Earth-Bound

One,
     the North Star,
             keeper of the evermore
Another,
     the Perseid,
           A constant sailor on the Neverwas
And I
        I offer my empty hold,
               and roll the dice of nevermore,
Who, I ask,
       will take me home
                and ink my name on the spiral night?

- K a t h l e e n  K i m b a l l - B a k e r,  2 0 1 5


Image: Hitesh Chhabra at Pixoto 

Flash Fiction Friday - Shouldering

Here. Now.

By Kathleen Kimball-Baker

“PUSH!”

“I can’t,” Ellie whimpers, wobbling on her hands and knees.”

“Stop it, Ellie, push!”

“Oh, God! Help me please! I’m gonna die.”

Beth pivots, faces her young sister.

“Listen to me. The baby’s stuck by his shoulders. You’ve got to ...”

Ellie’s screams split open the night.

A dusky baby slips into Beth’s hands.

Wailing.

Image: "Newborn" by Izabella Casselman

.......................

To join the fun, write any story you like in 55 words (no more, no less).
Then tell Mr. Knowitall, aka G-Man by leaving a a comment

on his own Flash-55 post.

Flash Fiction Friday - Uh oh

Devolving

By Kathleen Kimball-Baker

“Howard! Wake up!”

“Huh? Whaaa?”

“You were howling, for God’s sakes!”

“You mean like a dog?”

“More like a wolf!”

“Daphne, did you forget to take your sleeping pills?”

“Howard, I’m telling you, you howled. Like aaaawoooooooooo.”

“Woman, you’re the one who’s howling.”

“Howard! Your nose! Your teeth! What’s happening to you?”

“I . . . don’t . . . knooooooooooooooooooow . . .”

Imagehttp://mattstratton.com by Matt Stratton

........................

To join the fun, write any story you like in 55 words (no more, no less).
Then tell Mr. Knowitall, aka G-Man by leaving a a comment

on his own Flash-55 post.

Flash Fiction Friday - First encounter

Because You Called

By Kathleen Kimball-Baker

At his window two floors above,

backlit and rumpled,

he has watched her make the calls. 

You can’t hear me, can you?

He watches her lips.

Can you feel this?

Moist air enters his ear.

His breath quickens.

Everything,

nothing wasted.

You let me in. Why?

 Above her breasts, he traces:

“You needed me.”

True.

Image by HAMED MASOUMI

...................

To join the fun, write any story you like in 55 words (no more, no less).
Then tell Mr. Knowitall, aka G-Man by leaving a a comment

on his own Flash-55 post.

Flash Fiction Friday - The tattoo artist

The Sign Read, ‘We Serve Royalty’

By Kathleen Kimball-Baker

“You’re sure?”

She nods.

“I just didn’t think it was allowed.”

“It’s not.”

“Right to left, correct?”

“Yes.”

When he is done, she lets down her kohl hair, covers up the tender skin at the nape of her neck,
pays in crisp bills.

A limo waits outside.

“Tell me what it means?”

“Sweet memories.” 

Image: Seventy Thirty a.m. Oil on board by Philip Geiger

---------------------

To join the fun, write any story you like in 55 words (no more, no less).

Then tell Mr. Knowitall, aka G-Man by leaving a a comment

on his own Flash-55 post.

---------------

Thanks for the suggestion, Natalie!

Flash Fiction Friday - This one's for G-Man!

A Good Shave

By Kathleen Kimball-Baker

“Do you always wear such soft clothes?” he asked.

“Yes. Can’t stand anything rough on my skin.”

He grinned. “I’ll be back in just a minute.”

Sophie hugged her legs and surveyed Galen’s cozy study.

She liked his work, mostly nudes. 

“Oh, you shaved!”

Eyes closed, she touched his chin.

“It’s my birthday,” he whispered.

Image by Nestor M.


-----------

To join the fun, write any story you like in 55 words (no more, no less).

Then tell Mr. Knowitall, aka G-Man by leaving a a comment

on his own Flash-55 post.

Flash Fiction Friday - Litter mates

Biscuits & Gravy

By Kathleen Kimball-Baker

“Pat?”

Anne’s eyes smiled even when closed.

Yes, darlin’?

“Remember that mongrel you brought home when you was a boy?”

"Hmmm. Mama wasn’t too happy."

“What’d we name her? Cookie?”

"Biscuit. And the two pups that lived, Gravy and Whisky."

“Just like you’n me . . .”

"Yup."

..........

“Hurts.”

Pat tapped bubbles out of the morphine shot. 

Image by Brad Holt
----------------------------

To join the fun, write any story you like in 55 words (no more, no less).

Then tell Mr. Knowitall, aka G-Man by leaving a a comment

on his own Flash-55 post.