My Entry for Round 2 of the 2015 NYC Midnight Flash Fiction Challenge Uncomfortable

I made it to the second round of the competition. For this round, I was given heat 11, genre: romance, location:statue, object: a donut and word limit: 1,000 words.

My entry title: Uncomfortable.

Brief Synopsis: As head of security for The Met, Jack Sullivan naturally feels a bit uncomfortable when he discovers that his ex-wife Kate will be leading the police's investigation into the attempted theft of a statue. Will his discomfort lead to more painful encounters with his ex, or will it prove to be a fertile ground in which to sow the seeds of romance?

As with my first entry, I used a real place, and a real statue for the setting and location of my story, but both are used fictitiously. None of the characters in my story are based on any real persons that have existed at any real point and place in time.

This story is copyrighted by me, and no one has permission to use my story, in part or in whole, without my prior express written permission, except for a short excerpt used to conduct a review of the story. 

Please read my story and let me know what you think in the comments section below. I especially desire to receive any specific suggestions for how I can improve my writing skills and the story overall. 

Uncomfortable

By Lyn Brooks

Jack scowled as he stood; staring at the display case, examining it for any sign that would explain why the alarm had gone off, again. All of the statues were undisturbed and in their places. There were not any obvious marks on the glass, and nothing was missing, again.

Jack swallowed the last bite of his stale donut that he held in his left hand, and raised the flimsy paper cup that he carried in his right to his mouth, grimacing at the bitter taste of the hours old coffee. He crumpled the now empty cup in his fist as he wheeled around on his heels to walk back to his office and await the arrival of the police. As director of security for The Met, there had been too many early mornings and late nights over the last few years for Jack Sullivan's liking.

He stopped making his way forward when his eyes caught a hint of movement. It had come from the shadows that gathered near the base of one of the temple pillars that marked the entrance to the exhibit. His mind began to race, had he actually stumbled upon his would be burglar?

Jack's feelings of fear and apprehension turned to aggravation. The scowl returned to his face as he saw a familiar figure walking towards him. It was Kate, Detective Kate Sullivan.

With her petite frame, overly sharp, angular features and brown hair that was more prone to kinks and frizz than genuine curls, she was not what Jack or most other men would have considered beautiful in the typical sense. Still, as Jack well knew, Kate had a way of capturing a man's attention when she talked with him and looked at him. Her emerald green eyes sparkled when she met a man's gaze. They were always shining, as though she was laughing at a secret joke that only she knew. Her rare smile hinted to a man that she might let you in on the secret and share it with you if she liked you.

As Jack had discovered, much to his discomfort, when she had shown up at the scene two nights ago, Kate was in charge of the police's investigation. That meant they were going to be working together, in close proximity, until the would be thief was caught. Jack felt his face flush at that thought. He didn't know if he was irritated, frightened or excited, the sensation made him uncomfortable.

She came to a stop in front of him now, her eyes smiling in laughter. Same old Kate, Jack thought to himself. As his ex-wife it was a forgone conclusion that she didn't like him, and so, would not be sharing anything with him anymore, especially any secrets.

They walked back to the display case in silence and stood side by side looking at the exhibit statues. "You got here quick," he stated dryly.

Kate shrugged her shoulders in response, "I was up already up, when I happened to notice on the clock that it was close to 3. Since the alarms have gone off the past two nights around the same time I thought I would go on ahead and make my way over in case it happened again. Guess my hunch was right."

Jack forced himself not to ask her why she was already up so early, was something, or someone, keeping her from sleeping? He left the question unasked and just nodded as he replied. "I just can't figure out why whoever is doing it would target this particular case. There's nothing particularly valuable in here when you compare it to the other stuff in the Egyptian collection or rest of the museum! It's just Old Kingdom statues and some other odds and ends from 4^th Century Giza."

Kate smiled as she gestured towards a specific statue. It was the royal acquaintances, Memi and Sabu, a married couple. The statues stood together facing them, smiling, Sabu's arm around Memi's waist and Memi returning her embrace, his hand gently resting on her breast, the picture of wedded bliss. "I know they might not be as valuable in terms of price, but I've always been especially fond of this particular statue, Jack."

Jack's eyebrows shot up, silently asking her, why, in reply.

Kate shrugged her shoulders again. "I don't know, I mean, just look at them. Look at how relaxed they appear - and they are carved out of stone! Their very comfort with one another shows! Have you ever seen statues, or living people for that matter, look so happy and content to be standing so close to one another? It's almost erotic."

Kate turned to look up at him and Jack felt his mouth go dry and his heart began to pound. He suddenly became very conscious of the presence of the wadded up cup in his hand and shoved it into his pocket, out of the way. It was Jack's turn to shrug his shoulders now. He bent forward as he nodded his head towards her, "They do look happy, don't they?" He asked gently, almost in a whisper as he extended his arms and hands towards her, "Is that what happened to us, Kate? Were we just not able to relax when we were together and get comfortable?"

Jack's heart tried to hammer its way out of his ribcage as Kate stood there staring silently. Several minutes passed. He had just begun to silently berate himself for being foolish and started to draw back to make a retreat to his office when Kate stretched out her arms towards him and took one tentative step forward.

Looking into one another's eyes, the pair embraced. Jack lowered his face towards Kate's and felt the crackle of electricity as their lips touched. As he pulled back he was relieved to see Kate still smiling up at him as she replied. "I don't know that making each other uncomfortable is such a bad thing."

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Photo is of the painted limestone statue, Royal Acqaintances, Memi and Sabu, c. 2500 BC, Old Kingdom, Giza, 4th Century from The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Egyptian Collection. From Flickr, The Consortium

My Entry for the 2015 NYC Midnight Flash Fiction Challenge Kate for Jack

I recently entered the NYC Midnight 2015 Flash Fiction Challenge. It will be mid-September before I know how I did, but each of us will receive feedback from at least professional 3 judges, so I think it's a valuable contest, even if one doesn't win.. This is the first flash fiction challenge that I've ever entered. 

For this first round, I was placed into heat 11, and given genre: horror, location: lighthouse, object: walkie talkie and word limit: 1,000 words.

The title of my story is: Kate for Jack.

My synopsis: They say that not even death can stop true love. As a grieving Kate soon finds out, sometimes, it might be best if Love didn't conquer all.

I also want to add that the setting of my story, the Lighthouse at Monhegan, Maine, is a real place, but it is used fictitiously in my story. None of the characters in my story are based on any real persons that have existed at any real point and place in time. 

This story is copyrighted by me, and no one has permission to use my story, in part or in whole, without my prior express written permission, except for a short excerpt used to conduct a review of the story. 

Please read my story and let me know what you think in the comments section below. I especially treasure any specific suggestions for how I can improve my writing skills and the story overall.

Kate for Jack

By Lyn Brooks

Kate pulled the tower door closed and walked out onto the narrow and rusting iron platform. 200 feet above sea level, counting the hill, she had a perfect view of the harbor. She grasped the railing with her left hand as she looked out towards the horizon. The sun was just beginning to set, turning the Atlantic's icy blue waves into gold.

Below her, she could hear the bell-like laughter of children interspersed with the drone of adults' idle chit chat. Tourists came to Monhegan to ramble over the isolated Island's pristine nature trails. With some luck, they might see a flock of endangered birds, or a whale, before stopping by to visit the lighthouse turned museum.

They hurried to the wharf now, as all outsiders did in the evening. 12 miles from the mainland, no one wanted to miss the lone ferry that could carry them back to civilization. It was the last night of the season; the winds and waters were already beginning to turn rough and cold. After tonight, there would be no more visitors until the following June. For townies and city-folk, the wilds of nature were something to be enjoyed, and endured, in small, bite-sized chunks.

It was quiet now. Kate continued looking out onto the ocean, silently nodding to herself. To her ear she raised the well-worn walkie talkie that she had brought with her. Earlier in the day, she had taken care to replace the batteries with fresh ones.

Without towers, cellphones were unreliable in remote places, so the island's residents still relied on walkie talkies for close communication. It had been Kate and Jack's preferred way, 13 their favorite channel. She had always called on his return approach to the harbor.

"How can I find my way home without the voice of my sweet angel to steer by?" Jack had often asked her.

There were only 64 year round locals left on the island. Exactly one year ago, tonight, there had been 65.

"Has it really been one full year?" Kate asked out loud, but only the roar of the waves answered.

Kate hit the button and waited a moment before speaking, so none of her words would be cut off.

"Kate for Jack," she spoke, loudly, into the walkie talkie. She waited a moment before repeating her words. A hiss of dead air was the only reply.

Kate leaned forward against the railing, and began to cry. "What were you thinking, crazy girl, did you really expect a reply?" she wept bitterly.

Kate wasn't certain how long she stood there, silently searching the sea. She wasn't even certain what, exactly, she was looking for; a sign, maybe.

Hours later, the full moon was shining high in the night's sky when Kate's walkie began to squeal and burst with static. She felt her heart leap inside her chest, and then drop, when she heard the harbormaster's gruff voice. "Bill for Kate, Bill for Kate."

Kate sighed as she keyed and replied, "Go for Kate."

"What's your 20 Kate?" Bill asked, and continued without waiting for a reply, "You're up there, aren't you? I knew you would be. I know you've been holding out hope, but, you have to let it go, Kate, Jack's not coming back. No one could come back after that storm, the wind, the size of the swells. We all would have heard something by now if he had survived. It's been a year, Kate. You have to let him go. For your own good girl; you have to let Jack go."

Kate shook her head as she replied hoarsely, "There was no wreckage, Bill, no body. I have to keep hoping, as crazy as it sounds, Bill. I have to keep believing, searching, trying until I see some evidence that he is, indeed, beyond us, gone." Kate began to cry again.

Bill sighed and asked gently, "Are you going to stay up there all night, then?"

"No," Kate choked out between sobs, "I am coming down; it's after Midnight now, after it happened. I reckon if he was going to contact me I would have heard from him by now. I'll lock up, before I walk home, Bill. Don't you worry. I'm not giving up, mind you. I'm just resolved to try again next year."

"That's a good plan, Katie, just put it out of your mind and leave it in Fate's hands until next year. Going off walkie now, Kate, you take care." Bill replied, the sound of relief evident in the tone of his voice.

"Going off walkie too, Bill, you take care also." Kate signed off and went back into the tower. As she began her descent she thought she heard something rattle in the darkness below.

Every seven seconds the light made its signal circuit, piercing the darkness. Kate breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that the lighthouse's bottom floor was empty.

Closing and bolting the door and gate to the lighthouse behind her, Kate had just inserted the key into the lock when she was assaulted by waves of nausea brought on by a strong odor.

"Someone must have lost part of their catch nearby and the day's heat has fouled it," Kate thought. The scent grew stronger as she felt something grasp her shoulder from behind.

Turning, she glimpsed what appeared to be seaweed and barnacle encrusted arms encircling her waist, embracing her. "Has a giant squid made it ashore," she wondered.

She opened her mouth, to scream, but the monster's maw came down on her lips, silencing her. She flailed her arms and legs wildly, desperate to get away.

Suddenly, the creature let go, and she fell to the ground. She lunged for the walkie talkie, furiously pushing the talk button, "Kate for Bill, are you there Bill…" Kate pleaded.

"Go for Bill, what's wrong!" Bill cried.

Finally looking up into the bloated face of the thing that stood over her, Kate whimpered, "Eyes on Jack, Eyes on Jack!"

Photo Credit: Kristen "Shoe" Shoemaker at Flickr.