FFfAW

Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers! Once more I get to join in the fun led by Priceless Joy 🙂 The rules generally go like this: we are given a photo prompt and approximately 75-175 words with which to create our stories. It is fun and everyone is invited to participate. For more information, click HERE.* I may have gone over a bit, at 210 words.  I just felt they were needed to match all those stairs. To read all the other stories inspired by Joy Pixley’s wonderful photo, click HERE.

“I’m telling you, the noise came from up there!” Sheila insisted.

Rose looked up at all the steps.  “Really?”

“Yes!!”

Rose sighed, starting up the steps.

“Rose!”

“What, Sheila?” Rose asked patiently.

“Here–” Sheila handed her a bat “–you can’t go up there empty-handed.”

Taking the bat, Rose continued up the stairs while Sheila stood at the bottom wringing her hands.

Just what Sheila thought was up there, Rose didn’t know. Her next door neighbor always seemed a little high-strung, but the elderly lady was downright hysterical tonight. The steps went up to the widow’s walk on the roof, so it was unlikely anyone had come in or out from there.

By the time Rose got to the top, her legs were shaky and the bat was dragging up the stair treads. Sheila had called up several times, but she seemed very far away now. It was quite dark at the window, with only the moonlight beaming in to light her way. No one had ever run electricity to the walk, and Rose stumbled forward.

Pressing her forehead against the cool glass, Rose let her body relax. Sudden noise had her pulse jumping and she spun, raising the bat, only to laugh weakly.

Sheila had squirrels in her attic.

*I did steal the rules directly from Priceless Joy’s blog 🙂