I am pleased to share another example of Flash Fiction. This story is in response to the prompt ‘circulation’ and has been included in my book ‘Chasing Clouds’
CHALK AND CHEESE
Frank walked briskly around the lake and through the wetlands. The rising sun filtered through the early morning mist, creating an almost mystical atmosphere. A female swamphen led her chicks to the reeds, and a white-faced heron waited patiently in the shallows. Welcome swallows had already begun their swooping patrols over the water. There weren’t many people about this early but Frank noticed several caravans had arrived and set up near the pier.
‘You’ll never guess who I met this morning,’ he announced when he returned to the van.
‘Elvis Presley?’
‘No, but close,’ Frank joked. ‘Someone with just as much charm and charisma. I met Don down by the pier.’
Linda thought for a moment. No-one came to mind. ‘Don who?’ she asked.
‘Don Freeman. He arrived late yesterday.’
Linda couldn’t believe it. Don was a very charming man indeed and had been well and truly addicted to travelling about in his caravan for years, but last October he had re-married. His new wife seemed a most unlikely choice. Barbara was a complete homebody. Her idea of a great time was sitting on the sofa with her knitting, watching television, with the occasional foray to the kitchen to bake some scones.
‘Obviously the marriage didn’t work out,’ Linda said. ‘That’s sad. But they were like chalk and cheese. So old Don Juan is in circulation again.’
‘Not at all,’ Frank laughed. ‘Seems to be working out just fine. Barbara is with him and they are as stary-eyed and lovey-dovey as a pair of teenagers on a special date. They’re on their way to Darwin.’
‘Goodness me! Barbara must have changed a lot.’
‘Well, yes and no,’ Frank said thoughtfully. ‘She’s definitely keen to be travelling but … She’ll be around to show you the new crochet rug she’s making, as soon as the fairy cakes are out of the oven.’
***************
I am pleased to share a third sample of my flash fiction stories. The prompt word for this story is ‘flake.’ Stories must be less than 500 words, have a beginning, middle and end, conflict and resolution and end with a twist.
Prompt: Flake
READ THE SIGN
Linda watched in fascination as the little ant hauled the corn flake across the ground. It came to a larger clump of grass and, after due consideration, re-arranged its burden to an upright position and struggled on.
‘it’s quite amazing how ants can work things out. Didn’t take him long to realise he couldn’t fit that thing through the gap. Tipped it onto its side, and away he went,’ Linda mused.
‘Umm.’ Frank’s response was totally expected. He had his head buried in his crime novel and didn’t even look up.
‘Oh, look,’ Linda exclaimed. ‘His mate has hooked onto the other end and they’re scooting along at a hundred miles an hour. They’ll be home in no time.’
‘Ummm,’ Frank repeated. He glanced up at his wife and realised she was looking at him expectantly, waiting for a comment. ‘Sorry. What was that you said?’
‘Just saying how clever the ants are.’
‘Umm.’ Frank didn’t react.
‘I think there must be an ants’ nest not far away. I’ve been sweeping them out of the annex all morning. You must have dropped a corn flake at breakfast time and they’ve found it and are carrying it away.’ Linda explained.
‘Umm.’
‘Isn’t it amazing how they help each other carry things?’
‘Be careful, Linda. You might have the management around her telling us to leave if you keep this up,’ Frank told her.
‘What on earth do you mean?’
‘Haven’t you seen the sign? Look over there. The writing is so big even a blind old bat like me can read it. Don’t feed the wild life!’
© Susan Skowronski 2022
*****************
I am pleased to share a second sample of my flash fiction stories. The prompt word for this story is ‘spellbound.’ Stories must be less than 500 words, have a beginning, middle and end, conflict and resolution and end with a twist.
Prompt: Spellbound
DANCING BY THE LAGOON (Published in Scope Magazine April 2021)
The glorious colours of sunset reflected in the lagoon and created a magical glow over the valley. Tina sipped her wine and sighed with contentment. How fortunate they’d been to find such a quiet and pleasant spot to camp. She was enjoying showing Frank some of the places she remembered from childhood days in Western Queensland. She glanced at him expecting to see him dozing as he often did at sunset. To her surprise not only was he awake, but he was staring at the lagoon with an air of fascination.
‘Linda, look!’ he urged. ‘Look there… in the shallows.’
Linda swung around to see what was causing his excitement and saw a group of large grey birds moving slowly towards them until they paused about fifty metres from the campsite. The birds drifted into dance positions, with couples facing each other.
The dance began. Each bird threw grass and leaves into the air, stepped backwards, taking turns to leap about a metre into the air. They strutted, bowed, circled, raised and lowered their wings slowly with such elegance and grace that a ballerina would be proud to imitate. On and on the dance continued while Frank and Linda watched spellbound.
On an unseen signal as if the music stopped, the brolgas leapt and spun one last time then melted away into the surrounding bush.
Suddenly Frank was on his feet, holding out his hand. ‘Come on, Linda. Let’s dance.’
She laughed as she jumped up. To the sound of Frank’s rendition of ‘On the Bright Side of the Road’ they rocked, triple stepped, executed a perfect underarm swing, and rocked on.
‘Goodness me!’ Linda cried breathlessly. ‘We haven’t done this for ages!’
‘Those birds have a lot to answer for!’ Frank grinned broadly, swinging his hips like a teenager.
© Susan Skowronski 2020
——–
I am pleased to share this sample of my flash fiction stories. The prompt word for this story is ‘carnival.’ Stories must be less than 500 words, have a beginning, middle and end, conflict and resolution and end with a twist.
Prompt: Carnival
WORKING BEE
Ben greeted another carload of newcomers. ‘G’day, Dave. How ya goin’ Billo? Come on in Lachie. Come around the back.’
‘Good day for a bit of hard yakka. We’ve got our chairs and a few stubbies. Lachie brought his chainsaw and I’ve got a shovel.’
‘Great stuff.’ Ben was feeling rather overwhelmed. He’d mentioned at the pub last night he’d have to miss the footy because he had to prune a couple of trees. His mother had been reminding him for months that there was too much shade over the clothes line and she’d finally given him an ultimatum – no more washing would be done until the trees were pruned.
He hadn’t expected this reaction. First to arrive had been Jason and his little brother Paul who drove in when Ben hadn’t even finished his breakfast. Their ute was loaded with two dogs, folding chairs, a strange assortment of landscaping tools, a big esky filled with beer and snags.
‘Coop’ll be here soon,’ Jason told Ben. ‘We saw him at the shop. He’s picking up bread rolls.’
Since then there’d been a steady stream of arrivals. Mick and Lou brought Jake and Annie and the kids and Smithy drove in a few minutes later with his Jack Russell pup named Russ. Spud brought his boys out to kick a ball around and his wife Ellie produced a cake and a plate of biscuits. Wally and Sue brought a bag of chopped onion and yet more sausages. Jigga arrived with a pop-up gazebo in case they needed more shade. His girlfriend Kate carried in an esky filled with bowls of salads and fruit juice for the kids. Ben’s mother was busying herself setting up some tables, and kept saying how lovely it was to see everyone.
Soon the drinks were flowing and the sausages sizzling on the barbeque. There was quite a carnival atmosphere, with dogs running around and kids kicking a ball, blokes laughing and the ladies handing out paper plates and serviettes.
‘Reckon we should get to work on that pruning Ben?’ Lachie asked. ‘Before we have too many brews?
‘No need to worry about that, mate!’ Ben laughed. ‘It was only a couple of small branches. I chopped ‘em off before breakfast.’
© Susan Skowronski 2020