George’s Multi-Colored Ballon

George had never seen such a balloon. So many colors. They twined around the balloon as it spun. He tugged on Father’s coat pocket.  Father looked down, a frown creasing his brow; perhaps wishing that, just once, George would speak. George pointed at the balloon.

Father pulled his worn wallet out and went over to speak to the balloon-man. He came back and took George’s hand, placing the balloon in the other. As they walked, George watched the balloon bounce at the end of the string.  Smiling, he opened his hand and watched the stripes soar off.

“Bye,” he whispered.

A Geek is Born

Sarah sighed, thumping her feet. Her parents drag her to this podunk town, then leave her in the car with her little sister. What was she going to do here, away from all her friends??

Her parents came out of the store with a huge bag. Great, Sarah thought morosely, they’re going to read. Don’t they  even get tv in this town? But her mom plopped the bag between her and her sister.

“Here you go girls”, she said as she settled in the front seat.

Deena  immediately started reaching, so Sarah pulled out the top few. The coloring books she gave to Deena. She stared at her first book. It had a tall, curly-haired man with a huge  wildly striped scarf, standing front of a strange blue box with a light on top. Shrugging her shoulders, Sarah opened the book and began to read.

This week’s flash fiction comes from a new group, and they gave me some extra words to play with (ended up with 153). Check out all other stories inspired by this picture here at InLinkz.