tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642076166796902853.post1143134553775801422..comments2024-02-05T01:49:05.302-05:00Comments on Creative Bloomings' Flashy Fiction Friday: Friday FunkdayWalt Wojtanikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723314300320671675noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642076166796902853.post-28392677890281068592010-03-02T09:51:59.210-05:002010-03-02T09:51:59.210-05:00Aidan - Nice touch! I didn't even think about ...Aidan - Nice touch! I didn't even think about the Ben Folds exit music!<br /><br />Well done, you guys.Emily J. Griffinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05065829576152766163noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642076166796902853.post-72175746530780624762010-02-26T17:59:20.591-05:002010-02-26T17:59:20.591-05:00Ooh, Aidan...I always hated driving over the Bay B...Ooh, Aidan...I always hated driving over the Bay Bridge for that very reason!!!! I just knew it was going to go again. Nice story!Deb Markantonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09504649268821803688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642076166796902853.post-51382402885184047102010-02-26T17:50:42.688-05:002010-02-26T17:50:42.688-05:00Nice Emily, I found myself wondering if he was pla...Nice Emily, I found myself wondering if he was playing Ben Folds as he was driving away. Deb, I like the twist at the end.AidanFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09876041003278004627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642076166796902853.post-78856025542198478742010-02-26T17:41:03.135-05:002010-02-26T17:41:03.135-05:00There was a time when I wouldn't have cared wh...There was a time when I wouldn't have cared why she was here, I just would have been happy to see her. But now... now she needed a damn good reason.<br /><br />"You'd better start talking or I'm gone," I said, looking back at my car.<br /><br />She smiled and said, "Is that any way to talk to someone who's about to save your life?"<br /><br />She'd always been cryptic and I found it endearing once, but not any longer. I turned to go. Even a reverse commute back into the city ran into traffic over the Bay Bridge.<br /><br />"Wait..." she said and looked down at her watch, "four seconds. About one football field or twenty car lengths. I'll be here later if you change your mind."<br /><br />I wasn't likely to change my mind. I slipped behind the wheel and tried not to think about her. Would it have been better to stay and deal with her nonsense so that I didn't spend the drive back remembering the way we'd been. As I slowed through the FastTrak lane, I realized I still thought about her. Only a few cars lined up at the metering lights and I jabbed the seek button. Mostly talk radio, I finally found Shawn Mullins's Lullaby and I sang along as I accelerated.<br /><br />The bass line of the song sounded offkey. Perhaps, that was why he'd been a one-hit wonder. I heard a crack of thunder and I looked around. The skies were blue. Red tail lights. I slammed on my brakes and looked to the lanes to either side of me but they were full of breaking cars. I missed the car in front of me and we all came to a complete stop.<br /><br />After fifteen minutes, I scanned the radio for any news. I didn't hear anything. I got out of my car and asked the man leaning on the door of his truck with the advertisement Jake's Construction, "What happened?"<br /><br />"Bridge collapsed, just before Treasure Island."<br /><br />I looked up at the hill of Treasure Island and walked between the lanes. There were other people squeezing forward as well, but no one spoke. I looked down at the edge and saw the tip of a car's roof still above water.<br /><br />My phone buzzed and I looked at the text message. "100 yards".AidanFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09876041003278004627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642076166796902853.post-70137962641170193852010-02-26T17:33:44.953-05:002010-02-26T17:33:44.953-05:00There was a time when I wouldn’t have cared why sh...There was a time when I wouldn’t have cared why she was here, I just would have been happy to see her. But now...now she needed a damn good reason.<br /><br />“You’d better start talking or I’m gone,” I said, looking back at my car.<br /><br />She smiled and said, “I’ve missed you, Lulu.”<br /><br />Her denim jacket was ripped and dirty. Her hair had been dyed raven black some time ago because the brown roots were two inches, at least.<br /><br />“Don’t call me that.” I shook my head, angry at myself for falling for her bullshit.<br /><br />“So...you going by Luanne now?” She pulled out a pack of Djarum Blacks and lit up.<br /><br /> She blew a stream of smoke at me. I inhaled the sweet clove fragrance that was my sister.<br /><br />“I’ve been Luanne for five years, Lexi.” I folded my arms across my chest, my armor. “I thought our self serving government banned those last year.” I nodded at her cigarette. <br /><br />“Yea, well that’s the thing I need to talk to you about,” she said. <br /><br />“You want to talk politics?” Lexi always brought out the sarcasm in me.<br /><br />She barked a hoarse laugh. “Yea. Matter of fact I do.” Lexi jumped up on the hood of my Prius. “I need your help, Lulu.”<br /><br />“Of course you do. You wouldn’t be here otherwise.” I leaned on the car door. “What is it this time? Pregnant? Out of money?”<br /><br />“You know, it killed me not to see you or talk to you for five years.” Lexi reached out and stroked my hair.<br /><br />“And yet...you did it anyway.” I stepped away from her touch.<br /><br />“I’ve been working for the CIA. In Prague.” <br /><br />It was my turn to bark out a laugh. “Are you effing kidding me? You expect me to swallow that?” Damn, she’d almost sucked me in. If it hadn’t been for such an over the top...<br /><br />I heard a small pop. Lexi slid off the hood of my car and crumpled on the ground, a clean hole in her forehead.Deb Markantonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09504649268821803688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642076166796902853.post-52500581523299001142010-02-26T17:32:10.152-05:002010-02-26T17:32:10.152-05:00Emily, love it!!Emily, love it!!Deb Markantonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09504649268821803688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642076166796902853.post-85717676932910069942010-02-26T15:24:46.752-05:002010-02-26T15:24:46.752-05:00He is The Man.He is The Man.Emily J. Griffinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05065829576152766163noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642076166796902853.post-86447164315386171432010-02-26T14:39:28.347-05:002010-02-26T14:39:28.347-05:00Awesome! I'd keep the Ben Folds album too!Awesome! I'd keep the Ben Folds album too!Jonathon Arntsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17366218140886892757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642076166796902853.post-40505390825421848082010-02-26T13:40:54.502-05:002010-02-26T13:40:54.502-05:00She smiled and said, "See, here's the thi...She smiled and said, "See, here's the thing. You know that Ben Folds CD I loaned you?" She paused before continuing. "And a couple of DVDs and that NYU sweatshirt?"<br /><br />"Yeah," I said. Confused.<br /><br />"I kind of need them back." She stared at her feet then, seemingly fascinated by the old beaten road.<br /><br />"Are you serious? You asked me to meet at our spot so you could get your stuff back?"<br /><br />"Come on, James. We broke up three months ago, it's time to move on."<br /><br />"Move on? Move on?" I yelled. "You're in every single one of my classes. Remember? You thought it would be a great idea to have to SAME EXACT schedule for our senior year so we could spend all of our time together."<br /><br />"Yeah, but I didn't know--" I cut her off.<br /><br />"Didn't know what? That you would cheat on me? Well, that's a relief. At least you didn't know." I kicked the dusty gravel at my feet, sending a smokey cloud of particles into the air.<br /><br />"Yes," she said. Meek.<br /><br />"You know what, Rebecca?" <br /><br />"What?" She nearly whispered.<br /><br />"You can't. You can't have your stuff back. You cheated on me, you got to skip out on all of the heartache and loneliness, so I'm keeping your stuff." I turned around and marched back towards my car as she stood there heavy like a stone. I paused before opening the driver's side door and looked around and the abandoned, old farm house..<br /><br />"Oh, and you and whatshisname can have 'our spot,' it doesn't mean squat to me now."<br /><br />I climbed inside the car, turned the key and cranked the radio to deafening levels. I put the car in Drive and spun the wheels, kicking up a thick layer of dust, then peeled down the abandoned drive for the last time.Emily J. Griffinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05065829576152766163noreply@blogger.com