Expression

Wednesday has come around again and I’m happy to present this week’s flash fiction.

Josephine sniffed audibly from the corner where she sat primly despite the absolute white knuckled grip she kept on the strider’s basket. Ollie, glanced toward Alessia, careful that Josephine couldn’t see, rolled her eyes, and turned fully to the lady.

But not before she caught Timothy’s snicker. She supposed she deserved that since he’d been stuck babysitting her lady while Ollie fetched Alessia. Josephine’s eyes grew rounder as she thought this. Eh, too long answering then. “Whatcha wanting?” she said hooking her thumbs in her belt.

Josephine’s back straightened, a feat Ollie wouldn’t have thought possible. “Did we have to take a strider?” Josephine said, the last word rising octaves as the mechanic stumbled over some unseen impediment far below.

Ollie swayed with the movement, plopping her arm on Timothy’s shoulder. “Well, seeing the strider gives us options a train wouldn’t, and seeing pursuit got a might closer than then I’m liking.”

Josephine pursed her lips and scowled at the enclosure. “Yes, but it’s so… compact. And must you all insist on using coarse speech?”

Ollie placed a hand over her heart. “Josephine, I’m hurting. After all lollygagging, you ain’t grown used to us yet?” She glanced between Timothy and Alessia. They grinned back at her and chimed in with their own indignation. As the ride progressed, their colloquialisms became more colorful

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Be sure to check out the other Wednesday Words authors’ take on the prompt.