, we should all go on a hunt. Half
the town is in the square tonight for a concert, and that should make for quite
a nice dessert buffet…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275503653927579472noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-497164028438533435.post-84124121957918062132019-05-31T09:42:00.002-05:002019-05-31T09:42:13.936-05:00Flash Fiction Friday, Week 22 - Thou Shalt Not Steal<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The prompt this week was to use a random character generator
which provided six choices. We were to select the second or the fourth, and use
that character in our story. The fourth one that came up for me was a ‘A foolish
pickpocket is doomed to wander the world’. What a character! I decided to put
my character in the days of kings and spells. I hope you enjoy my little peek
into the past.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Thou Shalt Not Steal<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Rowan did it, Your Highness. He walked up to me, pulled my coat
open with one hand, and reached into my pocket with the other. He got all my
coils – every one. I had just sold some of my shawls to the Nannies in the square,
and those coins were going to buy bread and milk for my children. I am sorry to
trouble you with this, Sir, but it is said you want to be informed. I do not know
now how I will feed my babies.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Do not be upset, old mother. You will not leave here empty-handed.
Borin, take the lady to the kitchens and give her food and drink for herself
and her family - enough for a month.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yes, Your Highness. Come with me, old mother.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘Thank you, Sir. You are truly kind and have a good heart. We
are all blessed to have you ruling our land.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
***<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Merek, what am I to do? I am King, and supreme enforcer of
our laws. Yet, within my own family, I harbor a thief – a common pickpocket.
You are Chief of the Guards, and should have jailed Rowan many times over. Yet,
he still roams free to steal because of my turning a blind eye to his crimes.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You cannot blame yourself, my Lord, for the actions of
another, and all is made well since, with your generous spirit, you give back what
he has taken, and more. The people honor you, and despise only the evil in his
heart. But, I must tell you something more, Your Highness. He used to confine
his crimes to the time past midnight, and his victims were only those who drank
to excess in the taverns. Now, he picks the pockets of women and children. The
children who sweep doorways to bring coins home when their fathers are not well
and unable to work.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Merek, picking the pockets of men who struggle to fill those
pockets is sin enough, but women and children? Why does he do these things? This
fills me with so much shame that these crimes continue to occur with my full
knowledge.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘I know, Your Highness, but Sir Rowan is your brother.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yes, my brother. My own flesh and blood. I have spoken, I
have counseled, and I have threatened, and still, he will not repent and reform.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“A lesson perhaps, my Lord? A harsh and terrible lesson to
be sure, but one he would survive and hopefully, then cease his evil ways?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“What are you proposing, Merek?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“My old grandmother, as you know, is a witch. The spells she
casts are for good, and this one would be for the good of your brother’s soul.
Once the lesson is learned, she would remove the curse, and he would be the
better for it.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Do you have a spell in mind?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“She does, my Lord, and it is a fitting one indeed. We
discussed the matter, and she told her plan to me last night.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
***<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Borin, my brother has returned home this day from being cursed
in the world for the year. I am filled with great hope that he may again bring
pride to this royal household. Bring my brother before me.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yes, Your Highness. I will bring him directly.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
***<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“My brother, now that you are again home, I will arrange for
the spell I had cast upon you to be removed. How have you fared this year away?
Are you filled with remorse for your sinful ways?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You did this to me? My own brother? I thought it was the
witch whose pocket I picked.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You stole from the witch? From my Chief of Guards’ old
grandmother? Why, Rowan? Why would you steal from such as she?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“For the fun of it – same as I do the others. But, this
curse was from you?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“No, she chose the spell, but I granted permission. Will you
seek forgiveness from her and pledge to end your wicked ways?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yes, my brother. I will go to her now, and to you I say, no
longer will these hands take what belongs to others. This curse was cruel
beyond measure.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Borin, summon Merek to come to me. He will take Sir Rowan
to his old grandmother so that he may receive his salvation.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
***<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“How may I serve you this day, Your Highness?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Merek, it is a joyful day. See that my brother has
returned, and seeks his release from his accursed state. I bid you guide him to
your old grandmother so that she may set him free.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I am sorry, my Lord, but I cannot fulfill your request.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You are refusing to obey your King?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“No, Your Highness. It is that my old grandmother has died
this very morning.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Died? Surely she left testimony how to remove the curse she
placed upon me?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“She swore an oath, Sir Rowan, to leave the words on a
scroll, but I have on this day seen the parchment left by her, and it has other
words. She testified that you took four enchanted stones from her cloak pocket while
she slept, and for that, she deemed it fitting to make your punishment eternal.
No one else can remove your curse. Your Highness, forgive my insolence, but for
him to steal from one so old and infirm, I believe his punishment is deserved.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Merek, I am in agreement. Rowan, brother mine, go back into
the world where you shall be doomed to wander. The witch did right by sealing
both your hands within your own pockets, and now, that is where they shall
remain. You will continue to have no desire for food or drink and will walk the
Earth as one who is dead until such time as the Almighty One sees fit to end
your days. From this day forward, your own pockets will be the only home your
hands can know. Go now, and I pray your soul may someday find peace.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275503653927579472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-497164028438533435.post-48287794990435161902019-05-24T09:37:00.001-05:002019-05-24T09:37:30.124-05:00Flash Fiction Friday, Week 21 - Time for a Change<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The prompt this week was to write a story about the first Spring
trip up to the cottage with friends and family. The family in my story
get together once a year at Grandma’s cabin and it never goes well. This year
though, things will be a bit different, and hopefully, that will be a good
thing.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Time for a Change<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here we go again. Our yearly family get-together at Grandmother
Maude’s cabin by the lake. Our numbers are dwindling, but we are still all
duty-bound. We will be only six this year, and such a delightful crowd we are.
Uncle Anthony and Aunt Josie, Uncle Edmond and Aunt Gertie, Grandmother Maude
and me. Oh, and Rosa. Can’t forget Rosa. Grandmother Maude’s chief cook and
bottlewasher. Rosa’s been with Grandmother Maude’s for around 100 years, I
think, and knows her every thought. Good thing too, since the grand old dame
never says a word. She just points and Rosa obeys.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I often wonder what kind of a paycheck Rosa gets every week.
It’s got to be plenty, right? I mean, to have to put up with the old lady’s icy
manner, it would have to be. I also wonder if Grandmother Maude’s that way all
the time or just at the cabin with her motley crew of a family. I wonder lots
of things, but since I never see any of what’s left of my family outside of
this once-a-year charm fest, I suppose I’ll never get past the wondering part.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I decided to drive up this year so I’d have more time to
figure out how to spring my news on the family. The easiest thing to do would
be to go up as usual, listen to all their nonsense for a couple of days, and go
home. As soon as we are all settled in, it begins. Aunt Josie starts her
routine of complaining to Uncle Anthony about his job. If he ever wants to
amount to anything, he’ll ask that bastard of a boss for a raise. My God, Josie,
the man should have retired years ago. I think he just keeps going to work to
get away from her. I would. He, of course, just smiles and nods.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then, we have Aunt Gertie, who’s a living tribute to Botox.
Her monologue is all about how Uncle Edmond never takes her out anymore so she
can show herself off. The woman looks more factory-made than a mannequin. I
wouldn’t want to be seen in public with her either. Now, Uncle Edmond, he’s not
a smile-and-nodder. He just shakes his head and smokes his pipe. These heartwarming
bonding moments are what I have to look forward to for the next two days. Jealous
yet? I know. I wouldn’t be either.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I know what you’re thinking. Why go up there at all? Well, I
do it for Mom. She and her two sisters were raised by the ice queen and the
four of them were never close. Her dad died when she, Josie and Gertie were
toddlers. Mom never gave up hope they could be a real family, and she and I
attended any family gathering to which we were summoned. She made me promise I’d
keep trying after she was gone. She died two years ago, and I kept my promise. Nothing
ever changes though, and knowing my family the way I do, after this weekend, it’s
guaranteed nothing ever will.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Okay. I see the cabin, and all the cars. Everyone’s here
already. Good deal. I won’t have to wait to share my news, although they’ll
know the second I walk in.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You can do this, Charlene. Just open the door and go in like
always. Well, not like always…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Hello, Aunt Josie, Aunt Gertie, Uncle Anthony, Uncle Edm…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“What kind of a joke is this, Charlie?” Aunt Josie looked
like she was going to faint.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Charlie, why are you in a dress? Oh my God!” Aunt Gertie
fell to her knees.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Uncle Anthony and Uncle Edmond just laughed. God, I love
those two.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I know this is a shock, but I’m not Charlie anymore. I’m
Charlene. Mom always knew, and she helped me save for the surgery. I’m just
sorry I couldn’t have it done until after she passed. But I’m here now, please
try to understand. My being a boy was never right for me. This is who I really
am.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“This is all nonsense.” I’ve never heard Aunt Josie yell. “Mother,
tell HIM this is all nonsense. We don’t go in for that sort of thing.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Rosa, call an ambulance. Charlie’s lost his mind. Mother,
tell him to stop acting this way. We can’t have this go on in our family.”
Gertie stayed on her knees.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Both of you, shut up!” Grandmother Maude said something?
Are we in the Twilight Zone?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Mother, what did…” Is Aunt Josie crying?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“So, besides being a pain in the ass, you’re deaf too? I
said, shut up. Come over here, Charlene. I want to get a good look at you. Love
the green hair. I remember it was orange last year, and last year, you were
Charlie, right?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yes, Grandmother Maude. Last year, I was Charlie. Now, I’m
Charlene.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You happy now?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yes.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Good. Rosa, get supper going. I’m hungry. Josie, being
yourself is not nonsense. Gertie, get up off the floor. This child doesn’t need
an ambulance, but you look like you could use one. Josie and Gertie, get out my
good China and set the table. I need to talk to my granddaughter. She’s the
only one of you that’s ever been worth more than a hill of beans.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“But Mother, don’t you understand what’s happening?” Aunt
Gertie’s face was starting to crack. “Edmond, do something!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Uncle Edmond, along with Uncle Anthony, kept laughing. God,
I love those two.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I’m leaving. There’s no way I’m going to…” Aunt Josie grabbed
her handbag from the chair.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Josie, put that bag down and help your sister set the
table. Charlene, how do you think I’d look with purple hair?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You’d look great, Grandmother Maude.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Call me Gram, okay? Isn’t that how you young folks talk these
days?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We’re going to be a real family now, Mom. Promise.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275503653927579472noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-497164028438533435.post-14242072687415345732019-05-16T18:35:00.001-05:002019-05-16T18:37:15.734-05:00Flash Fiction Friday, Week 20 - Reserved Seating<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The prompt this week was to pick, at random, three adjective-noun
combinations, to use in our story. We were given the following nine to choose
from:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> 1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Approachable bunny<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> 2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Creepy train<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> 3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Sympathetic mobster<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> 4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Crest-fallen bear<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> 5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Blind demon<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> 6.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Crabby corpse<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> 7.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Sensual dinosaur<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> 8.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Exceptional banjo<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> 9.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Absent-minded surgeon<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I ended up with #2 (creepy train), #8 (exceptional banjo),
and #9 (absent-minded surgeon), and they are highlighted. We were also told to feel free to make it a
little weird. Well, I went way over-the-line weird, and had a blast. I hope you
have as much fun reading this as I had writing it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Reserved Seating<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I can’t believe we’re getting away with this. How long
before somebody notices we’ve got a dead guy in the seat. We probably should
get back, Jimbo. Benny’s propped up, but what if he starts to tip…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Relax, Petey. Finish your drink. He won’t tip. I propped him
up good with pillows. Plus, remember when we got on, we talked loud about how
sick our friend was?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yeah, and not one of the other passengers paid any
attention. Don’t you think that was strange? I mean, we were so loud and
everybody was just staring straight ahead. And that conductor…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“He’s a weird duck. Don’t worry about the other passengers.
Nobody gives a hoot about anybody else in this world.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I know. It’s just this feeling I got when we got on. We’re dragging
a dead guy down the aisle, and nobody blinks? This is one <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">creepy</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">train</b>, Jimbo.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I’m with you on that. But, I told you this was the best
way. When we stop at a station, we’ll get off with Benny, put him on a bench,
then you and I get back on and ride to the next city and disappear. It’s perfect.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I guess, but there’s one other thing that’s bothering me. I
remember us getting Benny from that crazy doctor, and getting on this train,
but I can’t remember anything in between.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Stress, my man. After we picked up his body, we got into…I
mean, we took…well, I can’t remember either. Guess we were both weirded out. Doesn’t
matter though. We got out of there and onto this train and soon, our troubles
will be over.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Did that doctor get anything from Benny about where he hid
the money? I don’t remember.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I don’t either, but I don’t think Benny said anything
before he bled out. If we retrace his steps, we’ll find it. By the way, Dr. Bob
isn’t crazy. He’s just good at getting information in the most painful way
possible. He’s known as an <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">absent-minded
surgeon</b> because he slices folks over and over as if he forgot which part he’s
supposed to be operating on. Nifty, right?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Sure. Nifty. Listen, let’s go back to our seats. This bar’s
giving me the willies. I only had two gin and tonics but I feel woozy.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I know what you mean. I only had two whiskey sours, and I feel
strange. I’m going to ask the conductor where the next stop is.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Thanks, Jimbo. You know me, I’m no lily-liver, but I have
to admit I’m scared.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Repeat this, Petey, and I’ll snuff you in a heartbeat, but
I’m scared too. Where’s that conductor?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
***<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Next stop, Sheol.” The conductor walked slowly up the aisle,
passing Jimbo and Petey, looking straight ahead as he moved toward the next car.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Sheol? Jimbo, what kind of a name…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I don’t know, Petey. Grab Benny. When we stop, we’ll say we’re
getting off for a second to drop off our friend.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Okay, but maybe we should just stay off.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Excuse me, conductor, but we just sailed right through the
station. Why didn’t we stop?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The conductor stopped, but never turned to face Jimbo. “Sir,
we don’t stop at that station.” He continued down the aisle. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Jimbo?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“It’s fine, Petey. We’ll get off at the next one, sit Benny
down somewhere, and stay off. We’ll find a phone and get a taxi to the city.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
***<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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“Next stop, Gehenna.” The conductor entered from the adjoining
car and walked toward Jimbo and Petey<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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“What kind of names are these, Jimbo? I’m flat out terrified
now.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Me too, Petey, and we just blew through this station too.
Hey, conductor? What line is this with these nutty town names? Why aren’t we
stopping?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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“Skipped Sunday School, I see. Those names are in the Bible.
Sheol and Gehenna are entry points.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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“Entry points to where?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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“To Hell, gentlemen. Where did you think this train went?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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“Hell, what the…I mean…I don’t…God, Jimbo!”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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“Too late for prayers, Petey,” the conductor frowned. “Knock
it off.” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Here we go again</i>, the conductor
thought. He wondered why folks weren’t told where they were headed before they
got on.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Petey couldn’t believe this was happening. “I don’t under…”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The conductor shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know why it’s
always left to me to explain. It’s not like I’m nobody here. I am seventh in
command after…”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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“Hey! Focus!” Jimbo didn’t feel he had anything left to
lose. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Oh yeah. Your boss, Big Charlie, had you whacked. First,
you kept the money from the bank job instead of turning it over to him. Second,
you had his cousin’s brother-in-law tortured and killed.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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“Benny? But he double-crossed Big Charlie by agreeing to
split it with us, and then tried to double-cross us by hiding it. It’s Benny’s
fault. Why are we here?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Oh, like you’re a couple of saints? Jimbo, you knifed your
old man when you were 12. Petey, you did in your old Ma’s boyfriend when you were
8. And that was only the start for both of you. Your seats have been reserved
for a long time. Oh look, Benny’s back with us.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jimbo and Petey stared in horror as Benny sat up in his seat.
He looked confused.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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“It’s okay, Benny,” the conductor said. “The end of the line
is coming up soon.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Benny smiled, leaned back, and closed his eyes.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jimbo had never felt such fear in his entire life. “But,
wait, I…”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Petey chimed in with, “Yeah, maybe we can…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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“Now, you two sit back and relax like Benny. There’s not
going to be any negotiating here; I mean, we’re not at the Flea Market. Hey, how
about some music? Believe it or not, I’m an <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">exceptional banjo</b> player”, the conductor smiled widely. “Want to
hear me play Highway to Hell? I just love ACDC. I can hardly wait to escort
them to their seats. I’m sure I won’t have to explain a thing to any of them…”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br />Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03275503653927579472noreply@blogger.com1