J.J. Cunis's "ROCKS" Wins Flash Fiction Challenge
(The Indie United Flash Fiction Challenge requires doing a story with a picture as a prompt. The story can be no longer than 250 words. Photo copyright K. S. Brooks.)
Josh backed the pick-up to the Smiley grave.
“Wait! These are the rocks?” exclaimed Janice.
“Yeah. Enough for a border around the garden.” Josh hopped out and started loading stones.
Janice followed, “That’s somebody’s bloody grave!”
“So?”
“You’re disgusting! You can’t desecrate a grave!”
“Don’t worry. This bloke died over a hundred years ago. He doesn’t need ‘em.” Josh tossed a rock in the bed. “Besides they use rocks on shallow graves to keep the dingoes from digging it up. After a hundred years I don’t think there’s anything left for the dingoes.”
“Stop!” Janice pulled his shoulder as he was lifting a large boulder. Turning to snap at her he didn’t see, but quickly felt the bite of the deadly taipan. It struck again and again before retreating to what’s left of his abode. The rock dropped, crushing several bones in Josh’s sandaled foot.
“Get me up!” Josh lay on the crude cairn in pain. Janice pulled his arm and quickly released it avoiding a return strike by the snake. Josh rolled over to the truck and pulled himself up into the bed of the pickup. Janice scrambled to help him in. “That was a taipan! I’m screwed. Get me down the mountain to the hospital at Grafton.”
Janice ran to the cab. “Where’s the damn keys?!” Josh felt his pocket … nothing. He caught a glint of sun off metal by the mouth of the taipan’s abode and swore he heard an old man cackling.
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