I Took the Fall, a repost from my archives. #flashfiction

“I Took the Fall,” by Pamela Schloesser Canepa, (c) 2017.   I hereby declared Tuesdays to be Short Tales Tuesday, wherein I will post a new or a past short story or flash fiction I have written. Enjoy!

I headed back to the yard with my garden hoe.  I hate killing living things, but this bugger looked poisonous.  He was further back in the brush.

“Sure, you keep your distance now.”  I sat on the ground, sweating.

“You would too, Missssssssss.” His tongue darted out.

I jumped.  “What?”

“Yesssss.  It’ssss me.  Come on, I am alwaysss judged by my outer cover, my ssscales sssso to sssspeak.  It’sss not fair.  All because of Hisssstory, mythology, the Bible, whatever.”

“I’m sorry.”  I looked at him through new eyes.  It had to be a he, though who could tell?

“Yessss.  Imagine what it’sss like.   Way back when, Armadillo sslipped up.  You know he’s a good candidate to stand for evil.  But no, I defended him.  I took the fall for him.”

He actually looked sad.

It seemed he’d started to trust me.  He’d slithered out from the bush.  The garden hoe was resting next to me, forgotten.

Suddenly, he sprang at me, and I was overcome, knocked down.

“S-ssssucker!”

I took the fall.

~The end~

(c) Pamela Schloesser Canepa. A re-post I originally posted in 2017 as a response to the Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers blog challenge.

 

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Isolate, #RDP #flashfiction

(c)2020 by Pamela Schloesser Canepa

It’s easy in times like this

not to trust,

to let fear take over.  

You think, if you isolate, what you fear can’t win.  That, if you isolate, you are starving the fear, shutting off from what you fear.

Let  me tell you about this little monster.  It grows in cold, dark, lonely places void of light, within people who fear the warmth, who assume the worst of others.  It grows; it takes over the very person trying to starve it.  For, one who assumes the worst, needs to give oneself a chance to be proven wrong.  If you are never proven wrong, then why would you change your beliefs?

Isolating is great, when it occurs to get things done, to get down to business and feed your own thoughts.  When one isolates to avoid, that monster grows ever stronger and IT feeds off your own thoughts.  I know.  You see it growing all over me, don’t you?

Two young men had stopped but walked off as the old women opened her coat and removed it to reveal her arms covered in dirt and a green growth all over her arms.  She had lost her audience; they were disgusted and maybe even afraid.  

A little child peeked out at her from behind his mother’s leg where he’d been hiding.

I see you!  Don’t be afraid!  Don’t let it take over you, don’t do what I did.  You still have time!  Be brave, little one!

He didn’t turn away; he knew she was not the monster but simply had been overcome. Still, he stayed close to his mother.

Quickly, his mother whisked him away, and the old woman smiled, once again putting on her coat.  Her audience was gone, but she had reached one impressionable soul, and this was good.  For, she knew paranoia would again sweep the land, and likely very soon.

(Written in response to the Ragtag Daily Prompt word: Isolate.  Quite timely, yeah?  Visit them at https://ragtagcommunity.wordpress.com/2020/03/13/rdp-friday-isolate/ )

 

 

Mighty maelstrom. #RDP

Pixabay photo.

(c) Pamela Schloesser Canepa, 2020

 

In the midst of the wind

And tumultuous waves

A voice called out to me.

“You did not cause the storm,

But the storm is within you

You are not run by what you fear

And you are not controlled by fear

If you can just embrace it…

Be the wind that erodes the sands of boredom

Be the downpour that washes away all doubt

Be the fire that burns down the tents of shame

Do not be blown over by the storm,

Let the storm surge through you, and remake you,

Stronger, wiser, resilient as an oak.”

With that, she walked away, long stick guiding her movements, gray hair befalling her shoulders, a smile crinkling at her eyes.

Just as I realized who she was, she was gone…

 

Popular Opinion. #fiction #FOWC

Popular Opinion, copyright 2019                                                                                                         by Pamela Schloesser Canepa

 

“According to popular opinion, these humans are good for nothing but space fuel, or an after-dinner snack.  Not much substantial about them at all.” Dorf looked down at the landscape that grew closer and closer to them.

Mifkus just shrugged.  How could he convince the ogre any different?

“I mean, we’ve been visiting and observing for centuries and they don’t even suspect.  Politicians concern themselves with little more than the production and consumption of green legal tender.  I don’t see humans as worthy of a friendly greeting.  Destruction should be our goal.”

Mifkus zoomed his eyes into focus.  “Slow down.”  A dot on a city street below became visible.  Slowly, he pushed the share button and an image came to the big screen.

“There.  Someone knows we’re here.  She’ll be the bridge toward peaceful acclimation.  Destruction is not needed.”  He sighed in relief.

“Nonsense.  Those daft care-takers will erase any hopes of sensibility in that child.”

“Not if we make our appearance now.  A peaceful hello, to just this one.  Please, hear me out.  We’ll make a vote.”  He looked pleadingly at the others.

Peaceful appearance won out over hostile Earth takeover.  And today she lives to tell the tale of the odd green creatures that presented her with her first daffodil.  Tomorrow, who knows what may bridge us toward universal peace.

*You know what they say about popular opinion… Find the Fandango One Word Challenge and follow for your daily prompt at https://fivedotoh.com/2019/12/27/fowc-with-fandango-popular/

Photo by Ahmed Aqtai on Pexels.com

Punch. #RDP #flashfiction

Flash fiction response by Pamela Schloesser Canepa, (c) 2019

“Wree, I feel like we are going to be a great success! Thanks for your guidance. I’ve got no idea what your secret is, but this seems to be working.”

“Of course it is, Chap. I know what I’m doing. Could you just, tame your excitement a little though. They can sense it from a mile away. We need to be confident, smooth.” Wree stood and straightened his imaginary tie. Of course, he looked good.

“I’m just not believing it all yet. We’ll be heralded by all, we’ll be famous.” Chap beamed. “I keep thinking we’ll be found out, though, for what we really are.” The smile faded, and anxiety crept over his face. “I mean, I see you and your reptilian nature,” he whispered. “Why don’t they? Why don’t they see my tentacles and fangs?”

“Stop it, Chap. Don’t worry; they’ll never see it. They drank the punch a long time ago. We look like winners to them. We look like money, and it blinds them. Sit tight, because this is the millenia in which we will conquer.” He stood proud again and smiled at an approaching female at the perfect age for carrying and producing an interplanetary specimen. “Hello,” he said with a wink.

****The RDP prompt is shared daily at the Ragtag Community site. You may find today’s prompt at https://ragtagcommunity.wordpress.com/2019/11/09/rdp-saturday-punch/ What would you make out of today’s prompt? Thanks for stopping by! Please leave a comment and tell me where you are from, what planet, galaxy, etc. 🙂

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Weekend Coffee Share. Back to Normal, My Version of it!

Welcome to my Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Allison at http://eclecticali.wordpress.com

Our area was spared of the wrath of Hurricane Dorian, but sadly, the Bahamas was hurt. I spent a terribly exorbitant amount of time watching Netflix (The Walking Dead and Money Heist) and eating things I don’t normally let myself eat. The brookie, for example, was my best and most decadent find, a cookie baked into a brownie that sat by the checkout at a convenience store my son and I went to on a bored, stir crazy soda run. I shudder now to think of how that took me beyond my carb and sugar limit. Carpe diem, they say. 🙂 School was cancelled for three days, and my son’s job for two of them. We somehow survived with comfort eating and Netflix binges. I’ll own up to it.

I’ve been doing more edits in conjunction with my producer on my audiobook for Detours in Time. Soon, it will be released! I work on the Malachi manuscript when I get time. It is going to be strange, as it is 99% character study that ties in to my sci-fi series, but it will only have hints at some sci-fi goings on. The character is however, going through a very interesting time of his young life. Still, what the heck am I doing? I think it’s what the character wants me to do, therefore, it’s what I want to do! Life is short, and I have the ideas coming to me daily for the sci-fi followup; think of it as a younger generation Detours in Time, and yes, it is part of that series. Think of Star Trek, the Next Generation. I can only hope my strategy could be compared to such a giant…

On the writing front, I’ve been polishing some stories I’ve written over the last 3 years, two that had been entered into story-to-screen contests. I sent one of them off to a short story contest. The other, I’m considering converting from script to a story. I am trying to keep my eyes open for anthologies where they might fit, some are sci-fi, and some are supernatural/paranormal. Let me know if you hear of any anthologies taking submissions! I also wrote a poem titled “Psychedelic” this week in response to a one word prompt. It is about someone who had a very cool grandma. I didn’t know my grandma that well, so this is all imagination. Please view it here: “Psychedelic,” a Poem

The selfie is included because I just had my hair done today and I feel great about it. She styles it better than I ever could, as I normally don’t have patience for the hair dryer. There is a lot to be said for smiles! Smiling makes the bags under my eyes almost invisible. So, I thought I’d share. I will be getting new author photos done soon, since I hope to be publishing Malachi in March or April. That is, if my nerves don’t get to me, as in, how dare I depart from my sci-fi ways? How dare I place the focus squarely on one character and his struggles….I don’t know. I think I’ll get my nerve back. Not doing so will only lead to inaction, which I cannot stand; it interfered with my writing for too many years! Here’s to action, my friends, and forging onward!

Thanks for stopping by as I drank my cold coffee. At 97 degrees, it seemed called for. Have a great week!

“Well, Eventually….” An Alien Observes.

 

Photo by Benjamin Suter on Pexels.com

(c) 2019 by Pamela Schloesser Canepa

In the 1970s, the FBI learned to categorize deviant behaviours and coined the term “serial killer.”  It is part of human history, detailed beautifully in the Netflix series, Mindhunter. 

Who knew that eventually, hateful behaviors and hate crimes against others would be encouraged, that humans would willingly destroy other humans.  Why am I even here?  Oh, I am here to categorize and understand their behaviors.  It is a disturbing job.

Sometimes, it seems they will destroy themselves.  Understanding their motives seems pointless.  Sure, greed is one of the hugest motives I’ve observed, but others just don’t make any sense: the desire for the perfect cheeseburger,  the most beautiful house….Wait, those fit under hunger and, um, pride.  No, not just hunger, but, the word is addiction.  They aren’t just feeding hunger, but rather, they are seeking certain tastes that make them feel a certain way.  Yes, that’s it.  And they will knock each other down and/or lie to each other to fulfill these wishes.  But greed, it truly is the worst.

I feel that this job is finally getting to me, but I suspected it would, eventually.  It has now been three human years.

09-24-2020

Ambassador “Darwin” M2ZZTTHHem,

    of the planet ZZTTaton, Visitor 14,983.

Shuts down his communication device.  Stares at the Megan Fox poster on the wall and then the Rembrandt painting.  Tears off his Rolex watch.

Shakes his head.  “I need to burn these possessions and go get lost in the jungles in Brazil.  Maybe they won’t find me.”

 

 

Melt (Out of the Mouths of Babes) #RDP

 

 Photo via Pixabay, (c) Dustytoes

“Mama, when cheese melts, is it still cheese, or is it bread and cheese?”

“Yes, hon, the cheese is still cheese, but now it’s even more enjoyable. ”

“I love bread AND cheese, and tomatoes!”

Mrs. Vincent put two slices of tomato on his sandwich.  “You should! Now they’re all better than they were before. Such a great combination!”

“Add pepper, please?”

Mrs. Vincent added a dash of pepper.  “Is that just right?”

“Yeah.  It’s not as boring now.  Is that why America was called a ‘melting pot’?”

“It still is my dear. Remember why you love it.  Don’t let anyone tell you different. ”

(c) Pamela Schloesser Canepa, 2019.

 

*Follow ragtagcommunity.wordpress.com to receive the daily prompt!

“Take a Hike.” #RDP #amwriting

(c) Pamela Schloesser Canepa

John had been through this before.  No one understood how he processed things.  This was his third foster home in a row.

His foster dad, Mr. Biggins, spoke in a strange way., but John really wanted to know the workings of this new household and had a lot of questions.

Mrs. Biggins had shown John to his room.  There were two smaller children in the home, but John got his own room.  Mrs. Biggins was busy cooking dinner one day when John asked why there wasn’t much toilet paper.

“Oh, we try not to use too much paper.  It’s Mr. Biggins’ rules, you know.”

John went to ask Mr. Biggins, because sometimes he needed a lot more than what was rationed to him each morning.

“Take a hike,” Mr. Biggins said.

“But, but, that doesn’t answer my question.  Sir,” John added politely.

“Learn to use less.  Conserve.  Now, I’ve answered you.  Go take a hike.”

So, being a person who tried to do just as he was told, John did.

John suffered for a year in that home, with people who did not understand his needs.  Finally, he was adopted by a loving family.  The Servos lived in the big city.  John looked down at his hiking books.  No woods to explore as he used to do for hours when living with the Biggins, where no one cared that he was gone for hours as long as he was back before dinner.  He disliked Mr. Biggins moodiness, but just kept to himself most of the time so as not to disturb the man.  Hiking had been his solace, and summers had provided a lot of education in nature.

“Would you mind if I take a hike?” John asked Mr. Servo, longing for some movement and fresh air.

“Well, that’s an interesting thought,” Mr. Servo replied.  “There’s this place a couple blocks away with excellent gyros.  And the doc said walking would good for my heart. Come on!  We can talk on the way.”

John smiled.  He wasn’t sure he wanted to talk much, but Mr. Servo had a friendly, loving aura about him.  It might be nice for once not to have to walk alone.

***The Ragtag Daily Prompt is given daily in the form of one word.  Writers take it from there.  This story was just short of 300 words.  I hope you have enjoyed it!  See other responses or learn about this challenge at https://ragtagcommunity.wordpress.com/2019/07/12/rdp-friday-hike/

 

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Friday Fictioneers. Observations at the Theater. #amwriting

PHOTO PROMPT © Ted Strutz

All writing © Pamela Schloesser Canepa

“You know, if aliens were studying us, they could learn a lot about us from our viewing habits,” Roma claimed.

Billy shrugged. “You’ve got some weird ideas. I’m just excited for the tenth installment of ‘Halloween!’

Roma stopped at the snack counter. “Let me get some popcorn to calm my nerves.”

Minutes later, they were claiming their seats. Roma cringed during every tension-filled moment. The audience screamed; Billy just laughed.

That is, until Billy noticed the strange man on the left of the theater staring at him. Every time he turned, the man stared. Billy cringed…Someone was watching.

-99 to 100 words in response to the photo prompt given for the Friday Fictioneers Challenge at http://rochellewisoff.com