Wednesday has come around again and I’m happy to present this week’s flash fiction.
I sprinted across the platform toward the waiting carriage, thin rubber doing little to disguising the rollers beneath through my sneakers’ souls. Ahead lay my escape from the last two hours’ torture in its pink gilded glory. My husband and daughter scrambled aboard the one ahead.
An arm stretched out in front of me barring my way. I glower at the park attendant. “Sorry, not that one.”
“Why not? My group?” I gestured toward my family.
“It’s broken.” He shrugged. “Please do not attempt to board.”
Behind his lanky frame, chattering teens boarded the “broken” carriage. I rolled my eyes at him. “Broken, huh?”
“Uhhhhh.” The sound drew out as another carriage appeared from the ride’s depths empty, purple, and hand carved wood to the plastic ones sailing about. “Take this one.”
He pulled the bar up and ushered me in. Clambering aboard, I yelped as the arm crashed down locking me in before I was fully seated.
“Enjoy the ride.” The attendant beamed and lifted two fingers in salute.
I groaned. Not likely. The carriage, the salute. This was summons, not a ride. My carriage veered left when the others drifted right.
Passing through the veil a fit of sneezing overcame me. It always did. Hegemon Darius stood waiting as the carriage ground to a halt. “I was with my family.”
“And you will be again before they know it,” Darius lifted the bar. Grumbling, I clambered out wondering what problem the council needed me to fix now.
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