Friday Flash Fiction

Another Friday, another round of flash fiction from the Alinar authors.

This week's theme was suggested by Tonya, who commented on last week's post. If you would like to suggest a theme/item, we're always looking for new prompts! Just leave us a note in the comments.


This week's theme: Spring Rain




Rainy Day by Kallysten
featuring the characters from Fangs & Lullabies
1000 words

As soon as Jacob woke up, he could tell that something was different. He could smell it. He couldn’t have said what it smelled like, or even how he knew that scent. It wasn’t really a strong scent, not at all like blood – that was the scent Jacob liked the least – and not like soap either. His soap smelled like lemons, because lemons were yellow, and yellow was his favorite color. But strong or not, Jacob knew right away what the new scent was.

It was raining.

He scrambled out of bed with a happy laugh, and almost tripped over his school backpack on his way to the window. He pulled the curtains open all the way and peered out. It was still dark outside, but it was raining. And his daddy had promised.

Jumping back to the dresser, he pulled out his favorite t-shirt, the yellow one with a big sun in the front, but changed his mind before putting it on and ran to the bathroom instead. He remembered to wash his hands when he was done, and even combed his hair. It was useless, because his daddy or Nicholas always fluffed it and messed it up, but he did it anyway. Only then did he return to the dresser and finished choosing his clothes for the day. He put on the t-shirt, his blue shorts, and also his jacket with the hood. And of course – he couldn’t forget those – he tugged on his yellow rain boots.

They were a little tight around his toes because his feet kept getting bigger and bigger. He wished he would grow taller and taller, too, but sometimes it seemed like only his feet were growing. He had needed three different pairs of ice skates since the previous season. He would tell his daddy the boots were getting too small, but only after they came back. He didn’t want to lose a single minute with a trip to the store.

Finally ready, he ran out of his room and down the hallway to his daddy and Nicholas’ room. Usually, they were up before him, because his daddy always made pancakes for him on the weekend, but it was early still, and the kitchen was dark, so he knew they had to be in bed. The door creaked like it always did when he pushed it open, and he ran through the sitting room and straight into the bedroom.

“Wake up, it’s raining!” he cried out, already tugging at the covers the way his daddy did when Jacob didn’t want to get up in the morning. “Daddy, Nicholas, wake up!”

And one of them must have been awake because someone stopped the sheet before Jacob could pull it completely down and they tugged it back up instead. Changing his strategy, Jacob climbed onto the end of the bed, making sure not to put the boots on the sheets or else his daddy would be upset and then maybe he would change his mind.

“Wake up!” he said again. “You said we can go when it rains!”

There was a grumbly sound, like Jacob’s tummy did when he was really hungry. His daddy sat up. Next to him, Nicholas pulled the pillow over his head.

“Jacob,” his daddy said, and he sounded sleepy. “What time is it?”

Jacob blinked, confused. Why was his daddy asking him? The clock was right there next to him on the bedside table. Still, his daddy had asked so Jacob read the numbers aloud.

“Five zero nine.”

His daddy nodded. “Do you know what that means? It means it’s way too early to go to the zoo.”

Jacob’s happiness went away in a flash. “But it’s raining,” he protested. “You said we can go all together when it rains. You promised.”

Now, his daddy sighed. “I know I did, buddy. And we will go. But the sun has to rise first. All the animals must still be asleep. And you should be asleep, too.”

And Jacob was confused again, even more than before. “But it’s raining,” he said again, because his daddy didn’t look like he understood. “There isn’t any sun when it rains.”

If Jacob had had a say in it, it would have rained at least every other day. He liked the sun, it was fun to play outside during recess when the weather was nice, but it was even better to be able to go out with his daddy and Nicholas.

“It’s still there even when it rains,” his daddy explained. “It’s just hidden behind the clouds.” He reached down for something on the floor – his pajamas, Jacob realized – and slipped them on under the covers. “The zoo doesn’t open until nine,” he said when he stood. “How much from five until nine?”

Jacob counted on his fingers, then gave his hand to his daddy so his daddy could help him off the bed.

“Four?”

“Yes, four. That’s a lot of time before we can go.” His daddy looked down at him on their way out of the bedroom. “Enough time for you to put pants on. And a sweater.”

“But it’s spring!” Jacob reminded him.

Rather than going back to Jacob’s room, they went into the kitchen and Jacob’s daddy turned on the lights. “I know it’s spring. But I also know someone here will be jumping in every puddle he sees, so someone needs to dress warm.”

Jacob grinned up at his daddy. “Okay. I’ll tell Nicholas.”

His daddy laughed and fluffed Jacob’s hair with his hand. “Smarty pants. Do you want to help me make pancakes, then?”

And it was turning out to be an even better day than Jacob had hoped for. He had asked his daddy to show him how to make pancakes before, but Jacob always woke up too late. Now he would get to make pancakes with his daddy, and go out with him and Nicholas, and see all the animals at the zoo.

Rainy days were the best.

~*~

What Harm in a Little Flirting? by Candy/Alexandra

390 words

She should have worn a jacket. And so should the man sheltering with her in the underpass. The day, which had started as unseasonably warm, had quickly degenerated into a series of short, sharp deluges that had obviously caught them both by surprise.

He smiled genially at her, totally unconcerned that the April shower had plastered his shirt to his chest, outlining the kind of ripped torso normally reserved for the cover of romance novels.

Which meant that her…oh no, the rain had rendered her blouse virtually see-through. No wonder he was smiling. Well, let him smile. Two could play at this game. Inclining her head, Emily levelled her gaze with the centre of his chest and gave him a slow, appreciative smile of her own.

He looked down, puzzled and then raised his eyebrows. His smile turned into a smirk.

The staring contest lasted all of five minutes. The longest five minutes of her life, while the angry cloud that had appeared so suddenly, pounded its fury on the roof of the underpass and rained itself out.

She hadn’t figured herself for an exhibitionist, but she hadn’t been about to back down from his challenge, either.

Besides, what harm in a little flirting?  She had to admit, his appreciative gaze had given her the boost she needed today.

She glanced at her watch. Oh lord, late as usual. Not that this annual appointment ever gave her an incentive to hurry.

“Doctor Jones will see you now.”

“Doctor Jones? What happened to Doctor Ellis?”

“Oh, he retired. But Doctor Jones is very nice.”

“Well, I hope he has warm hands,” Emily said, cracking her annual joke. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door to the doctor’s office.

She wasn’t sure which of them looked more shocked. Mr Underpass, now in a crisp white coat, his hair dried and slicked back, both hands encased in latex gloves. Or her, frozen at the door and wondering whether she would make it to the nearest exit without falling flat on her face.

The sound of the curtain zipping around the rail surrounding the couch jolted them both out of their surprise.

“Come along, Miss Armstrong. Behind the curtain with you and let’s get you ready.”

His nurse gave her an encouraging smile, ushering her forward while at the window the patter of rain quickly turned to a crescendo…

~ * ~

A New Life by Lily Graison
original character
(135 words)

The sun peeked from behind the clouds when Lindsey stepped out onto the deck. She inhaled the scent of fresh cut grass, daffodils, and wet earth.

Spring rain drizzled moisture onto her skin and the surrounding trees. The light from the sun caused those tiny drops to shimmer like small diamonds on every surface she saw.

After the cold bitter winter, the sun and rain were a welcome sight. It brought with it new life, a splash of colorful rainbows as flowers bloomed and chased away the gloom.

The chirping of birds filled the air, the scurry of small animals at the forest edge. Life was abundant and the small kick to her abdomen was proof enough.

Lindsey smiled, cupped her hand around her swollen belly and sipped her tea.

It was a good day.