More Short Stories to Read on a Bus, a Car, a Train, a Plane (or a comfy chair anywhere)

Tom advised them to enjoy because next up was just a salad, which would naturally cool their palettes. The Thai Beef Salad arrived. This dish topped the first two, the aroma so tantalising they forgot their burning mouths, their beer filled heaving stomachs, their sweat and runny noses and they enthusiastically dove in, the sweet, salty, spicy beef melting on their tongues and even though none were hungry anymore, driving them on to eat more, more, more! They ate the salad, slammed it down followed by more beer and Eve was the first to go. She tipped the last of her beer down her throat, looked at Tom and Jerry and her eyes seemed to pop out of her head like a cartoon character, then her head fell face first straight into the plate in front of her. Jerry laughed out loud, he too suffering the sweats and a burning mouth but nothing more. He looked at Tom expecting to see him guffawing at the unfortunate Eve but instead, Tom’s head was wobbling like a dashboard mascot. The sweat running off him had soaked his shirt and created a sheen over his face that looked like varnish. His head too plummeted face first into the table but without the bellylaughing eye pops! Jerry did laugh though, what a night it had been and they would all be able to laugh together tomorrow and evermore about their calamitous day.

The waitress approached, she looked concerned. She had been concerned from the beginning when they began heavily drinking and now it was even worse. She looked at the laughing man, his face red and sweaty but he just looked drunk. She went to the woman first and gently touched her neck, feeling, hoping, praying for a pulse. There was none. The man beside her looked white and sickly but she thought she could see some slight movement but a similar check also discovered no pulse. She looked at the laughing man again, her eyes full of grief and anger.

“Why you tell me on telephone you all love very hot food, why you do this, why, you stupid, stupid man?” She ran off toward the phone and Jerry just kept laughing.

============== THE END ================

W157 You or your best friend will survive – but not both

BACHELOR PARTY

“Fool.”

“Asshole.”

“Dickwad.”

“Moron.”

“Fu.. God’s sake, stop it!”

“Sure, pussy!”

Brandon and Lee. Friends since, well since God was a boy! They were virtually inseparable after first meeting at kindergarten a million years ago it seemed to their long suffering parents and respective siblings. Never had the boys, now men, ever done an individual thing without the other, except for the obligatory responsibilities as members of different families but even then, on many occasions one or the other had managed to accompany his mate and their family to a boring visit at Aunt Edith’s (she of the unknown and spectacularly bad culinary ability) or a picnic in the field adjacent to the retirement home where Great Uncle Fred was pining away the last of his days. Friends for life. They even established their own business together, now a successful construction company, B&L Enterprises. The success in business, long term comradeship and life in general they both put down to the rock solid foundation of their love and support for each other as friends.

Lee had a steady girlfriend, Brandon was into experiencing life and every opportunity that came knocking, especially when it came to girls. It came as a surprise when Lee announced he had proposed to Leigh, his girlfriend, surprise to family and friends but more like shock for Brandon. He accepted that Lee and Leigh were made for each other and she even accepted that Lee spent almost more time with Brandon than he did at home with her. Brandon firmly believed that marriage or not, he and Lee would continue to live their lives as they always had. Friends, inseparable, together, forever.

Everybody knew Lee was the intelligent one of the duo, Brandon the knock-about, the handyman, the jack-of-all-trades and the one most likely to do something impulsive. Another surprise for all was when Lee further announced that he and Brandon would be going away for a camping weekend to a remote mountain lake, just the two of them, and he saw it as being his Bachelor Party. Everybody looked at Brandon believing this was his idea, had to be, but it was plain to even the ardent believer from the look of complete and utter shock on his face that Brandon had known nothing about the idea until this very moment. Surprise was replaced with awe, then exhilaration as he jumped up and grabbed his friend in a savage bear hug. All the guests smiled, happy for the two of them, even Leigh.

Brandon’s family had been concerned about him after the wedding announcement but as Brandon himself had demonstrated and voiced on numerous occasions, he was just happy for his friend, and as long as Lee was happy then so was Brandon. At times though, his brother and sister had seen the long face when Brandon had been sitting by himself believing he was not being observed. The pair worried about this and brought it to the attention of firstly Brandon who dismissed them as being “silly-billys”, then to their parents who advised them to leave well enough alone.

The big weekend finally arrived, faster than Brandon thought but they had been very busy with the wedding arrangement for the following weekend so the camping bachelor party weekend had crept up on him. After Lee had missed the turn-off, an ensuing and very normal and natural war of words had followed which, as usual, Brandon won.

“Sure pussy!” He repeated.

Lee ignored him. “You got cell coverage?” He reached and tapped at his dash mounted phone.

“Nope. Do we need it?”

“Nah, just told Leigh I would call when we arrived safely is all.”

“No worries, should get some kind of service as we climb, as long as this lake of yours isn’t tucked into some little valley or something.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.”

“How’d you know about this place anyhow?” Brandon was frowning and thinking whatever Lee knew, he knew too. Until now anyway.

Lee threw him a glance. “Remember Rogers, that idjut contract to build a bunch of cabins in the woods?” He saw Brandon nod and went on. “This is it.”

“Hey? But we didn’t take that contract.”

“No, I palmed it off sideways to Jeffrey’s, they did it, finished it up about a month ago and Jeff himself came around one night and gave me a key to the place. As a thank you for the job you know. Told me the official handover was at the end of the month and we should duck up here for a look before then … outstanding he described it.”

“Cool, can’t wait then. How far now?”

“Should only be a few more minutes, the road turns into a bit of a forest track but Jeff says it’s good all the way to the camp.”

“Cool,” Brandon repeated and reclined a little more in his seat, relaxed and more than looking forward to this little adventure.

Deep down inside he knew it might be their last time together for something like this. Sure, he’d always see Lee at work and they’d still catch up away from work at times but Brandon wasn’t completely stupid; he knew Lee and Leigh would be together more often than not when away from the obligations of work. He thought about how to make this weekend memorable, more memorable than just being the last. Memorable enough so that Lee would want more. He couldn’t think of anything.

The roadway depleted but a well maintained sandy track lead them through an ancient forest of huge trees. Firebreaks and the still obvious tire tracks on the sandy surface were the only signs of human life. Finally, they crested a small rise and the two of them gawped at the picturesque setting before them. Six wooden cabins were dotted amongst the tree line overlooking a still lake, the surface so smooth that the sky, clouds and the infringing mountains were reflected like a mirror. Lee had let his foot drop off the accelerator at the sight, such was the magnificence, and the SUV slowed to an idle crawl as they crept ever closer.

Brandon was the first to break the silence, “wow,” being the best he could conjure.

Lee finally applied pressure to the go pedal again and drove a little off to the right toward the furthest cabin. “Wow is right.”

The car stopped at the cosy verandah that fronted the cabin and both men sat in the surrounding stillness that followed after Lee turned off the engine. Brandon as usual, was the first to break the silence.

“Man, this is epic, we’re are going to so rip this place apart!”

“Sure bud, sure, but here … " Brandon glanced at his mate and saw him handing something to him. He reached out and took the key that Lee was offering as Lee went on, “go open up, make sure the fridge is on, gotta keep them beers cold!” he chuckled.

Brandon slipped of his seatbelt and bounded out of the car. He placed one foot on the first little step of the verandah and turned back to gaze at his friend through the open window. “Mate, we’re going to make this weekend something to remember!”

Lee nodded and beamed his best smile whilst shooing him on at the same time with one arm. “Get on with it idjut.”

“Sure, pussy,” Brandon exclaimed as he turned and bounded up and onto the verandah.

He reached the door and fumbled to put the key in the lock, “damn new locks,” he mumbled, but just as he successfully pushed the key home, the door opened. He stepped back to avoid the swinging door, and then froze at the intense shock of seeing Leigh standing in the open doorway. He didn’t even move as Leigh stepped forward quickly and thrust the large kitchen knife into his chest, once, twice, three times and then more and more and more as he staggered backwards, looking at Leigh, looking down at his chest, at the knife and the realization of what was happening. He turned his head to look at Lee still sitting in the car. It was but a split second, and he saw the smile still firmly ensconced on Lee’s face as he tumbled backwards off the stairs, taking the knife now fully buried to the hilt in his chest with him. Leigh looked over the body toward her future husband sitting and smiling at her in the car.”

Knew you could do it Babe,” he winked at her.

============== THE END ==============

W158 – I wondered when I’d truly live

FELICITY

The world had clipped her wings.

Nothing but squalid living quarters for almost two years; dirty, grimy, overpopulated and the underlying stench of waste only bearable because the reek of unwashed bodies was closer, infinitely closer and impossible to avoid. Standing in ankle-deep foul water was an almost a permanent requirement as the ability to move was restricted by the bodies pressing from all sides. Movement was at the whim of the group.

She automatically swallowed an errant grasshopper, her stomach clenching and heaving in distaste. Shrimps were her favorite but so rare that she couldn’t even remember their delectable flavor – it had been a long time, a very long time. She shouldered at the pressing body on her right side, the disgust at the flagrant violation of her personal space enough to help her empty tummy settle a little more.

‘Come on sunrise,’ was her thought and perhaps this time she could conjure an escape. Success was her only motivation, to live was her incentive. She closed her eyes and dreamed standing up, the only possible way to sleep in this decrepit, insipid environment.

A wave rolled through the group as they woke with dawn’s first light. Many a feather was rustled as one after another opened their eyes to another dreary day of existence. The sun broke through and the horizon was littered with a thousand sparkling jewels of yellow light which brought the group into a concerted movement forward away from the squalor that was home. They moved in a jostling formation to the shallow waters of a fenced-in lake and she saw her chance as a break in the crowd appeared to her left.

Up, up, up she rose, the calls from friends and family below, startled but seemingly unsurprised. She saw the fence line approaching, she was almost there when suddenly, she came to an abrupt halt and crashed down onto the still waters.

Two people standing behind the fence shook their heads and laughed. “That Felicity,” one guffawed, “when’s she gonna learn?”

“At least we know that netting works now,” added the other.

They walked away still laughing, past the sign that read:

FLAMINGO ENCLOSURE

=============== THE END ==============

Freewrite – write whatever you want, however you want. Extra points for the use of chocolate in your story

Alan

That’s his name – Alan. It’s not his real name of course … that’s too difficult to pronounce for mere human beings with their antiquated and strange vocal functions. He adopted the name because it was simple and almost everybody he met could say it without wasting time on proper pronunciation … until he went to Japan, anyway. He accepted their strange speech because he genuinely liked them and felt no wrath, no anger, not the tiniest desire to decimate a single one, even though Alan knew it had to happen. And happen it would, as soon as he got around to it. First he had to meet more of these strange creatures, this most unusual species. He wanted to learn as much as possible because once they were eradicated, it would of course be too late.

In the beginning, the very uniqueness of the human species was a galaxial curiosity. Their evolution, diversity, and necessity for water to sustain existence and further transmogrification rendered them insignificant. Ongoing wars and violent disputes were analyzed as self-decimating – the race would kill itself off and was therefore of no interest or concern to collective neighbors. The wars never stopped, the weapons became more destructive, but still the population increased. The crux of the whole destabilizing situation occurred when the species began exploring outside their planet. It generated a fear that their destructive habits would spread, and spread quickly, just like their population. People on Earth became the focus of every other life form, and that focus was not good for the human race.

Life everywhere, on far-away planets, had always evolved and would continue to do so. The nature of most life-forms was peaceful and non-damaging, and so their growth was only observed, encouraged even, if there was enough evidence to prove they could be beneficial for all. There was no formal command structure among any of them; the most evolved were automatically in charge but they governed in a way that accepted all minorities. All life was equal regardless of size, strength, number. Until humans came to be, anyway.

Those in charge attempted to influence the progress of life on Earth, inspiring and encouraging world leaders of the time: Roosevelt, Churchill, Hitler, Lenin, Ghandi, Ben-Gurion, Mao Zedong, numerous Popes, and later revolutionaries such as Luther-King and Mandela, before tempting powerful celebrities like Geldof, Jackson, Rowling … all to no avail. Humanity did not want to listen.

Alan’s mission – for that’s what it was, a mission – became necessary when the annoying disturbances of sound and light waves generated from the earth first accelerated in their frequency and then began to directly affect others in the solar system and neighboring galaxies, causing a level of fear and anxiety of never before experienced heights. It had to cease, must stop so that peace could always reign.

His mission – investigate the antagonistic human race, eradicate them, restore peace.

“Step 1”

A telephone rang, a cellphone, a Vertu Signature Touch. His final appointment he knew, and keyed to answer, listening without even saying hello. A voice immediately began its assault and he instantly recognized the English language, American English at that. There was a confusing melee of orders to do this, do that, but don’t do this if you happen to do that, and so it went. The voice finally ended the lengthy diatribe and waited for a response, and after some tense seconds with nothing in return, queried the listener.

“Do you understand, Mr. Trelwick?”

“Yes, and it’s Alan.”

“Don’t be late, Mr. Trelwick, the president doesn’t like to be kept waiting, he is never late.” And the call abruptly ended.

He placed the phone back down onto the adjacent side-table and rocked back in the luxury leather of the armchair, just one rock, and when his feet returned and touched the floor he stopped the motion of the chair so he could reach out and lift a simple tumbler of whisky. He sipped gently in quiet celebration of his final appointment, ice chinking loudly against glass in the silence of the room but he savored the smooth mellow liquid as it erupted onto his taste buds and took no notice of the sound.

He glanced down to make sure no temperamental condensation had dripped from the glass onto his keenly pressed trousers or patent leather shoes. He stood up, taking the whisky with him across the plush carpet of the room, stopping in front of the mini bar and inspecting himself and the whisky in the mirror hanging above the bar. He would never get used to seeing himself in this form but oh, the privileges it bestowed, such as this beautiful whisky!

“Cheers,” he offered to his reflection, and took another sip.

He was average height – a tad under one hundred eighty centimeters, or almost five foot eleven to those rebellious Americans – mid-forties and fit with a strong shock of black hair immaculately groomed to present him as the professional that he was. He adjusted the knot of his tie slightly, nodded, but then sighed as he placed the whisky back down on the bar. His eyes went back to the mirror and the classic handsome face and piercing green eyes that returned his gaze. He shuddered at the thought that he had to bear this monstrous form for the duration of his mission, sans the microseconds required to infect others.

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