Distractions

DThis is my fifth April A-to-Z Challenge. The past couple of years, I’ve written 100-word flash fiction each day. This year I’m doing the same, only with a twist: each day’s story will be inspired by the title of a Paul McCartney song. So let’s continue the fun with…

DISTRACTIONS

Darren tried to walk casually through the parking lot to the steps of Paul Ramon High School, his heart pounding.

“Excuse me, can you help?”

Darren turned. The woman looked like a runway model crossed with one of the girls he paid to watch online.

“I’m having some engine trouble,” she said, staring straight at his libido. She even chewed her lip like Candy, his favorite.

“S-sure,” Darren said, moving toward her.

The knee to the crotch was crippling, and soon he was on the floor, hands tied.

“I’ll take that,” she said, pulling the semi-automatic from inside Darren’s coat.

Check back tomorrow for “E”…

“Distractions” is a track on McCartney’s 1989 album “Flowers in the Dirt.”

cds

Colin D. Smith, writer of blogs and fiction of various sizes.

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21 Responses

  1. A gun, high school – so glad she disarmed him! Great flash!

    Happy April 5th!
    Ninga Minion @YolandaRenee from
    Defending The Pen
    Parallels
    Murderous Imaginings

    • cds says:

      Thanks, Yolanda. Yes, given how the previous three ended up, I thought it might be nice if no-one died this time. 😉

  2. Celia Reaves says:

    One of my favorite characters – the bimbo who’s actually a badass! You go, girl. (And so do you, Colin.)

    • cds says:

      There’s actually backstory to this little piece, but clearly 100 words is not enough to do it justice. I had to make do with very subtle hints that might suggest something about our mystery heroine. For example, “She even chewed her lip like Candy, his favorite”–is this just coincidence, or did she know to do that? “… staring straight at his libido”–is she deliberately playing to his weakness? If so, how would she know to do that?

      Now you can let your imagination run with that. Isn’t flash fiction fun? 🙂

  3. You are going a bit dark with the flash fiction this year. I’m not sure Paul McCarthy is a good influence on you. ;););)

    ~Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine~
    Story Dam
    Patricia Lynne, Indie Author

    • cds says:

      Hmmm… an interesting observation. Not all the pieces to come are dark, but I’ve definitely taken a direction very different to the actual Macca songs. So I’m not sure I would blame Paul… 😉

  4. kurtnemes says:

    Good luck with the A-Z Challenge. Visiting from https://musicalalmanac.wordpress.com. Best

  5. Ouch! Silly hormonal boy with…er, without a gun.

  6. One more example … porn is a dangerous habit. It could get you killed, although this guy survived. So far.

    I like your little addition in the note above. You’re right, the reader gets to/has to fill in a bit in most flash which is one of its draws.

    I filled it in a little different before I read your addendum. In my mind, she was average looking at best, but by coming on to him even in the slightest bit, she instantly became attractive. Like the person on the stool next to you when the bartender yells “Last call.” Once she glanced down at his libido and licked her lips, he was licked as well. Fun stuff, Colin, thanks for sharing.

    • cds says:

      You’re welcome, John–and thank you! That’s one of the other cool things about flash–you can create your own backstory that could work as well as, or even better than, mine! 🙂

  7. julieweathers2014 says:

    Colin, I’m late making the rounds because I had to vote and babysit while son voted. Silly me. I love these stories. I didn’t see that ending, but I never do. I think I need to start taking some kind of supplements. My brain is slowing down. Great story.

    • cds says:

      Thank you so much, Julie. I’m glad you’re enjoying these; they’re fun to write. 🙂 Different people react to flash in different ways. You’ve read the comments on Janet’s blog after a contest, so you know are usually some who admit to not understanding the entries she picked as finalists. And these are all intelligent people, good writers. Their brains are just wired a little differently. No fault there. And sometimes the author either doesn’t do a good job of setting up the ending, or does a really good job with the twist at the end. I hope this was a case of the latter, not the former. 🙂

  8. Wow. Glad no-one died in this one.. yet. I’m looking forward to the less-dark ones; these have been intense!

  9. Lori Carlson says:

    Great flash, awesome distraction.. would never have seen that coming!

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