Monday, July 25, 2016

Missed FF

Busy with family this weekend, I was disappointed to miss entering Janet Reid's latest flashfic contest. In any case, it might have gotten the "not quite a story" comment (if any), but I thought I would share mine anyway.

Prompt words:

cow
league
road
trip
pry



"The problem with seven-league boots is balance."

Petyr scowled. "There can be no problem, covering a week's travel in one step!"

"Ahh, but should you fall as the boots stride - or one slip off one foot - you may be dragged down the road, head tripping along the ground." The old man smiled. "Must be spry.

Petyr gawped. “Imagine, conked in the brainpan, leagues from anyone!”

The old man nodded. “You see why I am reluctant to sell them, at any price,” he said, regretful. “It is a bridge you need, not boots. I have one for you …”

3 comments:

Brigid said...

Oh, that's good. That sucked me in right away. I'm immediately thinking about the classic bridge con.

My original was about Lucinda-the-fairy squaredancing in her many-league boots (7 makes so much more sense than 10,000; clearly my fairy tale got tangled with Jules Verne) and accidentally kicking Old MacDonald's cow over the moon. But there was no plot, and I was hungry, so I revised.

Donnaeve said...

Like Brigid, I was going right along, eager to see where you were headed! I'm not sure of the ending? Like some others at The Reef who didn't get my story, you got me with the bridge part? Is it a seven league bridge? Do tell!

DLM said...

Thank you both so much! Brigid, I saw yours and felt better I missed the deadline - at least someone got the boots in there!

Donna, it was just a cheap "I got a bridge to sell ya" joke ... I left Brooklyn out of it, but hoped it'd come across. "Aww you don't want these boots, but I have a MUCH more expensive item you totally need instead."