Flash fiction 3: Lost footing (Indies Unlimited challenge)

Every Sunday, Indies Unlimited runs a flash fiction challenge. There's a prompt and you have to write 250 words. The challenge closes on Tuesdays and voting opens on Wednesdays. If you want to try, here's the link - http://www.indiesunlimited.com/2015/01/24/flash-fiction-challenge-lost-footing/

Prompt - Well good job, Wendy, I said to myself as I bent another fingernail backwards, ripping it to the quick. What the heck was I thinking, telling Jason that I’d love to go climbing? Sure, I’d been dying for him to ask me out, but I never should have alluded to being athletic. At all. Ever. I glanced at Jason, just a few feet to my right. He smiled. I smiled back. He’s so cute, and smart, and funny. And every other girl in class has the hots for him, too. I know lying was wrong, but I really wanted just one chance for him to get to know me. Through all that thinking, I had managed to get myself in a bit of a predicament. My feet were now way too far apart, and the left one was slipping…

Here's mine for this week... 

Lost footing

Adjusting my grip on the jagged rock, I summoned my inner ninja. Don’t look down, I told myself. It’s a hell of a long way and you’ve been trying to block out Mr Vertigo all this time. Instinctively, my legs turned to jelly. Come on, Wendy, try harder! My maths teacher seemed to be sending subliminal messages or else my mother, but she would have stretched every syllable until there was a veritable avalanche.

“You okay?”

I peered up through my dangling hair at Jason. I hadn’t tied it back, wanting to look sexy. Now I regretted it. There would be nothing sexy about plunging because I couldn’t see. “Fine,” I managed. Okay, I was never going to be scaling Everest soon, but I could do this. Who needed fingernails anyway?

Realising I was staring hypnotised at Jason’s butt in those tight shorts of his, I chastised myself to get a grip. Sunburn, scraggly hair, bloody knees and rashes from the stinging nettles I’d been attacked by earlier – yep, Jason would surely have the hots for me! In my next life.

I pushed on. After an eternity, I reached the top. The man of my dreams wore a whopping great grin. “You know, not many girls have the guts to do that,” he said.

Jason was impressed! I collapsed alongside him, trying to act nonchalant while panting for my life. “Really? So I’m braver than I think?”

He sniggered. “Just more stupid. Up here no one will hear you scream.”

copyright Vickie Johnstone

Flash fiction 1: Amish Hit Job - my entry

Today I did something different to get the hamster-in-the-brain running. You might not know, but Indies Unlimited is a wonderful website for anyone who is writing and/or thinking of self-publishing.

They have the weekly Flash fiction Challenge, so I wrote one. Of course, there's an animal in there!!

Here is the website if you'd like to enter your own story and read the other entries. Voting begins tomorrow, I think. http://www.indiesunlimited.com/2013/06/22/flash-fiction-challenge-amish-hit-job/

INTRO FROM INDIES UNLIMITED

Seth and Amos and I saw the fancy rig waiting outside as we walked up. The driver sat there stoically, waiting for his passenger to return. There was no mistaking it. This was the Amish mafia. Somebody must’ve failed to show up to the midnight barn raising. Now there would be a shunning going on – a brutal shunning, indeed. To our everlasting shame, we averted our eyes and quickly walked by. Yet, we were not to escape unscathed. As we turned the corner, we saw the carriage start our way. The driver’s eyes bore at us. Just when it seemed there was no escape…

 MY STORY...

“Woof,” I said, raising an eyebrow of warning, but knowing full well that the boys would just think I was battling a flea. Turning, I did the Lassie ‘Follow Me’ routine, but it wasn’t working.

“It’s getting closer!” gasped Seth.

“What am I supposed to do with all these potatoes we pinched?” asked a scared-looking Amos.

“Woof!”

The carriage was bearing down on us, and by the devilish look in the driver’s eye, I knew he didn’t mean to give us directions.

“Run!” Seth shouted.

We did. Down that stony road we pelted as fast as our legs could carry us, and was I glad that I had four, I can tell you. On we ran, coughing on the dust thrown up in the summer haze.

“I feel like we’re in that film, ‘Duel’,” said Seth.

“No time for jokes,” grumbled Amos. “Do you wanna carry this sack?”

Seth shook his head, and we all skidded as the lane turned. We charged on beneath the boughs of the sheltering trees. Glancing back, I barked in fright. I could see the whites of the Devil’s eyes and he was laughing.

“Let’s jump off the road,” suggested Seth, panting. “He can’t get us there.”

Grinning, Amos hurtled off to the right, tripping over the potatoes and landing with a thud.

“Guess I’m the brains of the outfit,” said Amos, laughing as the demon rattled by.

No, that would be me. I tried to tell you guys earlier, but would you listen? “Woof!”

Thanks for reading!! Now have a go on the website! I dare you! :)))

Copyright Vickie Johnstone