My Short Short for the Day

The spaceship crashed just over the hill.  It could have been a military plane or chopper but to Jonah, it had looked like a UFO.  A real-life UFO.  It seemed totally impossible but something in the pit of his stomach told him that it was true.  He had to run faster than he ever ran before to reach it first.  Who knows when the government would show up.  And it wasn’t an “if”, he knew it would be a “when”.

He crested the hill and looked down into the valley but saw nothing.  It looked…normal.  How could this be?  He knew he had seen something, something big.  Really big.  Too big to hide behind a tree or boulder.  It can’t be.  There’s no way it could have been his imagination.  He wasn’t even thinking of any of his sci-fi stories at the time.  He was actually thinking about the Geometry test coming up at the end of the week.  The one he hadn’t studied for yet. 

So, there was no way he had imagined it.  Something was wrong.  He half slid half stumbled down the hill, moving faster than his body was used to.  For once he didn’t care how graceless he was.  He had to find that ship.  He reached the bottom, took a step, and promptly smacked full speed into something solid.  “Oof!”

He reached out his hands, touching the cold object.  It felt smooth like metal.  He sniffed it, but all he could smell was nature.  He shrugged, “Oh, well.  You never know if the smell might give you a clue.”

Jonah smiled.  “It’s real!”

He lay against the ship with his arms spread and hugged it.  His goofy grin spread wide across his face.  “It’s real.”

After a few more moments, he straightened up, and looked around hoping no one saw him.  He cleared his throat and put on his serious face.  He pulled out a pencil, notepad and measuring tape from his backpack.  You just never know when you might need to investigate something.  Years of being a boy scout ensured he was always prepared.

                                                 *******     to be continued     *******

My Short Short for the Day

“Today’s the big day BumblyBee!”  Quinn smiled and struck a majestic pose.  “What if I call you BB for short?”

“Bzzz bzzz.”  BumblyBee did a loop de loop.

“Great!”  Quinn looked to the skies.  “Let’s go!”

Quinn ran down the driveway and onto the sidewalk.  She dodged skateboarders, dogs and sprinklers as she ran towards town searching for any evil doers.  BumblyBee flew alongside scanning the area as well.

“Help!”  A voice pleaded in the distance.

“BB, over there!”  Quinn turned abruptly and raced towards the park.  “How can we help?”

“Oh, uh, well.  You see, I got my purse stuck in the bench here.”  The little, white haired lady explained.

“No problem, Ma’am.”  Quinn posed majestically.  “We can help.”

Quinn whispered to BumblyBee and they got to work.  Within a couple minutes they managed to maneuver the purse out of the bench and handed it to the lady.

“Oh, my.  How wonderful!  Thank you so much!”  The lady beamed.  The reached in her purse and pulled out a dollar bill.  “Here you go dear.” 

“Oh, no, we couldn’t.  Your thanks is all we need.”  Quinn smiled, bowed and turned away.  “Off we go BB.”

Quinn ran across the grass and towards the sidewalk with BumblyBee zooming alongside her. 

“Help!  Someone, please help!”  A voice was yelling from nearby.

“How can we help?”  Quinn asked the man. 

“Oh, uh, well.  There’s a kitten stuck down in that grate.”  The man said pointing.

“No problem.”  Quinn posed majestically.  “We can help.”

Quinn whispered to BumblyBee and they got to work.  Within a couple minutes they managed to maneuver the kitten out of the grate and handed it to the man.

“Gee, great job kid!”  The man stuck his hand out.  “Thanks!”

Quinn shook his hand and smiled.  “You’re welcome!”  Quinn bowed and turned away.  “Off we go BB.”

“Quinn, come home now.”

“It’s time for lunch BB, let’s go!”  Quinn turned around and raced home at top speed with BumblyBee racing next to her.

“Mom!  We’re home!”  Quinn rushed in the front door.

“Shut the door behind you!”  Mom called from the kitchen.

Quinn shut the door and hurried into the kitchen.  “What’s for lunch?”

“You’re favorite.  Grilled cheese for you and honey for you.”  Mom set a sandwich on Quinn’s plate and a little bowl of honey on BumblyBee’s plate.

“Thanks Mom!”  Quinn took a big bite.

“Were you careful?”  Mom asked sitting down next to Quinn.

“Of course Mom.  No one saw us use our powers.”  Quinn munched happily on her sandwich. 

“Good.”

My Short Short for the Day

 Larry nosed through the trash hoping to find a scrap of something to fill his grumbly belly.  The smell of baking bread made him drool but he ignored it.  He’d tried to get some scraps from them, but every time they shouted at him and slammed the door in his face.  All he wanted was just a little bite of something.  His energy was waning so he slumped down by the garbage can, letting it prop him up while he rested.  It was getting harder to get up each morning.  His belly wouldn’t let him lay still for long, though.  He had to eat.

“Hey, guys, I’ll catch up with you later!” 

Larry turned his head toward the voice.  It was a boy and he was coming towards him.  Larry struggled to get to his feet, but he was too weak, so instead he tried to scrunch down as much as possible hoping the boy wouldn’t notice him.  The boy stopped running and walked slowly towards him, holding out a hand.

“It’s ok boy, I won’t hurt you.”

Larry’s tail began to wag, he couldn’t help himself.  He tilted his head to look up.  The boy knelt beside Larry and gently patted his head.  Larry closed his eyes and enjoyed the kindness.  The boy pet him for a few moments then stopped.  Larry opened his eyes and whined a little.

“It’s ok boy.  I’ll be right back.” 

The boy walked to the back door of the bakery and knocked.  A man opened the door and they talked for a few moments.  The man disappeared and returned with a small bowl.  The boy carefully set the water down in front of Larry.

“Here boy, drink some water.”

Larry leaned down and lapped at the water as best he could while the boy petted him.  When he had finished the bowl, Larry looked up at the boy and licked his face.

“You’re welcome.”  The boy’s voice was kind.  “Ok, I’m going to lift you up now.”

Larry wagged his tail.  The boy gently picked him up, it hurt, and Larry whimpered a little but licked the boy’s face to say it was ok.  The boy carried him to a small house with a little fenced yard.  A woman was standing in the doorway, smiling and shaking her head.

“Found yourself another stray?”  The woman’s voice was kind.

“Yeah, mom.  He really needs our help.” 

Larry wagged his tail as best he could.  The woman smiled.  “Of course, dear.  I’ll get some food.”

My Short Short for the Day

 *******     continued     *******

 

Melanie thumped into the rocking chair, clutching the arms and staring in terror at the doorway.  A dark, huddled figure crept toward her.  Her voice caught in her throat as fear shot through her. 

The figure inched closer making a raspy, wheezing kind of gurgle as it moved.  Melanie didn’t dare look away but dreaded seeing the figure up close.  The smell hit her then.  It smelled like a swampy marsh filled with rotting fish.

The figure was only a few feet away.  The dingy clothes hung off her in tatters.  Her hair was stringy and matted in places.  Her skin was so dirty it was hard to tell where the clothing ended and her skin began.  Then she looked straight at Melanie.  Her eyes were a piercing blue.  Melanie gasped.

Suddenly there was a siren sound outside.  Just a few short bursts of noise, just enough to make Melanie turn her head towards the window.  Almost as quickly, she turned back.  She felt a whoosh of air in her face, but the figure was gone. 

The front door was kicked in and she heard yelling downstairs.  She found she could move so she jumped out of the chair and ran down the hallway.  She nearly collided with a police officer who was coming up the stairs. 

“Whoa!”  He grabbed her by the arms.

“There’s a child.  Here.  I…I don’t know where the parents are.  Couldn’t find them.  But there’s something wrong.  Very wrong.”  The words stammered out.

“Slow down.”  The officer was guiding her down the stairs.  “She said there’s a kid here.  Check the rooms.”  He barked the orders then led Melanie outside.

“But…the child.  She’s…there’s…”  Melanie was handed some water.

After several minutes, a couple officers came out of the building and walked over.  “Sir, the place is empty.  No one’s here.”

“But, there was a little girl.”  Melanie started to explain.

“Look, this place is on the market.  Has been for a while now.  No one’s lived here in years.”  The officer stated.  “And we just checked the whole house, top to bottom.  No one.”

“But…”  Melanie let the words drop.

“Come on, we’ll need to take you to the station for a statement.”  The officer said leading her to the car.

She sat in the car looking down at her hands.  As the car started to pull away from the curb, she looked up to the top floor window.  She blinked and there was the face.  That little, grime covered face with the piercing blue eyes staring straight at her.

My Short Short for the Day

                                                       *******     continued     *******

 

“Lilly?  Is that you?”  Melanie walked slowly towards the huddled figure.  “Are you ok, sweetie?”

The two locked eyes.  Melanie shivered and took her eyes from the figure for a moment to locate the sudden draft of coldness.  There was a loud hiss and a scuttling sound.  Melanie looked back to the corner and it was empty. 

“Lilly?  Where are you?”  Melanie pulled the blinds back from the other window to let in as much light as possible.  There were no floor lamps, table lamps or ceiling lights.  The only light source was the sun.  “Lilly?  Come out now.  The game’s over.”

Melanie cautiously opened the closet door.  There were some dingy clothes hanging and a pair of dust covered, worn out shoes.  It looked like stuff that would fit a child but from some long-ago time.  She checked the bed.  The bedding was old and faded with a musty odor.  The only thing under the bed was dust.  There was a wooden nightstand with a grimy glass and yellowish colored cloth.  In the drawer was a bible and a tiny stuffed rabbit.  It was staring up at me with one button eye hanging down the side of its face barely attached by a fraying thread.  One of the ears had been sewn back on but with a jagged stitch and darker colored thread.  Melanie shut the drawer.

Melanie looked around the room.  The only other object in the room was a rocking chair.  She went over to it.  There was a lot of dust covering it, like the rest of the room.  She brushed some dust off the arm of the chair and yanked her hand back.  There were scratches all over the arm.  Tiny scratches but they were deep.  She brushed the dust off the other arm and found similar scratches.  She dusted the seat but there were no scratches there.  So, she dusted the back of the chair and it was normal until she got to the top part.  There were tiny, deep scratches right at the place where an adult’s neck would be.

Melanie stepped back, covering her mouth in fear as she whispered.  “What happened here?”

A loud hiss blasted through the room forcing Melanie to stumble forward and fall into the chair.

 

*******    to be continued     *******

My Short Short for Yesterday

I still remember that face staring at me from the window as the police car drove away.  I stared back helplessly as the terror still clutched my heart in a vice grip.

That morning had been bright and sunny, with a warm breeze and blue skies.  I woke up early with a smile on my face, ready for the day’s adventure.  I was babysitting for a new client today.  It was a sort of test run.  The couple was looking for a live-in nanny for their 6-year-old daughter.  I had babysat for many years growing up and taken CPR courses and even recently completed some child development classes at the local community college.  Things were looking bright for my future and today was my chance to secure my first real job. 

“Bye Mom, Dad! I’m heading over to Mr. and Mrs. Sinclair’s house now!”  I picked up my bag and headed towards the door. 

“Good luck Honey!”  My mom called from the living room.  “See you tonight!”

I caught the local bus and 20 minutes later, stepped off in front of a beautiful Brownstone.  I checked my notes and walked to #712.  I was almost immediately buzzed in.  Huh, I guess they saw me get off the bus.  I thought.  I went inside and the door shut automatically behind me.

“Hello?  Mr. and Mrs. Sinclair?”  I looked around.  “It’s me, Melanie.  The sitter.”

I walked slowly towards the first door.  “Hello?”  It was locked.  I moved to the next door but found it locked as well.

“Are you here to watch me?”  A small voice echoed down the hall.

“Lilly?  Is that you?”  I turned around.  “Yes, it’s me, your sitter, Melanie.”

“Try to find me.”  The voice said.

‘Maybe Mr. and Mrs. Sinclair were out back and didn’t hear my come in.’  I tried to shake off the odd feeling that was creeping in.  ‘I’ll go find Lilly first then talk to them.’

“Ok, I’m coming to find you.”  I said figuring it wouldn’t take long.

I checked the rest of the doors downstairs but all of them were locked.  ‘Weird.’  I frowned. 

Then I went upstairs, and it seemed even quieter than before.  She was really good at keeping still.  At the top of the stairs I turned left and checked the door at the end of the hallway, locked.  I checked the next door and the next and the next, but they were all locked.  ‘Very weird.’  The hair on my arm got prickly. 

“Don’t be stupid Melanie.  I’m sure there is a logical explanation.” I grumbled to myself.

Then I stopped in front of the door at the end of the other hallway.  It must be the master bedroom because it seemed to take up at least 1/3 of the upstairs space.  I turned the knob and it squeaked loudly.  I cringed as it echoed down the hall behind me.  I pushed the door open carefully and it creaked in reluctance.  The room was dim, but some sunlight was seeping in around the curtains.  I checked the wall for a light switch but couldn’t find one, so I made my way to the nearest window and pulled the curtains open.  I heard a loud hiss from somewhere behind me and jerked around.  In the farthest, darkest corner I could see a small figure huddled there, shielding its eyes from the burst of light. 

 

                                    *******     to be continued     *******

My Short Short for the Day

        *******    continued     *******

Evie and Maggie searched through the large room looking for any kind of phone but couldn’t find a landline or a cell phone.  They searched the bedroom as well, but to no avail.

“Well, now what?”  Evie asked plunking down on the couch.

“Ok, let’s get some food, just a sandwich or something small.”  Maggie headed towards the refrigerator.  “And then we’ll head down the path further to see if we can find a town.”

The girls make sandwiches and sat at the table to eat.  Maggie moved some papers around on the table.  “Look, a newspaper.”

She pulled it out and opened it.  She was flipping through the pages when Evie let out a gasp.

“Look Maggie!”

Maggie looked around the side of the paper.  Evie was pointing at the front page.

“Look at the date!”  Evie put her hand to her mouth.

Maggie closed the paper and folded it over to look at the front page.  She scanned it and gasped.

“Do you think that is real?”  Evie whispered.

“It can’t be.”  Maggie rubbed at the ink, but it didn’t smudge.  She flipped through the pages, quickly scanning then closed it.  “It is real.”

“That means we…”  Evie cut herself off.

“Yeah, we…”  Maggie dropped the paper and looked at her friend.  “…we’re in the past.”