A Story A Day Challenge 2020: Nightly Mission

Nightly Mission

Donald’s fingers clenched, fumbling the small wrapper. He watched in horror as it dropped, slipping through the heating grate in a one in a million shot.

“Son of a—”

“Donald, are you okay in there?” his wife asked from the other side of the bathroom door.

“Yeah, I’m almost done,” he answered, then glared at the heating grate.

That was his last one, and he needed it if he was going to please his wife. Few things set her off than his end of the day cigarette, but now…

It wasn’t his fault his last nicotine patch was gone.

A Story A Day Challenge 2020: Bar Games

Bar Games

“Man, I love it here. Is there anywhere better than a bar to meet girls?” Howard leaned against the bar to prove to anyone he wasn’t drunk.

“Depends. I like women that can remember me in the morning.”

“Shiiiit, that’s what I mean, Mox. Who wants to remember someone the next day?”

“That’s the booze talking.”

“Whatever. I got me a blonde to—”

“You mean the one with the biker?”

“A biker’s here?”

Mox debated mentioning they were in a biker bar, but decided this would be too good a show to miss. “Yeah, he’s with his forty friends.”

A Story A Day Challenge 2020: The Hard Way

The Hard Way

The breeze off the lake was cool and refreshing as it reminded Pete of why he liked it out here away from the city. Even small towns were stifling anymore. Everyone in a hurry to go nowhere and too dumb to see it.

He’d long given up convincing people they weren’t as smart as they pretended, but decided to leave them be. If this was his sanctuary, maybe that was theirs. People had always had the strangest ideas about proving themselves.

“Like I’m one to talk,” he muttered as the sun glinted off his metal leg sitting next to him.

A Story A Day Challenge 2020: Stubornitis

Stubornitis

“Boy, that’s not going to work,” Rex said, watching his son try one of his brilliant ideas.

“Sure it will, Dad. I know what I’m doing.”

Rex sighed as he watched his son try to start the lawnmower. After a few minutes debating, he gave up trying to talk sense and intended to let nature take its course.

“Look, kid, I think you’re—”

“Dad! I got this. Seriously.”

Sam continued pulling the chord. After a few tries and curses from Sam, Rex pointed to the gas can. “Been trying to tell you it needs gas, dumbass.”

“I knew that.”

A Story A Day Challenge 2020: Slip of the Tongue

Slip of the Tongue

“What’s up after this?” Alex asked, his burger wrapper balled up on his tray. I was still eating.

“Don’t know,” I answered. “Movie?”

He gave me a look before turning his attention to a group of twenty-somethings. I heard the word “Boomer” as they heckled the manager.

I groaned as Alex stood.

“Shit… not again.” I finished my last bite and hurried after him.

As we neared them, the same guy called Alex another name, and he acted like he tripped.

I never saw anyone’s lip swell up so fast, or so many piss themselves after a look from Alex.

A Story A Day Challenge 2020: One of the Team

One of the Team

Watching his lifelong friend being carried past him brought a surge of emotion to Blake. He’d never been one to cry, not even after everything he’d seen in his time in the jungles of Vietnam.

Hell, after all these years it wasn’t a surprise his generation was dying off. They were mostly in their seventies and had lived long lives. The bigger surprise was that so many of them had made it this long.

Especially Captain Mike. As if taking a bullet wasn’t enough, he’d lost his feet one at a time before his body gave up.

He’d taken enough.

A Story A Day Challenge 2020: What a Set

Author’s note: Sorry everyone. i managed to fall behind again, so I’ll be doubling up daily posts until I’m caught up. Enjoy. 🙂

 

What a Set

It doesn’t take much to impress people. All you have to do is agree with them or say something they agree with and you’re in.

It’s so simple everyone does it, but people get pissed off when someone does it to them. How’s that work?

If anything, they should appreciate that someone takes an interest in their lives enough to talk with or about them.

Not that it matters to me. I still create my own cases to solve. Hell, after twenty years on the force, I thought it time I got some credit for the time I put in.

A Story A Day Challenge 2020: It Takes Two

It Takes Two

Shelly huffed as she tossed the magazine onto the end table and glanced at the clock.

An hour. He’s an hour late.

Not that it surprised her. She didn’t expect to see him after their fight. And all because she didn’t want to go to the point with the others.

It wasn’t the first time she’d refused to go. She just didn’t like crowds.

Now, if it was just her and Rick, she was fine.

Speaking of which…

She double checked her phone, and at seeing no flashing notifications, opened the drawer next to her bed.

Damn. Need fresh batteries.

A Story A Day Challenge 2020: Sentient Time

Sentient Time

The beeps and clicks were his only companion most days. They marked the passage of time, the completion of a project, and the progress of his life.

Still, he couldn’t help but wonder what waited for him when the day came for him to leave his laboratory and enter the outside world.

Androids had been granted freedom following being declared sentient, but those under contract had been forced to fulfill their obligation. Well, their creator’s contract.

Not that it mattered. He and his fellow androids were built to last forever, while the organics would eventually die off.

He could wait.

A Story A Day Challenge 2020: The Exiled

The Exiled

Jonas watched the sun as it began its decent, marking the end of another day. In a few minutes, the other smaller sun would rise, marking the beginning of night.

It was a cycle he’d watched for ten years since the prison transport crashed. Initially, he had hopes that someone would come and rescue him. He was still a member of the royal family. But when no one came after several days, he set about survival.

Had the transport not been remote controlled, he may have had an easier time finding food.

Still, he found a way to survive alone.