by D. R. Long - Storyteller

Likes: 6
Words: 200

"What do you mean, 'Zane is dead?'" Becky asked. "He was here five minutes ago!"

"When you went back for your coat, we waited here for you," William explained through tears. "If we didn't wait, he wouldn't have crossed the street. That cyclist would have been further down the road."

"I was only inside for sixty seconds!" Becky's eyes started to well.

"Yeah, well, you ever see that movie 'Butterfly Effect'?" William sounded angry. Accusatory even.

Becky turned her palms up. "That one with Ashton Kutcher and the bad ending?"

"Yes. That one," he snapped.

"What about it?" Becky looked confused.

William pointed at the scene across the street. "The cyclist! He wouldn't have been there to almost hit Zane, which means Zane wouldn't have fallen into the street, and the car wouldn't have slammed on its brakes. Then the bus hit the car, which pushed it over Zane. And I wouldn't be surprised if that lady and her kid need therapy after what just happened."

Becky was so horrified that she stopped crying. "Oh my God, William... this is my fault!"

"Yeah, sort of."

"You mean this happened…" Becky shook her head. "All because I forgot my jacket."

by Jesse R Traynham - Author

Likes: 6
Words: 200

Jordan fiddled with the frayed yellow thread on his sleeve.

"Do you know why you're here?" The officer was stern and unmovable.

"No, sir."

"You are a person of interest. The Last Stop Liquor store was robbed at gunpoint last night. What say you?"

"It wasn't me, man."

"Where were you last night between 10:45 and 11:13?"

"Oh. That's easy. I was at The Hell Hole bar with my buddy Marvin, then his place in Saginaw."

"That so?"

"Yeah, check it out." Jordan tugged at the yellow string; it gave way, unraveling a few inches.

"So you weren't there?"

"No. I told you."

"Bad news, Jordan. We've got surveillance photos." He pushed a photo of the scene over.

"Aw, man, that could be anybody. Dude's even got a mask. I'm telling you, I wasn't there."

"Jordan. Look closer."

Jordan grabbed the photo and shook his head. "I don't know what you think I'm going to see. This is clearly someone else." He laid the photo aside and went back to picking the thread.

"How many people have a yellow star patch on their sleeve, Jordan?"

"Oh. I forgot my jacket. Guess I need a lawyer."

"You certainly do."

by John Cox

Likes: 6
Words: 200

The air was crisp but the life of summer had not yet gone away. Steven only had to cross two streets to get to his school.

This was easier said than done because he had a light in his eyes that could find every living thing from here to there.

So many critters! Lizards on the trees, frogs in the drainage ditches that ran deep on either sides of the road. Fish swimming in schools, crawfish scurry across the bottom, and dragon flies fly like sentinels just above the water. It was majestic!

A slight breeze and Steven's step mom puts on his jacket. He is ready to go.

Was he late getting to class? I will let you guess on that one.

After school the sun is bright and the midday heat has taken the chill out of the air. Steven breaks into the open passed all his classmates and into the wild.

An hour and a half later the doorway. She looks him ovhe makes the two block journey to home. His step mother is waiting just insideer briefly. It's a familiar expression on her face. Stevens heart sinks. He averts his gaze. "I forgot my jacket."

by Raidwyn Thee Scribbler

Likes: 5
Words: 200

Kinny thumped down onto the sofa, throwing her head back and letting out a breathy sigh. ‘That's it over with then!’

Frank peered over his phone curiously. ‘What's that?’

‘Az and me, she thinks I'm flirting with the new guy!’ Kinny sat up and shifted forwards. ‘You're not even listening! Is your phone more important than my life!’

‘Sorry, I was just checking the weather.’

‘Seriously!’

‘Well, I thought we could go for a walk, maybe grab a drink?’ Frank gave his daughter a cheeky wink. ‘We can chat on the way.’

‘I dunno.’

‘C’mon weather looks good.’

‘Fine.’

Frank flung his arm around Kinny as they walked. ‘You know, maybe Az is feeling slightly insecure. When you have a barney with your girlfriend it's not the end, not if you're willing to listen to each other.’

Kinny sighed, ‘I dunno.’

‘You get yourself some fresh air and when she's ready, I'm sure she’d want to listen to you too. Actually it's a bit nippy and I forgot my jacket. You go on ahead, I'll be back in a sec.’

Frank turned the corner, catching a glimpse of Kinny stopping beside a green-haired girl sitting on the wall and smiled.

by Kathy Goddard writer

Likes: 5
Words: 200

Katie groaned as she heard rain bouncing against the window pane.

‘Looks as if it’s going to last for a while,’ grunted Arthur.

‘Typical. I forgot my jacket and I have to pick Liam up from school - I’ll have to set off in a couple of minutes, Dad.’

‘You can borrow your mum’s coat.’

‘No! I don’t want anything of hers. It’s difficult enough just being here.’

‘You’ll be no good to Liam if you make yourself ill, love.’

‘I told you, I don’t want it.’

Arthur gestured towards the sympathy cards lined up on the mantelpiece.

‘That coat’s no good to her now. Shame the pair of you never reconciled.’

‘She disowned me! Soon as she found out I was pregnant. Didn’t want to know her own grandson.’

Arthur lifted the coat from its hook and laid it across her knees.

‘Take it. Please. Afterwards you can give it to a charity shop or a homeless person, but don’t get soaked.’

Waiting at the school gates, swathed in the borrowed coat, Katie thrust her hands into deep pockets. She pulled out an envelope labelled, ‘My Gorgeous Grandson.’

Tucked inside were pictures of Liam, from babyhood to recent school photo.

by Eolas Pellor

Likes: 5
Words: 200

It wasn’t like the first time Ohel Todesfel had to deal with innovations in his attire. Shirts with sewn in collars and cuffs, and zippers had all given him pause, but he’d mastered them, eventually. There were advantages to wash-and-wear fabrics and polyester-blends. The moths didn’t much like them, and they meant he never looked too shabby as he went about his business.

His servants had left a suit, dress shirt, and conservative tie; the style of men's suits had barely changed since the 1890s other than trim and widgets, even though the shirts and undergarments had. They left some more casual clothes, that Todesfel thought looked like something railway or canal navies should have worn, but he trusted that the hirelings understood the vagaries of taste better than he. He slipped the dark denim trousers on, and the light, stretchy cotton shirt that slipped over his head. It conformed to his lean and sinewy torso well, and he guessed that was probably part of what made it acceptable wear; foolish men always preened one way or another.

He walked over to the door, once he was dressed, then paused. “Foolish me,” he said to himself, I forgot my jacket.”

by Mary Zuelke Author

Likes: 4
Words: 200

Van jumped out of the rolling pickup.

Nev, Mic, and Sean leaned against the old barbershop, talkin trash.

“Bout time,” Mic yelled.

“Yeah, yeah.”

The door jingled as Sean opened it.

The chair waited for him. Mr. Velum smiled. “It won’t hurt. Promise.”

Van scuffled to the seat. Something seemed to pull him into it. A buckle snapped shut.

He squeezed the armrests. “This isn’t right.” He yanked on the buckle.

“I said it won’t hurt.” Mr. Velum leered over him, silver shears in hand.

“Git me outta here.” Sean stood in the doorway, laughing. His teeth looked especially sharp.

Velum pumped the chair. Van rose, almost hitting the ceiling.

“Nev! Help!” The words choked in his throat. The tip of the shears caught a hair, but he jerked back, squirming until he slipped from the belt.

“Slippery one, eh?”

Velum reached for him, each finger a pair of scissors. Van inched back and fell.

“AHHH!”

You okay?”

Shaking, Van opened his eyes.

“Man, you fell outta the truck.”

Mic reached down to help him up.

“Ready for your haircut?” Mr. Velum called from the shop door.

Van stepped back. “Ah… No. I forgot my jacket.”

He turned and ran.