#RomanticFridayWriters - #AtoZChallenge - Dribbles and Drabbles - Flash Fiction - G is for 'Get under cover!'

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...

G is for 'Get under cover!'

'Get under cover!' Bosco* yelled as he pushed her to the ground. 'The Taliban are shooting from those hills!'
Geni fell hard. 'Ouch! Is that what those flashes are? I thought they must be shooting off fireworks, having a celebration. Like it was a holy day, or, er night.'
'Fireworks be damned, Geni. That's enemy fire. It's a holy day here every day.'
'But where's cover?' She felt around with her hands in the pitch black of an Afghanistan night, a blind person searching for something familiar.
'Pick a rock. Any rock. Just make damn sure it's a big one.'
Geni huddled behind the biggest rock she could find in the darkness. 'We must stop meeting like this Bosco,' she joked.
'Holy shit!' she screamed as a hunk of shale flew past her ear. She wiggled and rolled to the next rock. Maybe it'd be safer. She pulled her helmet down and sucked her head in like a turtle hiding in its shell.
Ping! Another near miss. She squeezed herself between a ledge and a rough mountain of rock. She hung her head on her chest and waited.
'How long will this go on?' she whispered to Bosco.
No answer.
'Bosco!' she hissed.
She was alone.

*The MC's love interest in my Afghanistan novel.

©DeniseCovey2012

Words 200 Drabble

(I've just seen the film, The Exotic Magnolia Hotel, set amongst the rickshaws in beautiful, crazy India!)

                                                                         

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! 

#RomanticFridayWriters - #AtoZChallenge - Dribbles, Drabbles and Droubbles - Flash Fiction No 6 - 'F is for Follow that car!'

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! 

The fortnightly prompts are in hiatus while RFW participates in the A - Z Challenge. Challenges begin again on May 4 (see sidebar prompt). During April you will find stories from 50 - 200 words (in the interests of a quick read so you can move onto the next post!) Most of the posts will be penned by Denise Covey as she just decided overnight to do this, but other RFW members will be popping in from time to time to post their stories I hope...

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...

F is for 'Follow that Car!'

'Follow that car!' Sasha yelled.

'This is not the movies,' the rickshaw driver said.

'Well, it's Mumbai, Bollywood, what's the difference?' Sasha asked.

'We not go mighty fast,' he panted. 'Me very, very old.'

'Yeah, I can see that. You'll never catch that lowdown skunk at this rate, but maybe that's your plan.' 

I had to get my jewels back. Marty would kill me if I returned without them, stolen or not. I should never have trusted that shifty hotel concierge. Should have known he'd run off with them instead of keeping them safely locked away.

'Can't you go faster? Why haven't you got one of those new fandangled cycle rickshaws, or a motor rickshaw? Here I am zig-zagging through the traffic with just pedal power. There must be a million vehicles in this street.'

Sasha caught the smirk on his face. No doubt he was in on the heist. Weren't they all? What a corrupt mob.

'I'm outta here,' she yelled, throwing a few rupees his way. She felt kinda sorry for the old dude as he leaned over, mopping his face and under his turban, but couldn't resist a parting shot before she took off in pursuit of her contraband.

'Well India is just as corrupt as Lonely Planet says. You can't trust anyone, not even thieves.'

'And you American tourists are just as rude as Lonely Planet says. You'll never catch Deep. He always gets away, hee hee.'

©DeniseCovey2012

Words 230

(I've just seen the film, The Exotic Magnolia Hotel, set amongst the rickshaws in beautiful, crazy India!)

                                                                         

Denise, (L'Aussie) writes short stories, flash fiction, travel articles and newspaper profiles while working on her Great Australian Novels. 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! 

#RomanticFridayWriters - #AtoZChallenge - Flash Fiction No 5 - 'E is for Elvira...'

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...

E is for... 'Elvira...'

Elvira was hurting all over. The mattress was lumpy and scratchy; her sides ached from tossing and turning. She felt something biting, stinging her face. She groaned, clapping her hands, trying to scare whatever it was before she was eaten alive. ‘Ouch! Pesky little creatures!’ she snarled through clenched teeth. She slapped at the air a few more times, then groped around, looking for a light switch.

Her water glass fell with a clunk and a splish onto the wooden floor. ‘Darn!’ she whispered as loud as she dared.

Ha!’ Finally her fingers found an object and she pressed hard. ‘Whoops!’ She clamped her hands over her mouth. The radio blared, filling the night with foreign chatter. She felt a knob and turned...silence…

She looked around in the semi darkness, alert to strange sounds seeping in through her tiny window. She held her head in her hands, gathering her thoughts, waiting for her heartbeat to settle. 'Oh Frank you stupid fool. You should have listened to me just this once!'

The noises were back, louder and louder, the chants seeping into her room. She threw back the moist covers and staggered to the window.

What she saw both terrified and excited her. 

Thousands of people were moving into the town square, waving flags and placards. Some were in Arabic, some in bad English, but they all had the same message. A whiff of revolution was in the air. She was going to see history in the making.

But history was going to have to wait.

And so was Frank. He was going to be damn sorry he fired her.

She staggered back to bed and fell into an exhausted sleep, the strange chanting hovering around the edge of her consciousness. Just as dawn was breaking the sounds changed. She heard the call to prayer echoing across the rooftops. The city was waking up. Somewhere on top of a minaret there was a muezzin calling the faithful to pray. But did he have to use a microphone? 

She was still woozy with fatigue when her feet hit the floor. The sounds she’d heard through the night were now gaining in tempo.

She was going to get the story of a lifetime.

With bleary eyes she watched the first peep of light on the horizon. She could just make out quaint orangey rooftops crammed close together like hotels on a Monopoly board. She could see tiny figures like ants moving around the square below. A rush of excitement flowed through her body. She grabbed her cameras and did a quick check.

Rifling through her backpack, she found her mobile phone and called Frank's number.

‘Elvira, where the hell are you?’

‘Cairo.’

©DeniseCovey2012

Words 440

                                                                          

Denise, (L'Aussie) writes short stories, flash fiction, travel articles and newspaper profiles while working on her Great Australian Novels. 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! 

#RomanticFridayWriters - #AtoZChallenge - Dribbles, Drabbles and Droubbles - Flash Fiction No 4 - 'D' is for 'Don't touch that!'

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! 

The fortnightly prompts are in hiatus while RFW participates in the A - Z Challenge. So here we go! RFW Dribbles (50 words) and Drabbles (100 words) and Droubbles (200 words) and more...for your enjoyment...

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...

D is for...

'Don't touch that!

Felicity's hand dropped, astounded by Rick's tone.

'Whyever not?' she asked, 'It's a box. It's on a shelf in my dorm. I'm cleaning up and I found it. Naturally I'm  curious.'

Rick snatched the purple box in a clean sweep and dropped it into the pocket of his uniform. Felicity watched him, waiting for an explanation. He'd never been the secretive type. What was in that box? And why was it hidden behind her grandparents' old wedding picture? She snatched the picture and put it into her suitcase, slamming the lid.

Felicity knew Rick was obsessed with her grandparents' love story. He never tired of hearing how they met during the Korean war. How grandma was a nurse in a unit like M*A*S*H (though nothing like Hotlips Houlihan!) and her grandpa was a Doctor, just as feisty as Pierce. Rick loved the story of how grandpa proposed just before grandma returned to the States. Ah, well, she'd be following in grandma's footsteps soon! Only she was leaving Afghanistan, not South Korea, and she had no ring on her finger.

Felicity was devastated to be leaving Rick behind. Oh, well, what could she do? She couldn't delay any more. She had to get herself on the plane. Her tour was over.

***

She began her long walk out the gate and headed for the bird nosed close to the hangar. Her heart already felt empty and now that there was no one to see, she let her tears flow. She should be exhilarated to be leaving the danger zone, but she would trade the safety of Chicago for more time with Rick. How could she leave him behind? Their love had blossomed in Zabul province. This was their special place.

Felicity heard a shout. She looked back to the hangar. There was Rick, running towards her, his camouflage pants flapping in the stiff breeze, his regulation boots crunching gravel.

'Rick! I thought you had early patrol!'

'Sarge took mercy on me.' He dropped to his knee. At first Felicity thought he was exhausted from the rush, but when he flipped open the purple box, she knew...

©DeniseCovey2012
350 words

                                                                         

Denise, (L'Aussie) writes short stories, flash fiction, travel articles and newspaper profiles while working on her Great Australian Novels. 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! 

#RomanticFridayWriters - #AtoZChallenge - Dribbles, Drabbles and Droubbles - Flash Fiction No 3 - C is for 'Cassie, you're going to live...'

RomanticFridayWriters 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! 

The fortnightly prompts are in hiatus while RFW participates in the A - Z Challenge. Challenges begin again on May 4 (see sidebar prompt). During April you will find stories from 50 - 200 words (in the interests of a quick read). Most of the posts will be penned by Denise Covey as she just decided overnight to do this, but other RFW members will be popping in from time to time to post their stories I hope...

So here we go! RFW Dribbles (50 words) and Drabbles (100 words) and Droubbles (200 words) and more...for your enjoyment...

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...

C is for 'Cassie'

'Cassie, you're going to live. You're going to keep on fighting. I refuse to let you go without doing everything possible.'

'Are you God?' Cassie asked, brushing away a tear.

'No, I'm your doctor. I know this new treatment has potential to help you.'

'You know no such thing,' Cassie said, her voice cold as the grave. 'It'll be just as useless as all the other prodding and poking you've been doing for the last year.'

'But Cassie, this is innovative treatment! Give it a try. Let Mark try. He's doing the best that he can.'

Cassie turned and looked to see her husband's eyes. The love he felt for her was shimmering amongst a pool of unshed tears. How brave he is, she thought in wonder. He's saving them  for later.

'Maybe God's offering another chance, my darling.' He squeezed her hand, brushed away her tears which she could not stop. Did he know she wasn't crying for herself, but for him?

How could she deny him this last hope?

©DeniseCovey2012
170 words
Image - The New Yorker

                                                                          

Denise, (L'Aussie) writes short stories, flash fiction, travel articles and newspaper profiles while working on her Great Australian Novels. 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! 

#RomanticFridayWriters #AtoZChallenge - Dribbles, Drabbles and Droubbles - Flash Fiction 2 - B is for...

RomanticFridayWriters 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! 

The fortnightly prompts are in hiatus while RFW participates in the A - Z Challenge. Challenges begin again on May 4 (see sidebar prompt). During April you will find stories from 50 - 200 words (in the interests of a quick read). Most of the posts will be penned by Denise Covey as she just decided overnight to do this, but other RFW members will be popping in from time to time to post their stories I hope...

So here we go! RFW Dribbles (50 words) and Drabbles (100 words) and Droubbles (200 words) and more...for your enjoyment...

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...

B is for...

The Tuscan Hills, by L'Aussie Images

Bushwalking, canoeing and white water rafting, the Hobbies section of his profile stated. Jilly leaned back in her chair and sipped her coffee, staring at the computer screen.

Quite incompatible. She clicked the mouse and re-read the profile she'd just posted...Hobbies - reading, writing, cooking. God, I'm such a nerd. Maybe it's time... 

She clicked back to Herman Magtaz. He looked something else with his shaggy black hair, sculptured jawline, eyes mysterious behind black shades.

Tap! Tap! Click! Done!

***

Herman was waiting at the corner table when she walked into the coffee shop. A fast mover. Maybe a good thing? She checked him out as she crossed the black and white tiles - his shabby clothes matched his wild hair which was in dreadlocks. His crushed indigo shirt was open halfway down his chest. Show off. But he was ripped all right! He fit the stereotype of the outdoor's man.

'You keep your shades on even when you're inside?' she asked as they sipped their brew.

'Yep. Got an eye condition.'

Mystery man.

'How about a quick hike up Mount Satisfaction after coffee?' He swiped his milky moustache with an enormous hand.

You don't waste any time, but what the heck...I never take risks, but...

'I brought a picnic just in case.' Self assured. I like that.

'Well, why not? Just a quick hike you said?'

'Yep. Takes just a couple of hours to reach the peak.'

Jilly was surprised how little time it took to walk to the top, even in her ballet flats. The view was stupendous. The city seemed so far away, just little terracotta dots spread along the valley.

'This is wonderful,' she said, and meant it.

He flicked the picnic blanket onto a patch of grass. Jilly thought the scene magical, with the dappled, flickering light shimmering through the trees. She relaxed against the nearest tree and watched Herman. His shirt was completely open and - he brought out a knife, not sandwiches...

'Do what I say,' he said as he pushed her down, holding the knife to her throat.


He slowly removed his shades. His eyes were colourless and cruel...

©DeniseCovey2012
370 words

                                                                          

Denise, (L'Aussie) writes short stories, flash fiction, travel articles and newspaper profiles while working on her Great Australian Novels. 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! 

#RomanticFridayWriters - #AtoZChallenge - Dribbles, Drabbles and Droubbles - Flash Fiction No 1 - A is for '...and that's the way it happened...'

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! 

The fortnightly prompts are in hiatus while RFW participates in the A - Z Challenge. Challenges begin again on May 4 (see sidebar prompt). During April you will find stories from 50 - 200 words (in the interests of a quick read so you can move onto the next post!) Most of the posts will be penned by Denise Covey as she just decided overnight to do this, but other RFW members will be popping in from time to time to post their stories I hope...

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...

A is for...

'...and that's the way it was,' he said, his eyes begging understanding.

'I find it hard to believe, Joshua. That's the most imaginative reason I've ever heard for standing up a date. And I put aside 4 hours to meet you as instructed by Online Ontime Dating Service.'

'Well, don't you ever have to sort out a tussle between warring vampires before you head off to dinner?'

'No, can't say I have. My particular tussle is between my two hysterical historical characters whose itchy fingers reach for the duelling pistols to settle every argument. I want to keep that hot duelling scene for the climax but they won't have it! I'm afraid they'll turn the pistols on me!'

'That's the trouble with those old dudes. Well, my dudes are older, but my vamps have moved beyond archaic duelling pistols. Mine have a laser gun fetish.'

'Well, it seems we each have our troubles. Anyway, I need a feed before I get back to my noblemen of Regency England and you probably need a feed before you get back to microwaved blood and mayhem in whatever part of the world you've chosen to set your scenes.'

'Ancient Europe. Can't beat it for bloodthirstyness. Great. See that red light? There's a little diner up the road. We can catch breakfast instead of dinner. Can you set aside another 4 hours?'

©DeniseCovey2012


228 words

                                                                         

Denise, (L'Aussie) writes short stories, flash fiction, travel articles and newspaper profiles while working on her Great Australian Novels. 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!