Lizzy Loomis 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:
Machines
by Lizzy Loomis
Flyers littered the bulletin board in the Student Union. Yvonne scanned it every day looking for the right job to help combat the rising costs of her education. Today is the day she mumbled to herself evaluating the offerings. A black page with a golden wheat logo and glittering text caught her eye. It read,
Looking for eager self-starter, willing to start on the ground floor of a food empire. No experience necessary, on the job training available for the right applicant. Join our family and change the world.
She quickly dialed the number, explaining no matter the job she could adapt her skill set. The woman on the phone summarized the duties of the position. Trying not to jeopardize her chances of getting an offer Yvonne did not ask any questions. The call ended with her accepting the first available post. Next week starts the beginning of her fight against student debt.
Her phone buzzed; she clicked open the text message. It read:
Welcome to the Talbot Farm Family. Please wear thick denim jeans and leather work boots. Combine Harvester Assistant Driver training starts at 4 a.m. sharp.
Opening the Uber app, she looked up the cost of a ride to the farm.
Congratulations, Lizzie, on winning this week’s challenge. I think it may be your first Reader’s Choice win, as I haven’t seen your name before. I wish you continued success.
Congratulations, Lizzy (spelling your name right), on winning this week’s challenge. I think it may be your first Reader’s Choice win, as I haven’t seen your name before. I wish you continued success!
I’m glad to see that Yvonne stepped right up to an unusual but potentially rewarding challenge. The story has an unspoken optimism in spite of her stress. I am a farmer first before I write, and it’s difficult to say why you choose to do it. This story has some of that “why” inside it. Maybe just an unexpected opportunity to fly a different route.
Congratulations to Lizzy on winning the Flash Fiction Challenge! I wrote another comment earlier, but it somehow disappeared. I wish you the best in your future writing endeavors.
Congratulations, Lizzy, on winning this week’s challenge. I think it may be your first Reader’s Choice win, as I haven’t seen your name before. I wish you continued success! (This is the missing comment which was still weirdly in the buffer.)