The crane landed easily in the shallow water. He watched the bird strut along, after every few steps it bobbed it’s head in the water, plucking an unsuspecting fish into it’s mouth.
Lying on the deck of his yacht, Scott breathed in the warm air. A breeze coming across the bay gave a pleasant counterbalance to the heat of the morning sun.
Around him the detritus of the previous night lay: empty glasses, half-eaten plates of food, unfinished champagne bottles. Given how much he had consumed to welcome in the New Year, he felt surprisingly buoyant this morning.
Below deck he pictured her tanned legs lying above the covers, her mussed up hair and sleeping eyes. Life had turned out pretty good.
Could he get away with it for another year? How long before the authorities, or worse one of his clients, looked too closely at the numbers?
The crane made a stab under the water and came up empty-beaked. In the clear water the reprieved fish dart away.
Written as part of Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers. The challenge is to write a flash fiction story in around 150 – 175 words, based on the weekly photo prompt. Thanks as always to the challenge host Priceless Joy. For more information visit HERE.
To read other stories based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.
As always .. you leave me wanting more
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Thank you Viola, Happy New Year 🙂
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The same to you Iain – I am looking forward to reading more flash fiction pieces from you this year ☺️
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🙂
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What lies just below the surface? Good use of metaphor.
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Thanks James, glad you saw what I was getting at, wasn’t sure it was done justice in the word limit.
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I imagine he is getting away with embezzlement but I wonder, how much longer before he is caught and his perfect world folds under? Great story, as always, Iain!
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Thank you PJ – I think he’ll keep going until someone stops him!
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Yes, I’m sure you are right!
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Nice. Just like the fish, he escaped. I like the symmetry of this one.
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Thank you very much!
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Engaging, descriptive writing. I like the way you’ve incorporated the crane into the story.
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Thank you so much
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Well layered, well done.
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Thank you so much
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Beautiful writing, Kelly.
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Thank you Neel
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Good one Iain, enjoyed where you took me.
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Thank you Michael
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Beautifully written Iain, no one suspects the suave white-collar criminal till it is too late. Happy new year.
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Thank you and Happy New Year to you also 🙂
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This is good, Iain, I enjoyed it.
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Thank you so much Robbie. Happy New Year to you 🙂
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Good story as always Iain. Although Scott was probably like the fish that got away, I wondered whether the bird was an omen that his luck was running out and if he took another dip he’d come up empty-handed. I like to be left wondering.
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Thank you – it could be read either way, you are right – Scott is either the crane going for one too many, or the fish escaping to live another day.
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Well done. Beautiful rhythm to the words and images. I stumbled a bit over the first two lines. Switching from the crane to ‘he’ threw me until I got through the rest of the second sentence and realized the ‘he’ was the person watching the crane. I love the correlation of his future to the fish swimming away.
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Thank you so much, appreciate your taking the time to read it closely.
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Well done metaphor/symbolism here. It seems for awhile Scott will Escape the authoriteries like the little fish eluded the bird, but for how long. Perhaps he needs to come up with an escape plan?
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Get out while the going is good I think! Thanks Mandi.
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What has Scott been up to? You create the need to know more 🙂
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Thank you so much 🙂
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