I decided to enter the Indies Unlimited Flash Fiction Challenge this week - after a little prodding from a fellow author.
For those who do not know what the challenge is about, I will give you a little summary.
You are given a starting point to the story and must finish it within 250 words. Yes, it is that easy ... or that difficult.
The prompt this week:
George walked the halls of his old high school with the lavishly-wrapped package in hand. He’d seen it in the airport and immediately knew it would be the perfect gift for Mrs. Davies – his English teacher during his senior year. George grinned as he smoothed the lapel of his Armani suit. She’d told him he’d never amount to anything. He’d already proved her wrong, and then some. Now, he couldn’t wait to see the look on her face when she saw him…and opened the gift. He knew the twenty-six dollar sign was going to be worth every penny…
My entry:
George reached the office that he was certain still belonged to Mrs. Davis. Turning the doorknob as he knocked and slowly peeked in, he couldn’t wait to see her reaction.
“Can I help you?” an elderly man asked from behind a filing cabinet.
“Is Mrs. Davies in today?” George disappointedly questioned as he fumbled with the sign and the airport gift in his hands.
“Mrs. Davies no longer works here. What brings you here, son?”
“Well, I thought I would pay Mrs. Davies a visit since she was one of my favorite teachers in high school …” George stammered as he tried to make up a good lie.
“Wait, I remember you,” the old man exclaimed, “you’re George Smithfield from my English class a few years ago.”
The old man began to tremble – like Mrs. Davies had on the last day of school when George had told her what a witch she was for failing him in English.
Not graduating on time still angered George. But, in a stomach-churning change-of-heart, George realized that he had made a monumental mistake in coming back.
Regaining his composure, Mr. Davies calmly said, “I guess no one told you about my gender reassignment surgery.”
“Well, um, no,” George murmured as he desperately tried to hide the sign and the box containing the coffee mug engraved with “if the broom fits, ride it”.
Flush with embarrassment, he left the office. As the door closed, George could hear the wicked laughter.
He had failed again.
**Updated on 3/6/2015 - I won. :-)