Dusting Away

It was just as beautiful as it has always been. For years I made sure it stayed that way by dusting every evening. Every nook, every intricate detail was always maintained. As the centerpiece in the main room it was always a thrill for guests to visit and marvel at its beauty.

Mr. and Mrs. Stern enjoyed talking about this house more than anything else. It was their pride and joy and some in the family took exception to it. Mainly little Jimmy. After being shooed away, sent to his room or just outright ignored for so long he decided he would make his presence known.

I really wish today had been my day off. Maybe then I wouldn’t have been involved in the melee. Now I lay here staring at its beauty just hoping the blood doesn’t reach the chandelier. I don’t think I’ll be dusting it this evening.

---

Flash Fiction story written for this week’ Friday Fictioneers Photo prompt and inspired by the photo above. Visit the linkup for more great stories or add your own.

---

 

Shameless plug time, go now and preorder my first book How I Met My Pet Dragon from Amazon. Go ahead. It’s okay to leave the blog for it. I’ll be here when you get back.

And don’t worry, he is a friendly dragon. Nothing like Jimmy from the story above.

 

A plate for everyone and everyone in their plate!

It seemed odd when Uncle Wiley brought them in but her uncle had always been a bit odd himself. They did make a fun display at the front of the shop though and that’s all that really mattered. Sometimes people would come in and ask about the plates and she would tell them how her uncle traveled and would come back every so often with a new plate to add. Keepsakes from his journeys he would always say.

Then one day a man asked and as she relayed the story he gave her a strange look. She was used to it and just laughed it off like normal. Then he made a comment that got her thinking.

“You know, serial killers keep keepsakes from their victims!”

Once he left she started writing the plates and their numbers down. A quick internet search revealed a horror she never expected. She was mesmerized by the information she found and never even heard the door to the shop. When Uncle Wiley spoke it startled her and sent a chill down her spine at the same time.

“Just got home and brought a new plate for the display.” He said, his smile more sinister than she remembered.

She tried to act normal.

“Great. I’ll get it put up with the others first chance I get.” She looked at the plate as he handed it to her and realized it was a local. “Guess you didn’t go that far this time huh?”

“No, sometimes things at home need to be handled before you travel away.”

As he left he grinned saying he would be back soon. She looked down at the plate in her hands. Funny, it seemed so familiar. Like she had seen it before. Surely it was just her mind messing with her.

---

Written for this weeks Sunday Photo Fiction prompt and inspired by the photo above.

I think most everyone is going the killer route. Weird how license plates bring about the thought of a serial killer for everyone.

Spring!!! It’s here, better be careful!

So Mental Mama did a post earlier this week challenging anyone to come up with anything. Okay she did give us a theme Spring. Since it is officially spring somewhere right now I said what the heck. Let me play around with my new toys and see what happens (My toys being a 3D art computer graphic program and my laptop I picked up a few months back).

Well the following ended up on my computer screen. My take on Mama’s FIRST Mid-Month Challenge! #MMMC

After I finished I decided to call it Springtime. The moral to the photo you can decide yourself. My take was the weather’s turning nice, flowers are blooming and beach vacations are a must, but don’t relax just yet because there may be a snake in the grass, er tree, just waiting to get a piece of your lollipop.

Okay that’s not really my take I just made it up now but I had fun participating in the challenge. Thanks mama.

---

If you have something to say, draw, construct or any other format that means Spring to you share it with us and make mama’s challenge spectacular.

Ever made a whole bus full of people mad at you?

The following is a true story based on an experience I suffered years ago. It is being written in response to Juls new What If Challenge What if I asked you about public transport?

I’ve never really been one to take public transportation. I live in a small town, drive my own car and get around pretty decent without having to rely on anything but myself. I do remember a trip I took a few years ago though, not realy public transport but a bus trip full of strangers.

I have always been one of the biggest Red Sox fans around so when I saw an ad in the local paper about a bus trip to Atlanta to watch two ballgames of the Red Sox and Braves I couldn’t resist. It was 1998 1999 and at that time would be the very first professional sport I was able to watch in person.

I talked my older brother into purchasing a ticket as well so I didn’t have to make the trip by myself. The whole package was a great deal and included the bus ride there, two nights stay in a hotel, tickets to two weekend ballgames and then the return trip.  It was leaving in the next town over which was a mere stones throw away so It seemed like a perfect getaway.

We made it to the hotel and then to the games having a wonderful time. I personally got an autograph from Red Sox star Nomar Garciaparra and caught a baseball thrown directly to me in the stands by pitching ace Pedro Martinez who was just inducted into the Hall of Fame this year. I couldn’t have asked for a better first trip to see my favorite team play other than maybe for two wins (they split the games winning one and losing one).

Before long it was time to go on the six plus hour trip home. A little less than halfway through the bus pulled off the highway and into a local restaurant parking lot. To me the place looked a little upscale for my taste at the time and we were tapped out for money anyway so my brother and me decided while everyone was eating we would walk across the street to the shopping center and plunder a bit.

We figured a nice sit down meal would take a while for the busload of people who just went in so we had some time to waste. We walked around and goofed off a few minutes before heading back to the bus. When we walked up on the bus figuring to be the only ones on we noticed every seat was full. As we walked past we heard a lot of grumbling, incoherent babbling and a few things I wish I hadn’t understood.

I still haven’t figured out what happened, all I know is that my timing and everyone else’s seemed to be off that day. Somehow the whole bus party had finished their meals and made it securely onto the bus while we were wondering around across the street. I swear we were not gone anywhere near the amount of time they said we were. Somewhere in that little town off the highway we entered into a time tunnel and traveled into the future. At least that’s the only explanation I have.

The remaining few hours of the trip were a bit sullen and gloomy considering the fun we had the weekend. I hope everyone eventually got over the bit of anger we caused them as they made their way closer to home. By now it’s probably just a distant thought buried somewhere in their brains but to me it is a vivid memory.

I’ll always remember those games, seeing and meeting a couple of my idols and of course, the angered faces of my fellow bus riders. Those memories will always live on.

---

Got a story about public transportation you want to share? Head on over to Okay, What if? and link up to the challenge.

What lies on top of Malt Hill?

When Paul walked outside he immediately knew something was wrong. The sky was, well it just shouldn’t be that color. The question was what was causing it. Strange things had been happening around here for a while and seemed to be getting worse.

He could see the lights were back at the top of Malt Hill. There was nothing up there that should be blinking yet they were. It was about time someone figured out what was going on. He hated the thought of making his way through the thick trees and overgrown path especially at this time of day, but he was determined to get to the bottom of this quickly.

As he approached the top of the hill he began to hear a sound unlike anything he had heard before. A screech, a howl and a whisper all overlapping into one unearthly rattle. The lights seen from far away were so bright as he approached it caused him to lose his sight for but a moment. When he regained it his surroundings were pitch black and quiet. He stepped out of the brush into an open field and………..

---

Paul was listed as the first of the missing. Two months and no sign of him after he walked out his door one late evening. Since then several other people had gone missing in this little town. No one was talking yet there were newcomers every day. The army had even set up a temporary base nearby.

---

Flash fiction story written for Sunday Photo Fiction and based on the photo above supplied by Joe Owens for this week’s prompt.