Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Wednesday Briefs


Welcome to the Wednesday Briefers flash group. The short stories have a maximum of a 1000 word count plus links at the bottom to the other flashers. The prompts for this week are:
"Anything you want, you got it..."  
or use: ferry, head, position,  

or "May I ask what you think..."  

or use an animal of some kind or use an accident  

or "When he/she said... I thought I would..."
 

I’m using: "May I ask what you think..."
 
 

All That He Desires #6
“May I ask just what the hell you thought you were doing by hanging up on me?” Miles snarled.

Jules ran his hands through his hair. Class was over and Miles had ambushed him outside. And yes, he was as mad as Jules figured he’d be. He really shouldn’t have been surprised. He’d called, but Miles hadn’t answered, which warned he was in full drama meltdown mode. Sighing, Jules buttoned up his coat. It was cold and getting late too. The stupid instructor had kept them over… of all days that stick in the mud had to keep them over, it would have to be today.

“I’m sorry, man. I should’ve call back, but I had things going on. Yeah, I was shocked when you told me they’re moving. That really knocked me for a loop, considering I’d just said something about it, but I shouldn’t have hung up. Or at least I should’ve call back. Look, don’t be mad, okay?”

“That’s it? That’s all you have to say?” Miles puffed on a cigarette, leaning against the side of the building. He yanked the collar of his coat up as a cool wind teased his hair. “You act like a jerk and all I get is this half-assed

“I said I was sorry. You want me to write it in blood or what?” Jules snapped. Oh God, oh God, he was running out of time, plus now he owed Miles another apology. He glanced up at the sky. The sun had set, the last brilliant displays of yellows, oranges, and purples sinking below the horizon. Night was on the way. He needed Miles to leave, dammit.

Jules shivered in his coat. Lovely, the damn wind was picking up. “Ah jeez, sorry! I didn’t mean to snap. It’s just—”

“You do know smoking is a dangerous habit, right? It can lead to all sorts of nasty things. You really should think about giving it up before it’s too late.”

Jules stiffened. Oh holy fuck, he knew that voice. It had whispered all sorts of things in his ear last night. Dreading what he’d see, he turned. Yup, there was a body, a real body, attached to the voice and dressed in a long black leather coat and a green scarf—just like before.

I’m fucked.

* * * *

Anslee stopped several feet from Jules and his friend. One human looked ready to pitch a fit and the other looked like he was ready to fall to the floor in a dead faint. He’d warned Jules he’d come for him when darkness covered the land. Of course, he hadn’t said where he’d show up, now had he?

Anslee held his hand out. “Shall we, Jules? I do believe I told you early this morning I’d come for you.”

“I-ah… I…”

“Well, shit, man!” Miles elbowed Jules, a grin on his face while he eyed Anslee. He ground out his cigarette. “No wonder you hung up on me. Why didn’t you just say something? I’d have definitely understood.”

“I-I-I…”

“Whoo wee.” Miles winked at Jules. “Right then, I’m off. You two have fun. Give me a call when you can, dude, ‘cause, you know, you got some ‘splaining to do!” Miles thumped Jules on the back. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t.”

“Ah…”

“Jules?” Anslee raised an eyebrow at Jules, his hand still extended. “Come.”

Jules listened to Miles twitter at the word choice as he hurried off, and somehow found his hand in Anslee’s.

“Very good.” Anslee drew Jules closer. “My car is over there.”

“I-I-I…” Jules snapped his mouth closed. “Running would do me no good, would it?”

“None at all.”

“Are you going to hurt me?”

Anslee walked Jules to his sports car and opened the passenger door. “Hurt you? That’s the last thing I want to do you to, little one.”

“Then what the fuck do you want with me?” Jules slid in the car, the well-appointed leather seat holding him close. “Why are you hanging around me? How the hell did you even notice me?
What did I do to—?” Jules waved his hand at Anslee.

Anslee shut the door and walked to the driver’s side. Once in, he started the car, the engine growling to life. “What did you do to gain my attention? Nothing really. I happened to be passing by and felt your desperation, so I stopped. Buckle up, Jules. ”

Jules pulled the seat belt over his chest. “And?”

“And I presented you with an questionable opportunity that would solve your problemsthe winning lotto ticket.”

“Shit, that was you?”

“Yes. That’s what my kind does. We present an opportunity and wait to see what you humans do with it. But there’s always a catch. For example: a man loses his job, his car, and is about to lose his home. He robs a bank… and gets away with it, but loses the life, and the family he once had, because now he’s a wanted criminal.”

“Jesus.”

“If you take the opportunity offered, which you did, by the way, then my kind is free to pursue you. You yourself wondered about that very thing before you cashed the lotto ticket.”

Jules closed his eyes as they pulled on the main street. “So I doomed myself when I cashed it in?”

“Don’t think of it that way. Think of it as you opened yourself to opportunity… to me, in particular. ”

“Are you human? Good or bad? You called yourself a dark lord. Does that mean you’re… bad?”

“I am neither good nor bad. I’m called a dark lord because of my features—my dark hair and skin. I’m not human either, but you already knew that. I am áimear—one of the dark lords of Opportunity, and you are mine.”

TBC!
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