“Hi, how are you today?”

“I’m Good, thanks for asking.”

“Nothing really, just hanging out and stuff.”

“Yeah, I heard that too. They do it every week.”

“Yep, Indies Unlimited and their flash fiction challenge.”

“No it really is a thing. They give out a written and a picture prompt every week and challenge the world to come up with a 250 word story based on the prompts.”

“No, I am not looking to buy some Girl Scout Cookies.”

“Okay stop pushing. You’re really starting to creep me out.”

Vengeance Delayed

Carl had spent thirty years in law enforcement. Most of that time, he had been a part of a multi-jurisdictional joint crime task force, assigned to organized crime.

He retired two years ago. He and Margie were finally taking that cruise they had always talked about.

Margie was glad it was all behind them. Carl had made some powerful enemies in his years of service.

Yes, Carl had retired. There was one smoldering grudge that had not retired, however; and it had just caught up with him…

photo by K.S. Brooks

“Don’t turn around.”

Carl hadn’t heard Benny’s voice in, what was it, 25 years now? His first case on the task force had put Benny the Beak away for tax evasion and smuggling. Hell, let’s be real, the man sold bodies like they were sides of beef. The cold steel pressed against his ribs, didn’t offer him much room to maneuver.

“Bet you never thought it would come to this,” Benny said. “Your face burned into my mind, and I’m patient. You ain’t walking away from this.”

Carl shifted his weight to keep the inevitable shot away from Margie. “Didn’t you get enough time to stew in the tank already? You do this now and you’re just going to die in there.”

“You don’t get it do you. I’m dead either way.” Benny’s hand shook the gun in a small circle in Carl’s side. “I’m takin’ you wid me and we ain’t goin’ back to the joint.”

He hadn’t been retired long enough to become civilian soft. He spun around and kept the gun tight to his chest. As he snatched at Benny’s wrist to break the pistol free he locked eyes with him.

Benny crumpled to his knees as he lost control of his pistol. “Just do it,” he said. “Let me go out as a man. I don’t want to die back there.”

“Go play some shuffleboard, Benny,” Carl said. He shoved the pistol in his pocket and guided Margie away from the man at the rail.

***

Remember to head over to Indies Unlimited and check out the stories for the week. Maybe even give a story some vote love cause ice cream has no bones.