Bait and Switch [fiction 220]

“Excuse me,” Karen said to the scruffy guy who was leaning against the wall smoking a cigarette, “are you the manager?”

“No, just the Archie the drummer.” He scratched his head. “The third one akshully. The other two, well… they couldn’t get in.”

Karen rolled her eyes. “Your band sucks. I was promised Jimmy and Janis. I never even heard of the Bathtub Gingers.”

He grinned. “Cool name, wot? I thought of it! It’s like bathtub gin, but gingers cos two of us have red hair. I mean, I did, before the um explosion.”

“What about Bobby?” Karen demanded. “And Otis? Dock of the bay ring any bells?”

Archie shook his head sadly. “Never heard of them blokes. We do a righteous cover of ‘Pillow Biter’ though. I can dedicate it to you after the break. Wozz yer name?”

“Karen,” she sighed. “And I don’t even know the original ‘Pillow Biter.’ It doesn’t sound like a song that should be played in Rock and Roll Heaven either.”

“The angels like it well enough.” Archie shrugged. “Sometimes they join in on their harpsichords. How’d you get here so early anyways, Karen? You look awful young and healthy.”

“That’s a rude question!” she snapped. “But if you must know, my psychiatrist mixed up my prescriptions. I’m sure it was an accident however.”

~*~

Fandango’s Flash Fiction Challenge 42

©️2019 Paula Light and Light Motifs II. No unauthorized use permitted. Please check out Paula’s books for sale on Amazon

Assignment [flash 235]

I have not been told why the subject is under surveillance. It was not necessary for this assignment to inform me of details other than a description of the subject and the fact that he appears here at the bridge every afternoon precisely at 3:00. I have my suspicions, of course. I believe he is calculating something, perhaps a sniper shot. The route the officials will travel next month is classified, but someone knows it. When the time comes, if they tell me to kill the subject, I will do it without question or proof. That is how things are now.

The subject appears at 3:00 exactly, as he has done every day for seven days. He is dressed in his usual nondescript dark pants and windbreaker. He walks to the center of the bridge, places his hands lightly on the railing, and looks out. He makes no notes and does not appear to be communicating with anyone.

Today he leaves six minutes earlier than usual, striding away in the direction he appeared, opposite to me. As I turn around, I spot someone watching me. My observer quickly blends into the shadows of a door. It may be a test. This entire assignment could be a ruse. They do that to keep us in the dark. I may never know. Or I may be cut down as I walk past.

End encrypted transmission.

~*~

Written for Fandango’s Flash Fiction 37

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©️2019 Paula Light and Light Motifs II. No unauthorized use permitted. Please check out Paula’s books for sale on Amazon

Halloween Costumes [flash 299]

The three friends scrambled over the fence and climbed through the broken window. “Score!” chortled Jeff, wiping a spiderweb off his face.

As their eyes adjusted to the dim light of the abandoned movie studio warehouse, Andy saw a shape scuttle past his foot. “Maybe we should reconsider this plan…”

“Don’t be a chicken,” Jeff said. “We’ll get primo costumes here and impress all the girls.”

“For free!” Vince added, switching on his flashlight. “C’mon, Andy. Let’s at least look around. No one will even notice these are gone.”

“Whoa, check it out. Wizard of Oz!” Jeff held up a lion head. “Perfect for you, Andy. Cowardly lion, ha ha.”

Andy walked over to the box Jeff had found. “These are awesome,” he admitted, putting on the head. “RAWR!”

Jeff pulled out a shiny suit. “Dibs on the Tin Man. Vince, help me zip this thing up.”

“Okay,” Vince said. “I’m definitely going for the Wizard, being the smart one here.”

The friends helped each other adjust their costumes and then left the warehouse for their school party. They were a big hit and received many compliments from the girls.

At the end of the night, Jeff walked home and tried to take off his costume but couldn’t find the zipper. It seemed much tighter than before, almost molded to his skin. “Mom!” he yelled. “Help!”

His mother came upstairs. “There is no zipper. How did you get into this? Where did you buy it?”

“Um… a friend gave it to me.”

She tried to cut it off and the scissors broke. Jeff ran down the street and banged on Vince’s door. Vince came out, still dressed as the Wizard.

“I can’t take the costume off!” Vince cried.

Just then Andy came galumping up the driveway and ate them.

~*~

Fandango’s Flash Fiction Challenge 35

Laura’s October Challenge (Day 8)

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©️2019 Paula Light and Light Motifs II. No unauthorized use permitted. Please check out Paula’s books for sale on Amazon.

The Secret Meeting [flash 150]

“Are you absolutely positive no one knows about this place?” Jane whispered.

Ted gestured at the empty parking lot overgrown with weeds. “Just look at it. Come on. We’re totally safe!”

They wandered inside the building, and Jane noted the broken windows and faded graffiti. “Guess you’re right.”

“Let’s get comfy,” Ted said. He shook out a ratty old beach blanket onto the dirty floor and motioned for Jane to take a seat.

“I’m a bit nervous,” she admitted as she opened her backpack. She had buried today’s supplies at the bottom, just in case.

Ted took out his own collection. “I promise you they won’t find us here.”

“They’d better not.” Jane sighed as she gazed as the lurid cover of her romance novel. “We’ll both get kicked out of the exclusive literature society if we’re caught reading smut and comics.”

“Mmhmm,” Ted said, already lost in spidey world.

~*~

Written for Fandango’s Flash Fiction Challenge

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©️2019 Paula Light and Light Motifs II. No unauthorized use permitted. Please check out Paula’s books for sale on Amazon.

Expedition [flash 180]

Lixa gazed at the rows of small openings that were amazingly intact in the rubble. “What do you suppose they used these for?” she asked Tareg, who was leading the expedition.

“I’ve seen pictures of other buildings that had similar construction,” Tareg said. “It was part of a communications center. This is a great find.”

“So, we’ll be rewarded with a bonus and time off?” Lixa asked. She’d been working on Earth for three years and was hoping for a break to visit her family.

Tareg laughed. “Keep dreaming, Lix. They want all of this section finished now that the radiation levels are safe to work in.”

“It’s been ten thousand years since humans all died out,” she muttered. “What’s the big hurry?”

“Because we might need a new planet soon,” he whispered, his purple eyes aglow with a strange light she recognized as fear. “There have been threats.”

Lixa waved a hand to indicate the ruined city. “After knowing this… happens, we would still engage in warfare?”

“It will always be the way.” Tareg shrugged. “Let’s finish the job.”

~*~

Written for Fandango’s Flash Fiction Challenge 32

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©️2019 Paula Light and Light Motifs II. No unauthorized use permitted. Please check out Paula’s books for sale on Amazon.

Scraps [flash 135]

“May I help you?” Lynsey approached the elderly woman who was peering into one of the empty dance studios.

The woman adjusted her glasses. “Are you in charge here, dear?”

“Yes, I’m Lynsey Anderson, the Director of Admissions.”

“Good!” The woman smiled. “I’m Jane West and I want to sign up for September.”

Lynsey frowned. “Sign up for… ballet?”

“Yes indeed. Ballet has always been my dream, and just like all your posters say, we should follow our dreams. Right?”

“Right. But…” Lynsey glanced at cane Jane was using for balance.

The smile faded from Jane’s face. “Are you saying it’s too late for me, Lynsey? My time has run out?”

Lynsey tried to be diplomatic. “Perhaps you have other dreams that are more realistic.”

“Just scraps.” Jane turned away. “That was the last one.”

~*~

Written for Fandango’s Flash Fiction Challenge 30

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© 2019 Paula Light and Light Motifs II. No unauthorized use permitted. Please check out Paula’s books for sale on Amazon.

Revelation [flash 271]

“Everyone is staring at us, Mom,” Julie complained. “I wish we could have found an inconspicuous way to travel to the Emperor’s birthday party.”

Her mother’s face settled into obstinate lines as she gazed at the road flying by. “You’re the one who didn’t wake up in time for the skytrain. Besides, this is the safest way to travel. Why do you care what a bunch of streeters think?”

Julie shrugged. “You never know who will remember later.”

“Later?” Her mother laughed. “You’ll be protected. You have nothing to worry about.”

“You can’t promise that,” Julie muttered, as she pulled her silky knit scarf around her face, hoping to hide her identity.

“Honey,” her mother sighed. “Who do you think has protected us all this time? Given us a beautiful skyhome? Sent you to the academy?”

“My father obviously!” Julie rolled her eyes. “I wish he’d return from his mission to X9 so I could meet him finally.”

“I lied to you,” her mother admitted. “Your father isn’t on a mission and you have met him. Many times. You’ll be seeing him today.”

Julie stared at her. “The Emperor?!”

“He is your father.”

Suddenly, the vehicle stopped moving and sank to the ground, as if deliberately sabotaged by the emperor’s maintenance men. The car was immediately surrounded by streeters out for revenge against a piece of luxury when they barely had enough to eat. Julie began screaming.

The doors burst open and Stan the retired Star Lieutenant motioned them out. “This way. Quickly. I have a safe ship waiting for you both.”

Could they trust him? Did they have any choice?

~*~

Written for Fandango’s Flash Fiction Challenge 26

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© 2019 Paula Light and Light Motifs II. No unauthorized use permitted. Please check out Paula’s books for sale on Amazon.

Firewood [flash 124]

Jake slid his phone back in his jacket, for no camera could capture this magnificence. The sunrise beamed through the tree branches and set the forest path aglow like a mystical morning fireplace. Everything bloomed in molten hues of red, orange, and gold. These woods were bewitching and the farther he wandered, the more certain he was he’d made the right decision. Only last week he’d sold everything, quit his desk job, and left his dull life for a nomadic existence, traveling nature’s paths, being at one with the rhythm of the tides, and sleeping under a blanket of stars every night.

Jake was so blissed out picking berries in the sun shower that never heard the mountain lion pad softly up behind him.

~*~

Fandango’s Flash Fiction Challenge 25

© 2019 Paula Light and Light Motifs II. No unauthorized use permitted. Please check out Paula’s books for sale on Amazon.

Nemesis [flash 100]

He paused beside the smooth, towering trees, touching one tentatively as if for balance. The ground was spongy cool beneath his bare feet, but nothing hopped or crawled. Golden light poured in from the north and he slowly turned toward it, shading his eyes. He’d been away for a long time and moved hesitantly, not knowing what dangers lurked. Was his nemesis still hunting him, or did she die in the explosion along with the prototype humans? He needed to find out and began to jog toward the light.

“Cut!” yelled the director. “We’ll do the eyeball scene after lunch.”

~*~

Fandango’s Flash Fiction Challenge

Time Pieces

She smashed the clocks,

Flung the watches off the dock,

Determined to outwit time.

She covered the windows

So day became night;

Not a ray of sunshine

Found its way inside.

Prowling the quiet halls,

She owned the darkness;

Her face remained unlined,

Her body graceful as a child’s,

As everyone she knew died.

Eventually, her house crumbled,

The walls collapsing to dust,

And she stood alone in the rain.

A new world sputtered to life,

Full of hollow fluttering things,

And she became its cursed ruler.

She stared at the silent lake,

That graveyard of timepieces,

And knew a different kind of chain.

Perhaps she had made a mistake.

~*~

Fandango’s Flash Fiction Challenge