Daily Flash Fiction Challenge 21: Dialgog

This is the 21st in a series of 365 Flash Fiction stories I’m writing from 2nd December 2012 until the 1st December 2013. It’s intent is to keep me writing throughout the year, and not just in November. you can find out more about the challenge here.

Dialgog, by Jonathan L. Lawrence, 22nd December 2012

Word count: 999

Theme: racing, drama, misbehaving, cheating, horse, horse racing

The story:

“You stupid son of a bitch,” Max Butcher said hitting the sick looking jockey with a newspaper.

“It wasn’t my fault,” Gary Cloves said trying to duck, and looking even more sick for the attempt.

“We’ve got a race meeting tomorrow, you know the sodding thing that pays for all this,” Max gestured.

“It must have been bad sea food,” Gary moaned.

“Max, Max, stop hitting him. We’ll have to field another jockey,” said Simon Reeves, Max Butcher’s trainer.

Max turned away from the cowering Gary, “Who you got?”

“Me? I’ve only got kids right now,” Simon said, “We’ll have to reach out to another jockey.”

“Shit, like I have that kind of money,” Max said. “Any of your kids got talent?”

“Of course, but not enough for a big meet like this,” Simon said, “Besides they’re too young to be legal.”

Continue reading “Daily Flash Fiction Challenge 21: Dialgog”

Daily Flash Fiction Challenge 20: The Wheel of Life

This is the 20th in a series of 365 Flash Fiction stories I’m writing from 2nd December 2012 until the 1st December 2013. It’s intent is to keep me writing throughout the year, and not just in November. you can find out more about the challenge here.

Banquet for the Lost, by Jonathan L. Lawrence, 21st December 2012

Word count: 999

Theme: drama, gambling, holiday, letting loose

The story:

Peter Simmons was a careful man, usually, he didn’t gamble, didn’t risk. Life was too precious to waste. So how he came to be in a casino gambling on his life on a roll of the dice was somewhat out of character.

It all started three days ago, he’d had to come to the South of France on work business. For some reason his boss felt he was the perfect person to go to buy up a collection of rare wines.

“Safe pair of hands,” his boss had noted, it somehow irked him more than it should. The fact he was being forced to take a weeks leave as well, (“You’ve got too many holidays unused, everyone needs time off”), only added to the annoyance.

Was this his life? Safe pair of hands? Something inside him just clicked, and so he went to France determined to enjoy himself on the company’s dime.

That wasn’t so easy, outside of work and his books, Peter had little else. So he did the most obvious thing, he went to a vineyard.

Continue reading “Daily Flash Fiction Challenge 20: The Wheel of Life”

Daily Flash Fiction Challenge 19: Banquet for the Lost

This is the 19th in a series of 365 Flash Fiction stories I’m writing from 2nd December 2012 until the 1st December 2013. It’s intent is to keep me writing throughout the year, and not just in November. you can find out more about the challenge here.

Banquet for the Lost, by Jonathan L. Lawrence, 20th December 2012

Word count: 977

Theme: drama, families, atonement, reunion, discovery, history

The story:

Katherine smoothed off her red dress, though the material was sheer and seemed immune to creasing, it was a self concious act. Katherine felt seriously out of her depth right now.

“Relax, you’ll be fine I promise,” Luther said with that overly warm smile. He was a middle aged man with a German accent, he looked swathe in his perfectly fitted tuxedo, gold cuff links  and just the barest hint of cologne. He was also a bloody good salesman, and Katherine would know she considered herself as a pretty good one, yet he’d been able to convince her, a perfect stranger to come to this fancy dinner party.

“Maybe I should go, I don’t fit in here,” she said, and it was true. As people filed in they wore the expensive clothes and jewellery with ease, most seemed middle aged, and well preserved.

Continue reading “Daily Flash Fiction Challenge 19: Banquet for the Lost”