Mary Kay Bonfante is the Readers’ Choice in this week’s Indies Unlimited Flash Fiction Challenge. The winning entry is decided by the popular vote and rewarded with a special feature here today. (In the case of a tie, the writer who submitted an entry first is the winner per our rules.) Without further ado, here’s the winning story:
Explore
by Mary Kay Bonfante
Clara, Jenny and her brother Richie woke up early in their tents, ready to prepare breakfast. When Richie went for firewood, he stumbled upon something strange. The recent rains had run off the mountain, revealing a large, ornate object of shiny blue, copper and gold.
“Hey, girls! You gotta see this!” yelled Richie.
They all stood stupefied over his discovery, and started clearing more dirt.
“It looks Egyptian!” cried Clara.
“That’s right,” said a deep voice behind them. Two scruffy men pointed guns at them.
“Here are some shovels,” said the second man, “Now dig it out.”
“Is this a sarcophagus?” asked Jenny.
“We have a genius!” said the second man, sarcastically. “Just do as you’re told.”
“Do you have to point those guns at us?” asked Richie, “We’re as curious as you are.”
“Yeah, we do,” said the first man, “And this belongs to us.”
They felt a strong wind, as an FBI helicopter circled immediately above them.
“Lower your weapons,” said a booming voice, “You’re under arrest for the theft of foreign artifacts.”
The men tried to grab the two girls, but not before some agents already on the ground took the men from behind. The three friends breathed a sigh of relief and thanked the agents.
“What are you gonna do with uh, King Tut?” asked Clara.
“It’s fake,” said one of the agents. “The real crypt is safe. We switched it and waited for the thieves to return.”
“Faked ’em out, wow!” said Richie.
