Iain Kelly

Frost covered the grass and branches. Well-layered joggers trotted past at various paces.

She wrapped her arms around herself, the thick coat and gloves failing to halt the chill.

Mothers pushed buggies, couples walked hand-in-hand, dog-walkers pulled leads or were dragged by them, tourists swarmed.

She didn’t know what to expect; she hadn’t formed a picture of the person she had received the anonymous messages from.

A dog escaped it’s owner and careered towards her. She leaned forward and patted it with her gloved hand and smiled at the owner.

As she sat back on the bench she saw the brown envelope. She turned. There was no one there. She stood, scanning the pathways. Did she catch a glimpse of a back hurrying away?

She pulled off a glove with her teeth and opened the envelope. Inside was a sheet of paper and a portable hard drive.

On the paper was a written message: ‘You promised.’

She began running back to the newspaper office, leaving Lafayette Park behind as the white edifice looked on.

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.

Lafayette Park in Washington D.C. lies across the street from the White House.