the penprints flash fiction dash [2018]


HELLO HELLO AND LOOK WHO IS FINALLY POSTING A SHORT STORY!!

It's been a very very very long time since I last posted a short story (about ... 3/4 of a year ago?) and that's just way too long. Therefore, let's all thank Rosie (from Penprints) for having this challenge ;D


I remember the first time she was having this dash last year - in the late spring/early summer. I wasn't a blogger yet! But I did consider entering ;) Regretfully I didn't (because I didn't have Internet social skills and confidence lol), but I ENJOYED READING ALL THE STORIES when they were posted.

This year I'm honored to participate ;)

Without further ado here is the introductory post where you may familiarize yourself with the idea and rules of the challenge.

In short, a flash fiction is under 1000 words.

My story is 997.








1.

In my world, you can only one of two things – black or white.

You were born one, you remain one – or at least you do in my case. I nuzzle my black paw. 

Black.

Slick.

Fur.

I turn my head to my human beside me – my black human. He’s called that because he is dressed entirely in that color (since humans have to do with clothes, not fur). And the color of a human’s clothes tells his caste. 

He’s the human I adopted, I think fondly, licking his knuckles. I couldn’t stand how he sat outside the store-that-has-books-in-its-window everyday with a worn cardboard sign of human scribbling. He looked so alone. 

So I adopted him. 

He brings his hand to my neck, scratching.

“Purr. Purr. Purr.”

He lifts me into his lap – he sits cross-legged – and continues to stroke me. I peer into his eyes as his head is bowed.

“Hey,” he whispers.

“Purr. Purr,” I respond.

He stops stroking suddenly and raises his head ever so slightly. 

Click. 

Clack. 

Click. 

Clack.

I turn my head to see two human legs – two white human legs – walk by. The feet are in the oddest of odd shoes – the ones with very very very high heels that one can hear approaching from a mile away.

I crane my neck up, and up, and up. More whiteness. 

“Meow?”

It’s her. She who  – every day –  comes from the store down the street. The store from which humans emerge constantly, all carrying cups. It’s decidedly odd. I lay my head on his knee and shut my eyes. 

2.

I stand beside the door of the shop-that-offers-cups at the same time the next day, quite unmoving, only my long black tail twitching with each chime of the bell that rings when the door opens.

Finally, she emerges. I know because it’s the same white heels, and I tilt my head up to confirm it. Oh yes.

She starts walking down the street and I chase after.

“Meow! Meow! Meow?!”

I scratch at her legs, and when she pauses, I climb all over her shoes, rubbing my head on her ankles. 

“Hey,” she exclaims softly.

She moves her foot, and nudges me off to the side, giving me a little shake of her finger, and keeps on.

I hurry after her. 

“Meow! Meow! Meowmeowmeowmeow …”

I’m a pest, trying to trip her up, but she slows her walk, observing me curiously, as she tries to figure me out.

We reach the spot where my human is. I scoot beside him, making eyes at her.

“Meooooow.”

Her eyes widen. She looks at me. At him. At me.

Her face becomes strangely twisted as she turns and leaves slowly, throwing a few glances over her shoulder.

3. 

I’m beside the store-that-offers-cups again, and this time I trot up and down, craning my neck at all the humans who frown and mutter “black mangy stray” at me, whatever that means.

Finally she steps out, and once again I’m at her heels.

“Meow! Meow! MEOW!” 

She looks at me, face serious this time – picks me up, and carries me under one arm all the way to him. I lick her fingers. She deposits me in front of him and is gone.

4.

I sit like a statue in the window of the store-that-offers-cups and look inside. I realize then that all the humans are … sitting and … lifting the cups to their lips. Oh. Realization finally dawns of me. It’s a drink stop.

When she comes, I leap at her from the window sill, knocking her off balance. Her arm flies out and some liquid sloshes from the cup, spilling onto her. Onto her white clothes.

“Hey!” she exclaims sharply. She sets off at a brisk pace, and I scurry after her white feet, calling.

She ignores me.

I didn’t know that was possible until now, but she doesn’t even cast my human a glance as she clacks away.

5.

This time I don’t stand guard you-know-where – I stand by my human. When I see her coming I take off running, crying, meowing at her – fairly leaping for her, claws outstretched.

She takes a few steps back, and I tumble to the ground – quickly retracting my claws.

“I’m sorry,” she whispers, and abruptly crosses the street.

I stare after her.

6

I wait for her along the street, in the window of another shop (between hers, and ours) but when she emerges from the cup-and-drink building, she walks the other way.

7.

I give up.

I don’t give up easily, that’s for sure, but when I returned to my human yesterday, he scratched my ears and said, “Don’t. It’s no use. She’s white.”

So I don’t.

I’m curled on his knee, letting him stroke my back. I’m chewing on the corner of his cardboard sign.

He stops.

I turn. Black feet. Black shoes and very very very odd high heels have stopped in front of my face.

What is it with the heels? 

I give a little hiss at the stranger’s legs, and turn to look at my human.

“Hey,” I hear someone’s voice above me.

I turn my head again, and look up. And up. And up. And nearly fall of my human’s knee.

It’s her.

But… in black?

Her feet are black, her legs are black, her clothing is black, and her white hair is under a black cap.

I leap at her and nuzzle her legs.

She kneels down and I see that she has two cups, one in each hand. She offers one to my human.

When he takes it, she pats my head. I expect her to leave.

Then she scoops me up in one arm, steps closer to the store wall, and sinks down to sit next to my human, crossing her legs.

She sets my between them, and strokes my back. He puts a hand on my head.

They both bring the cups to their lips.

“Meow?” I offer.


Next week, Rosie will be having a giant wrap up post where she will link to all participants and stories, so keep your eyes on her blog for that ;D I've already read some awesome awesome stories written for this challenge, and I'm telling you - you should really really read them all XDD

Until next week then!

do you write flash fiction?
what do you think of this challenge?? :D





24 comments:

  1. This was so sweet and so good! I loved the fact that you narrated it from the cat's point of view, and the bit about his puzzling about coffee shops was great. I loved reading this - you did an amazing job!

    ~True // atruewriter.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. TRUE THANK YOU IMMENSELY. I was completely blown away by your story btw. It was AWESOME. I'm so happy you liked the cat's pov too ^-^

      Delete
  2. This was AWESOME! AND I DON'T EVEN LIKE CATS!

    You're very talented! <3

    ~Ivie

    ReplyDelete
  3. YES, YES, YES!! This is absolutely AMAZING and I love how the POV was from the cat! You have some serious writing talent, girl. Keep writing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AAWWWWW THANK YOU SO MUCH <3 Your praise means so much; I'm delighted you liked it. ^-^

      Delete
  4. Nice, I love cats. This is adorable!

    ReplyDelete
  5. This was so sweet and imaginative! I SERIOUSLY WANT TO CUDDLE WITH A KITTEN NOW. Great job, Lisa! =D

    Micaiah @ Notebooks and Novels

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Micaiah!! thank you! It means so much coming from a fellow short story writer. And did I tell you yours rocked too? Cos it did :DD

      Delete
  6. A cat POV was definitely not what I was expecting for a story like this, but it worked wonderfully! Awesome story, Lisa!!!

    Catherine
    catherinesrebellingmuse.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. THE UNEXPECTED! THANK YOU FOR THAT COMPLIMENT CATHERINE! And I'm so pleased you liked it <33

      Delete
  7. This was definitely something interesting. Realistically, though I didn't understand the ending, I like your writing style and also the way you easily glide from scene to scene.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. THANK YOU SO MUCH GIRL. and thank you again for telling me that, that the ending didn't make total sense - it's awesome to get this kind of feedback. *nods* what I was trying to get at was that the lady in white changed her mind and decided to become "black" (ie dressing in black) for a day to do some kindness for the guy and the cat. XD

      Delete
  8. Cat POV for the win!! I very much enjoyed this flash fiction (which I had no idea was a thing until I stumbled upon this!). This is very well done. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. HELLO ROSIE THANKS FOR STOPPING BY AND READING THIS! OOh and I'm so honored to introduce you to flash fic! It really is the best! And I'm so happy you liked it?? and super flattered!! THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVELY COMMENT GIRL!

      Delete
  9. Replies
    1. I AM SO HAPPY YOU THINK SO, ALINA ^-^ welcome to my blog too!!

      Delete
  10. I love love love this! This was so beautiful and cute and sweet and adorable!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Aww this was cute! I loved the cat's POV and the way the cat described the different shops. :3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Jemma! Thanks so much! So happy you stopped by and enjoyed and thanks for your lovely comment <333

      Delete

YOUR COMMENTS MAKE MY DAY <333 I try my best to reply to them all, so check back soon, and let's start a conversation.

Instagram