One of those odd little things....

As I wander more deeply into the realm of social media, I received in my email a link to a little short story competition.  It sat in my inbox for days.

I finally responded.

Short story... 350 words or less.  The inspiration was picture of someone walking wearing a hooded sweatshirt, backpacked, thumb out, forested scene.

I stabbed at it.

____________


It had been two years since Paul left.

Abusive step-father.  Alcoholic mother.

He swore he would never come back.

News of his step-father’s passing and a pleading call from his mother had him heading home.

Hood pulled low, hands shoved in his pockets, Paul found it far easier to just walk everywhere.

Today, the mosquitoes teased at his face more than he could remember.  Every breath threatened by the chance to inhale some of the annoying insects.

The sound of the car rounding the curve behind him hinted at relief.

Little did he know the unseen car coming toward him was about to change everything.

He stuck out his thumb hoping whoever it was would stop… give him some respite from his tormentors.

The car blew past causing the mosquitoes to scatter for a moment.

All too soon they returned to begin again their energetic attempts to dine.

Just as Paul had resigned himself to his fate, brake lights came on in the distance.

Backup lights.

The car was coming back.

Without hesitation as one particularly aggressive insect landed in his eye momentarily blinding him, he squinted past the blurred tears and a rubbing fist to climb into the passenger seat.

“Thank you.  The bugs were trying to eat me alive.”

“You don’t say,” came a soft, dulcet voice.

Startled, Paul held his eye shut against the last vestiges of the insect and turned to stare at the driver.

Tall, what you would call willowy.  Long flaxen hair.  Skin almost the color of ivory.

“Where are you headed?”

Still struggling to clear his eye, he muttered a depressed sounding, “Home.”

“Good.  So am I.”

Hours passed with the drone of the car lulling Paul to sleep.

Awakened as the car stopped somewhere dark, the driver got out.

After a moment, Paul got out, too.

Standing in the darkness, he could just make out the driver standing close.

The drone of mosquitoes filled the air.

“Where are we?”

“Home.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You will.”

“Huh?”

“Let’s eat,” was the last thing he heard as he was blinded and suffocated by mosquitoes.