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FLASH FICTION ~ INTERNET CAFE ~ 10TH JULY 2015

12/7/2015

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FLASH FICTION ~ INTERNET CAFE ~ 750 WORDS ~ 10TH JULY 2015

Another challenge from https://therattlingbones.wordpress.com/
the life and works of Lori Carlson
Today’s prompt is to write a scene set in an internet cafe. You decide the people involved, the situation and the outcome.

WHEN ON-LINE AND OFF-LINE REALITY MERGE
by John Yeo

The day was hot but Jed needed to get on-line fast, he needed to establish an on-line footprint. The man, a tramp, or hobo, lay dying in a pool of thick red blood. This was the lull before sirens and the usual hubbub of noise followed one of his exterminations.
"Coffee please, with cream and sugar." Ordered Jed from the faceless man behind the counter.
"OK! That will be one hundred and fifteen pounds, please."
"How the heck do you work that out?" He demanded.
"One hundred for the footprint and fifteen pounds for your coffee."
Jed peeled the money off from a wad of notes in his pocket. He had managed to hold on to some of the money he had earned from his last excursion into the back streets.
This was getting harder and harder to keep up the masquerade for the required time.
A button was pressed hard, and the game began again. The sirens exploded on to the naked eardrums as his pursuers began to get closer. He secreted himself in the farthest corner from the entrance and began to surf and keep in control.
Another player entered the fray, needing the security of four walls to keep up the illusion of privacy.
A young woman with smiles and femininity had arrived. He nodded at her as she approached the coffee counter.
"Skinny Latte heavy on the molasses?"
"Are you sure? Skinny coffee and molasses is an unusual request!" asked the nondescript man serving behind the coffee bar.
"Yes please!" She responded with a smile. "I'm an unusual person, I need to give myself the illusion of keeping slim together with the reality of keeping sweet"
"That will be one hundred and thirty pounds, please."
"How much? I am sorry I am five pounds short of your extortionate demands. How on earth did you work that price out?"
"With our hourly increases for inflation that is one hundred pounds for your online footprint together with your speciality coffee."
Jed came to her rescue and peeled off another five pounds from his wad.
"Hi! Thanks, I'm Samira, pleased to meet you . I can't stop, I have a world of on-line things to get on with."
"It's OK!" Jed replied, "I am a player on the run from the twists and turns of an on-line game."
They both were soon lost in the ether of the world within the outside world that was reality.
Then another person shattered the concentrated silence by throwing a bag full of money on the counter.
"A milky coffee quickly please. I must get on-line fast. I have had a tip that will not wait and you are my only chance to effect an on-line deal, I will save myself thousands of pounds."
"Peace my friend, How much is there in your bag?"
"More than enough!" Shouted the burly man in a suit. "Take what you need , get on with your job and pour my coffee."
"Sugar?"
'No thanks! I'm sweet enough!" Joked the ignorant man in a hurry. " I want to use the machine in the corner farthest away from the door and the risk of interruption."
Jed's game was coming to an end and the dying hobo had magically come back to life. Jed had lost interest now and Samira had done her on-line shopping.
Jed smiled, "Would you like another special coffee Samira? I am done with my on-line gaming and I need the warmth of reality."
Samira blushed and nodded "Yes please, I am also through here shall we share an on-line footprint or shall we get out of here into the reality of the harsh-edged world outside?"
There was a crash as the door was thrown open and suddenly the internet cafe was full of uniformed police. They arrested the burly man in the suit for armed robbery and confiscated his bag of money, retrieved from the man behind the coffee bar. "What about my bill?" He demanded.
"Send him a bill" replied a police officer.
Samira and Jed left the internet cafe together arm in arm.

Copyright © ~ Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved.

(766 Words)

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TERROR IN THE VINEYARD ~ FLASH FICTION ~ 8TH JULY 2015

10/7/2015

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Grapevines photographed by Vanessa Rodriguez.

FLASH FICTION ~ 8TH JULY 2015 ~

Attempt No. 1

We were off to work in France for the holidays backpacking, we planned to spend a couple of weeks in Burgundy's Cote d'Or
The vineyard spread for miles
Mainly red grapes were grown here, known universally as blood on the vine
Vineyard work for backpackers in France fruit-picking
9 euros an hour, September to October.
Beautiful sunny warm weather with long days to spend in the great outdoors close to nature
We stayed in a workers purpose built house where we slept 4 to a room. Men had their rooms with facilities for ablutions attached and there was a couple of rooms reserved for the women. We enjoyed our meals in a clean spacious kitchen attached to the building. The work is hard and the hours are long.
We were too tired in the evenings to do anything but eat and sleep.
There was a terrifying scream that woke everybody in the middle of the night. We threw our clothes on and raced outside . A volley of shots rang out as the foreman appeared with a smoking gun, a wild boar had roamed into the vineyard
That night 100 workers feasted on fresh wild boar meat

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Attempt No.2

We had been backpacking in France all summer. Excitedly we arrived in Burgundy's Cote d'Or, at the gates of a vineyard that spread for miles. We were going to work here fruit picking for a couple of weeks. The long September days of sunny warm weather, working and living the dream in the great outdoors close to nature earning the princely sum of 8 euros an hour.
We stayed in a workers purpose built house where we slept 4 to a room. Men had their rooms with facilities for ablutions attached and there was a couple of rooms reserved for the women. We enjoyed our meals in a clean spacious kitchen attached to the building.
We were too tired in the evenings to do anything but eat and sleep.
There was a terrifying scream that woke everybody in the middle of the night. We threw our clothes on and raced outside . A volley of shots rang out as the foreman appeared with a smoking gun, a wild boar had roamed into the vineyard
That night 100 workers feasted on fresh wild boar meat

to encounter a wild boar that had roamed into the vineyard.

~~~~~~~~~~~~
Attempt No.3 ~ Finally finished
FLASH FICTION FOR ASPIRING WRITERS

TERROR IN THE VINEYARD
by John Yeo

"We had been backpacking in France all summer. Excitedly we arrived in Burgundy's Cote d'Or, at the gates of a vineyard that spread for miles. We were going to work here fruit picking for a couple of weeks. The long September days of sunny warm weather, working and living the dream in the great outdoors close to nature, earning the princely sum of 8 euros an hour.
We stayed in a workers purpose built house where we slept 4 to a room. The men had their rooms with facilities for ablutions attached and there were a couple of rooms reserved for the women.
We were too tired in the evenings to do anything but eat and sleep.
One day a terrified woman screamed. A terrifying scream that startled everybody in the middle of the vineyard. We threw our baskets down and raced forward . A volley of shots rang out as the foreman appeared with a smoking gun, a wild boar had roamed into the vineyard.
That night 100 workers feasted on fresh wild boar meat."

(175 Words)
Copyright © ~ Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Grapevines photographed by Vanessa Rodriguez.

This was the way I put this small piece of Flash fiction together from the prompt appearing on my timeline. I received a photograph of a vineyard, and my imagination just went in to overdrive. I spent a while researching all I could on French vineyards I chose France because I love the country and I love the French vineyards.
I looked up the seasons of the wine production, when the fruit is picked, casual work fruit picking in France, the wages, and accommodation.
I wanted a point to my story and there were not enough words to incorporate the death of a worker in the vineyard. I then had the idea of a wild animal on the rampage, but I was still very short of space to fit the ideas together.
I looked up wild animals in France, not very many! I thought of an escapee from a circus, perhaps a panther, or another big cat on the loose in the French countryside, living off the smaller animals in the wild. Finally
I settled for a Wild Boar, they are a fearsome native species and there are still some on the prowl.
I am very satisfied with the resulting piece of work.

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LOVE ON SITE ~ 5th. July 2015

7/7/2015

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Fiction Friday Prompt ~LOVE ON SITE

Posted on July 3, 2015 by John Yeo
THE RATTLING BONES
The life and works of Lori Carlson

https://therattlingbones.wordpress.com/2015/07/03/fiction-friday-prompt-13/#comments

Good morning, fellow writers! It is the first Friday in July. Hope your summer is going well! It’s time for Fiction Friday!

Today’s prompt is to write a story about a construction worker who makes a discovery of a lifetime at a construction site. You set the scene, decide the discovery, and figure out how it will impact his/her life.

Keep the story between 500-1000 words.

LOVE ON SITE
by John Yeo

The construction site was a huge area, almost a mini town. Seven hundred and ninety-five men were employed here along with a good number of women.
One young lady in particular relished her job, she had always been a bit of a tomboy and followed her Dad into his trade much to the surprise of her Mum. Grace was a welder used to working under enormous pressure, she had worked alongside Paul for six months solid now. They were very good friends and some would say, almost an item. Paul was a loner he usually had no time for anyone, Grace had almost melted his heart of stone.
Monday morning and Grace arrived with bloodshot eyes, red-rimmed from shedding very many tears.
Paul shocked, shouted, “What’s wrong Grace, why have you cried so hard and so long? I have never seen you so upset!”
“Don’t worry Paul, it is very personal, I cannot tell you, please trust me and don’t ask questions.”
“I would like to know my friend, but when you are ready.”
The site hooter sounded and they began to work. Paul was deep in thought as he could see Grace was hiding her face behind the welding mask.
It was even more of a shock to everyone close to where they were working, when the site manager arrived with two uniformed policemen asking to speak to Grace.
“Would you accompany us to the office please Grace?”
Paul was mystified and very upset, he wondered what the heck was going on. There was very little welding getting done in their section that day.
Grace returned to work and Paul, full of a feeling of great relief embraced her unashamedly. “I am so happy to see you, what happened? Why were you questioned? I must have some answers? Please Grace.”
His face mirrored the concern as he gently tried to allay her fears.
“Paul I discovered a carton full of money in the communal changing room, after you had gone home on Friday. When I handed it in, I was informed it was stolen money from a break-in, hidden by the thieves on the site.”
Grace poured a cup of tea for both of them, from a flask that she had brought from home for her lunch break.
“Why were you crying so much, when you did the right thing Grace?”
“I am so sorry Paul, I didn’t mean to think badly of you, but I was in shock. I have been agonising all weekend, stupidly thinking that you may have been involved and led into trouble by the suspect. I know you and his group drink together in the local pub. Please forgive my stupidity!”
Paul was taken aback and quickly swallowed his cup of lukewarm tea. Realisation suddenly dawned on him.
“Grace you mean to say you were crying because you thought I was involved and you had got me into trouble?”
“Yes I am a fool I know, but I have grown very fond of you and I don’t want to lose you.”
Paul smiled broadly, then quietly took her into his arms. His mind was turning cartwheels as the situation began to sink in. He then knew he had found the love of his life and he never ever wanted to let her go.
“I always liked this job and I enjoyed working with you on this site. We have met on site and I plan to wed you and stay in our life together forever. Will you marry me?”
Grace blushed as she accepted Pauls proposal. “Of course silly, I love you!”
The wedding took place six months later in the middle of a construcion site. The Bride wore overalls and a safety hat to match the grooms outfit .They arrived by truck and the priest wore a hard hat above his clerical collar. The best man had a welding mask attached to his face and there was a horrible moment when he could not find the ring, but after a quick lift of the mask, the priest mouthed the time honoured words. Paul slipped the ring on Graces finger
Then Paul and Grace said “I do!”.
The priest said , “You may now kiss the bride.”
Almost one thousand construction workers raised a cheer that was heard two miles away.

They were remarried in a local church six months later, after the banns had been properly read. The bride wore a dress of sparkling white and members of their families and many friends were there to see them on their way to a life of ecstatic happiness. Their lives were now welded together forever. They both found love on a building site.

Copyright (c) ~ Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved

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FLASH FICTION ~ INTERNET CAFE ~ 10TH JULY 2015

TERROR IN THE VINEYARD ~ FLASH FICTION ~ 8TH JULY 2015

LOVE ON SITE ~ 5th. July 2015

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