Pat Mills 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 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:
Deadwood
by Pat Mills
Matt bought Mr. Woods bar and restaurant after he died. He named it the Dead Woods Inn.
***
A pigtailed seven year old girl let Tom, the CPA, in the front door of the restaurant.
***
Tom shook his head at Matt and asked, “How did you make money in the middle of a pandemic?”
“You know we had the B&B upstairs. People wanted to stay when they found out we had spirits,” Matt smiled.
“What?”
“Totally true.”
“Mr. Woods started showing up, right away. But then, the plumbing and electric went haywire.”
“Sounds unnerving.”
“We had to call in a ghostbuster.”
Tom looked skeptical.
“She was the consummate professional, a professor at the University.”
“Really… You believe this stuff?”
“You would too… she started getting information about everyone in the bar.”
“Like lottery numbers?”
“No,” Matt laughed, but suddenly became very serious, “she received information that our bar managers’ daughter was sick, and needed surgery.”
Tom looked at his watch, “Taxes look good this year, I have to get going.”
“I’m happy we made it through.”
As Tom started out the door, he stopped and turned, ” The little girl…did she have the surgery?”
“No…” Matt said, looking at the floor.
“Why not?”
“Emily died before they could figure out what was wrong.”
“Emily?” Toms eyebrows shot up.
“Yes, the little girl who answered the door. She’s still with us. She wasn’t ready to cross over.”
“Maybe we’ll meet in my office next time,” Tom said, hurrying out the door.
Congratulations on winning the contest, Pat! Your story was very creative — definitely inspired by that prompt!
I can’t believe that I’ve been busier than usual, because of the pandemic, paradoxically — but like all of us, I wish Covid-19 would just GO AWAY and NEVER COME BACK. I’ve been very active with my church through Zoom and emails… but as soon as certain things wind down, I’m hoping to take the time for more personal things, including writing.
God bless you, my friend.
Mary Kay
Congratulations, Pat! I loved the last line!
Thank-you Mary Kay! I’m glad you enjoyed my story.
I didn’t do much writing last year either.
I would have thought novels and short stories would have poured out of us.
But day to day life during a pandemic is very distracting…
We tried to leave the house to exercise two times a day and sometimes just drive around. Lol!
I am so glad to hear from you. I will ask Kyle or Kat to give you my email address.
I think for us, writing is the best antidote to what ails you, including pandemics!
I enjoyed your story two weeks ago! I look forward to reading more of your flash fiction.
Thank-you Dale! I’m glad that you liked the story. I wasn’t sure how I was going to end it.
Happy writing!
Thoroughly enjoyed your new novel on Amazon- Weasel Words . The characters are great, and the story is so original.