Wednesday 11 April 2012

#RomanticFridayWriters - #AtoZChallenge - Flash Fiction - 'J is for...'


Welcome to RomanticFridayWriters!

RFW is about short short writing or flash fiction (usually 400 words), less for poems, with some romantic element. It's not Romance of the happily ever after variety, but Romantic, where it's about the story, the issue, with some romantic relationship involved. Our stories are edgy, sometimes dark, and often don't have the HEA ending! 

So here we go! RFW Dribbles (50 words), Drabbles (100 words) and Droubbles (200 words) and more (400 ish)...for your enjoyment - a laugh, a cry...

It's widely agreed that most fiction (unless it's solely about animals) begins and ends with human characters: their frailties, virtues, conflicts and expectations. In our stories for the A - Z Challenge the writers attempt to more closely observe the people around us...


Today I have another vignette in the life of Bosco and Geni in Afghanistan...


J is for 'Just the thought...'

Just the thought of seeing her for maybe the last time broke him up inside. Was this the last time he'd see her face? He had to savour each moment.

'Geni,' he began, 'we've started something here. I know a war zone isn't the ideal place for love to grow, but I need to tell you before you go - I love you.'

Geni looked up from cutting her steak. 

'Bosco? What did you say?' Her ears must be losing it from too much artillery fire. Big tough guy Bosco? She put down her knife and fork and considered him.

Funny she'd not noticed the new lines around his eyes, the way his face was cut into sharp angles, the distracted way he ran his hands through his hair.

'Bosco?' she asked in wonder. 'Perhaps you do love me.'

'I love you Geni. Here in Afghanistan we lose people every day. I don't want to ever lose you.'

He reached across the mess table and took her hands. He brought her greasy fingers to his lips and kissed them, one by one, ignoring the sniggers from his mates. He rather enjoyed the way they bashed their knives and forks on the table, braying for more. It gave him courage.

'I want to spend the rest of my life with you.'

She leaned her elbows on the table and reached across to kiss him. The clatter all around got louder and louder. 'More! More! More! More! The soldiers were enjoying the show.

Then the sirens began...


©DeniseCovey2012
Words 247 
Image
                                                                          

Denise, (L'Aussie) writes short stories, flash fiction, travel articles and newspaper profiles while working on her Great Australian Novels, one of which is set in Afghanistan. She's the founder of RomanticFridayWriters. Her writing blog is L'Aussie Writing. She'd love you to visit her there for her A - Z Challenge on the theme, BLOGGERS WERE CHILDREN TOO! 

13 comments:

  1. Hello Denise.
    In spite of where they are, you pain a very romantic picture of this moment of tenderness between Bosco & Geni. Love it!

    Day 10/11 Jewels Of Darkness

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  2. very cool :-) I have a huge soft spot in my heart for both soldiers and wartime romances!

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    1. Thanks Li. I love to write/read about them. D.

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  3. ooo... Sweet and then the ending, uh oh. Quite the bit of flash there. Well done.

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    1. Thanks Dawn. Like to keep you on your toes. D.

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  4. Awww - really liked that one. I am hoping they make it! Maybe a follow up??

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    1. Thanks for the visit, HR. Yes there's a lot more to the story. D.

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  5. Oh, I'm so glad we got to see these two again. Please tell me this is set after the last one - then I'd know he was okay :-)

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    1. Yes Sarah, it's after the last one. But there's more...maybe I'll get my novel finished one day!
      D.

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  6. Loved it, Denise. I echo andy's thoughts. Back to work it was...with the sirens. Such is life. Made it seem ore real too. Romance, love, and then the gritty reality of war.

    About the 'task', don't worry. I will deliver on time. Just need some time to fine tune what I'd sent you before. I'll do it in the next couple of days.

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    1. Okay Adura I won't worry! Thanks for coming by and reading...D.

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