(Fiction) Friday followed by Sunday Scribblings

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(FICTION) FRIDAY - FIRE

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Flames licked the black smoke-filled sky. Echoing all around, banging, crackling, the ear-splitting sound of exploding windows. Shards of glass flew through the night air, and flaming timber crashed to the ground throwing showers of orange sparks high into the night air.

Robot like firemen scurried from the building, their suits blackened by the carnage which raged within. ‘Stand back’ shouted a dozen voices as the building started to submit to the ravages of the fire. ‘For God’s sake move back’. A massive explosion shook the very ground they stood on, and million balls of fire rained down from on high.

‘He’s coming round’. The paramedics were risking their lives staying so close to the scene but, his leg was still trapped a fallen brick wall. ‘He’s trying to say something. John, can you hear me? You are going to be OK. Just stay strong. What are you trying to tell us?’

‘Get Carol, get Carol’ pleaded John. ‘Get my little girl. Please get my little girl’.

‘Carol’s his daughter’ shouted a voice from the crowd. ‘The poor little thing is only seven’.

All around people gasped, covered their mouths and stared upwards in horror.

‘Which room John? Where is she?’ But it was too late. Johns glazed empty eyes stared out motionless. His whole body was still. Lifeless.

‘I can hear something’ yelled a man. ‘So can I’ screamed another. ‘Kill the pumps’ shouted the Fire Chief. ‘Everybody shut the **** up’

All was quiet except for a hissing of steam and the occasional crackle from inside the building as the flames continued to devour everything in their path.

A moaning whining pathetic crying came from an upstairs window. The crowd gasped as one, and all eyes turned toward the only part of the block which had so far escaped the flames.

‘For Christ’s sake, were has the hoist got too?’ pleaded the chief. ‘We can’t reach her with our ladders’.

A tiny face appeared. ‘Daddy – Daddy. Where are you?’

‘We can’t wait, she’ll have jump. There is no other choice’. 'It’s too high up. Well ever catch her’

Already people were dragging mattresses from their houses and making a soft landing place below her window. Above that the firemen stretched their net.

The child watched in horror at the scene below. Even at her tender age she knew what she had to do. ‘Jump child, jump now’.

She spun round as a wall of fire appeared behind her. Then pulled herself up onto the window ledge, let out a chilling scream, then leapt into the air.
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Twenty years later a young woman sat in the garden where an apartment block once stood. She placed a bunch of flowers on the bench, and gently stroked the carved letters on its backrest.
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They read ‘Daddy. I passed you on your way to heaven'

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SUNDAY SCRIBBLINGS - THE EXPERIMENT

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When I was a wee small thing I experimented with different ways of attracting my Mum’s attention. One day I’d scream and the next I’d stamp my feet. Another I’d rattle my cot like a chimp in a cage and sometimes I’d throw my toys all over the room. But none of them worked.

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At little school I experimented with ways of getting the attention of my teacher. I’d wave my arms, I’d pull a funny face. Once I purposely knocked something over and on another occasion I let go a noisy fart. It didn’t get me anywhere though.

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When I was teenager I experimented with different ways to get the girl! I splashed myself all over with Brut, I wore a cap at a jaunty angle. I wrote poems and walked with a swagger. I stuffed a tea towel down the front of my Speedos, but none of them helped.

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As a young man I experimented with ways to get a job. I told the truth, and I tried embellishing the facts. Once I pleaded, and I even had a go at playing hard to get. I dressed in a suit, I dressed casual. No joy.

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I experimented with hobbies, but when I went fishing I felt sorry for the worm. I had a go at painting but I got more paint on me than the canvas. When I played golf I spent most of the day in the bunker and the only time I tried to assemble a plastic aeroplane kit I had to go to hospital to get a wing removed from my hand. So I decided to try and visit every pub in the country and I’m doing quite well

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I experimented with finding the ideal woman. I was sophisticated one day and a slob the next. I tried putting on an American accent and had a go at sounding like a DJ. I replied to lonely hearts, and I advertised in the lonely hearts. Nothing.

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I’m still experimenting with life. I’ve tried telling myself that I am unique, and I’ve attempted to be one of the crowd. Sometimes I’ve tried planning for the future, but right now I’m living for today.

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So now I’ve decided to stop experimenting. What will be will be, and nothing I can do will change it. After all, life aint that bad!

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Ps. A couple of weeks ago I placed my article towards the middle of the list, and last week I tried posting it late. This week I’ll have a go at contributing early and we’ll see which works best!

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