I is for Ignition

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After Kate fastened her seatbelt she rubbed her sleeve vigorously on the steamed up window and looked back at the front door. Her mum stood with her arms wrapped around herself, watching and keeping up the encouraging smile that had been there since first light. There hadn't been as much to pack as she had thought; clothes, books and dvd's all in random bags and boxes, and an assortment of second hand kitchen equipment jumbled in with bags of pasta and tins of beans. It had drizzled continuously so each box was carried out at a swift dash and dumped unceremoniously in the back of the car. 
"Call me later, just to let me know how you're settling in," her mum said, giving her a brusque hug. She stepped back then reached out briefly to tuck in a strand of hair that had escaped her pony tail. 
Sitting behind the wheel Kate gave a little wave, then started the engine.

(Words for my flash fiction A to Z supplied spontaneously by Monkey.)
(Sorry for the lateness, just had a tiring day at work yesterday.)
(Linking back to the A to Z challenge)

H is for Horror

"Just look, did you see this?"

"O.M.G.!"

"That's outrageous."

"It's barbaric."

"Horrific."

"How can this be happening in the twenty first century?"

"It shouldn't be allowed."

"It's torture."

"I just can't imagine..."

"There should be laws against it."

"Why doesn't their government protect them?"

"Why do they put up with it?"

"You'd think people would protest."

"Somebody should do something."

"I guess it's part of their culture."

"It's been going on for hundreds of years."

"It's not for us to tell them how to live."

"Thank goodness it's not like that over here."

...

"I'm going for a coffee, do you want to come?"

(http://www.endfgm.eu/en/)

(Words for my flash fiction A to Z supplied spontaneously by Monkey... though not quite so fictional today.)

(Linking back to the A to Z challenge)

G is for Grovel

The ground smelt acrid and the fine grit prickled his face, but when he tried to raise his body a weight on his back kept him down. He didn't remember falling out of the car, but, he reasoned, he must have done. He must be trapped under the wreckage. He could see light behind; Danny must have seen the crash and stopped. It would be ok, he would get someone to help. He twitched his fingers and toes tentatively, there was no pain, he couldn't be badly hurt. But as he watched the light seemed to fade to a low red glow and then there was utter darkness. The weight on his back lifted but he sensed something beside him. The red glow returned and a large misshapen foot landed by his nose and a voice suddenly close to his ear growled,

"Stay there."

A massive hideous creature was standing above him, glaring down from smouldering black eyes. The air was rent by a torturous scream and the thing bellowed, belching fire and ash from its throat. He realised it was laughing, and he no longer dared to rise.

(Words for my flash fiction A to Z supplied spontaneously by Monkey)

(Linking back to the A to Z challenge)

F is for Frosted

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The commute was nearly an hour and despite his determination to leave on time it was almost seven before he swiped his pass card at the exit gate and pulled out onto the dual carriageway. Traffic was at least quieter by this time and he settled back comfortably in his seat and flicked the switch on the radio. Pete whistled softly along with the song and realised it was the one they had once danced to at the school disco. The warm smile faded abruptly from his lips as his brain made swift and unbidden calculations and a terrible sinking feeling crept over him. He had forgotten. And he knew that she would not. Flowers, he thought, but dismissed it immediately. She would see right through a cheap bunch of supermarket flowers and know it was a belated token. He would just have to go home and face the consequences. It was a long and dreadful hour, and it was almost a relief when he turned into the drive and the car headlights swept across the front of the house. His footsteps crunched across the gravel and he took a calming breath as he put his key in the lock. For a moment he thought it was stuck; he pushed firmly, but the door remained stubbornly closed. 

(Words for my flash fiction A to Z supplied spontaneously by Monkey)

(Linking back to the A to Z challenge)

E is for Exaggerate

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"Mum, mum! Come quick there's a spider in the bath, it's massive."
...
"Mum, it's spun a web across the whole room and it's sitting on the curtain rail watching me."
...
"Mum, it's body's like the size of a football and it's legs are really long and hairy."
...
"Mum, it's swinging from the light now, and I can hear it gnashing it's pincers."
...
"And it's got a thousand eyes all looking at me."
...
"Mum, it's bitten the cat and wrapped her up in a cocoon. I think it's going to eat her."
...
"I don't dare go in there mum, but I really need a pee."
...
"Please mum, you've got to come."
...
"Mum....."

(Words for my flash fiction A to Z supplied spontaneously by Monkey)

(Linking back to the A to Z challenge)

D is for Dangling

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The rope had probably been there since the stone age he told them. Cave kids probably swung on it, he said. The branch tied to the end was worn smooth from the grip of a gazillion swingers. The pool beneath was deep and murky. There were rumours of water snakes, he said. The gang had gathered on the slope by the tree, jostling for position awkwardly, no-one really wanting to be first. Lewis had been here last summer, with some older kids. It's all in the takeoff, he said, and timing the release; not too early, not too late. He kicked off his shoes and pulled in the rope, backing up the slope as far as he could go. He launched himself and swung with a whoop, letting go and flying out into the water. His success gave them confidence and the others followed, scrambling back out after each jump, eager for another turn. 
Ben lingered by the tree, shouting encouragement and cheering each leap. "Here, it's your go," someone said thrusting the rope into his hands. He took it and faced the water, the others paused and watched, waiting. Without warning he felt a shove from behind and the water was below him, the world turning upside down. His hands released unbidden and he flew...

(Words for my flash fiction A to Z supplied spontaneously by Monkey)

(Linking back to the A to Z challenge)

C is for Calligraphy

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It had been a particularly long day, starting with a furious cat fight in the back garden at 4 am that had woken the baby, descending rapidly towards the leaking washing machine when they arrived back from the shops and reaching its crescendo with the 'burnt toast' tantrum at lunch time. The afternoon had seen a slight hush in proceedings, merely serving to lull her into a false sense of security. During a tussle Barbie lost a leg, followed swiftly by a decapitated Sylvanian rabbit; it could have been carnage without timely intervention. Peace was restored briefly but when scrabbling for a fallen felt pen she found something very dead and very mouldy behind the fridge. After disposing of it in the compost bin she stands at the kitchen sink watching a scruffy sparrow flit across the garden and wondering if there was any chance they could swap places.  A piece of folded paper is placed on the drainer next to her cold cup of tea. She opens it. Beneath a huge yellow flower in large wobbly writing she reads, 'to mum x'.

(Words for my flash fiction A to Z supplied spontaneously by Monkey)

(Linking back to the A to Z challenge)